Chris Hedges argues that "the rule of idiots" signifies the final stage of collapsing empires, where a society's "collective stupidity" and "loss of reality" lead to its downfall. Drawing parallels between historical empires like Rome and contemporary America, Hedges contends that leaders like Donald Trump embody this idiocy, mirroring societal pathologies rather than creating them. These "idiots" prioritize "spectacle" and self-enrichment, destroying institutions and rational discourse while neglecting critical issues like the climate crisis or economic inequality. Ultimately, Hedges suggests that this decay stems from a public conditioned to embrace "collective thoughtlessness" and a ruling class that has inverted moral norms, prioritizing self-interest over the common good and transforming democratic institutions into tools of exploitation.