The Disunited States – What Happened? Chris Bronk, University of Houston Moshe Y. Vardi, Rice University “American malaise is not just a dip in our national mood; it's a reflection of our collective longing for change, for progress that benefits all and an awakening of the spirit that makes us truly united.” This is no quote by a famous orator, but rather a computer-generated one from the ChatGPT artificial-intelligence application in answering the question, “What is American malaise?” AI seems to understand what the trouble is, but most of the rest of us are wondering how to reconcile the good with the bad. The United States boasts the world’s largest economy, strongest military, and largest number of elite universities. Shamefully, it also holds the largest number of gun deaths , lethal drug overdoses , and reported COVID-19 ffatalities among developed nations. We are a nation of contradictions, and a deeply divided o...