According to Shoemaker, cruelty, often gratuitous, is a characteristic of the Trump regime.
Susan Neiman's work, Evil In Modern Thought: An Alternative History of Philosophy, explores philosophical thought from the 1755 Lisbon earthquake to the Auschwitz horror in the 20th century.
Lisbon was like New York City today. Imagine it being completely destroyed by a natural calamity.
The Lisbon catastrophe sparked two centuries of philosophical discussions among great philosophers, shaking trust in God and the world.
Author's summary: Cruelty is a key characteristic of the Trump regime.