The False Promise of Moral Certainty

 

If author Nikki Stern found it hard to be known as a 9/11 widow after her husband’s death, she was also perturbed by the idea that survivors of tragedies like her were sometimes seen as “moral authorities.” In trying to understand why, Stern has embarked on a provocative exploration of the role moral authority plays in American contemporary culture: why we believe victims are morally “special”; how we allow claims of moral authority to pass unchallenged; and the way in which our need for unshakeable certainty so often closes our mind to possibility. With humor and purpose, Stern offers a more rational, yet also heartfelt way of thinking that provides more reason to hope.

“A lively and thought-provoking look at moral authority: who has it today, and why do they deserve it? Nikki Stern writes with clarity, grace and honesty. Her unblinking account deserves our attention.”

—Christopher Kojm, former deputy director, The 9/11 Commission