The year 2025 may be remembered as a period when certain entrenched cultural and policy narratives, often dismissed by critics as modern 'humbug,' faced substantial and coordinated resistance. This pushback, accelerating across multiple fronts, was notably driven by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, a figure whose own persona presents a profound irony in the context of this cultural shift.
The Etymology of Humbug and a Dickensian Legacy
The term 'humbug,' popularized by Charles Dickens's Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol (published December 19, 1843), has seen fluctuating use since its first print appearance in the 1750s. Its usage peaked around 1862 and maintains a modest presence today, often during the holiday season. Dickens's own battle against a bootlegged edition of his classic story—a lawsuit that left him with legal costs and no compensation—highlights that intellectual property disputes are far from a uniquely modern dilemma.
Key Fronts in the 2025 Pushback
Defined as 'nonsense' or something intended to deceive, 'humbug' found itself on the defensive in several major policy and cultural areas throughout the year:
The Electric Vehicle Reckoning: Ford Motor Company took a staggering US$19-billion write-off on its EV operations, a move signaling a harsh market reality. It conceded that without significant subsidies, average consumers largely cannot afford or do not want electric vehicles at the mandated pace.
The Assault on DEI: The U.S. government launched a comprehensive attack on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. This effort actively embodied the principle stated by Chief Justice John Roberts in 2007: "The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race."
Clarity on Gender Identity: In a landmark ruling, the U.K. Supreme Court decided that in numerous sensitive social contexts, biological males would be treated as males, marking a significant judicial check on trans activist dogma.
Foreign Policy Shifts: In a bold military action, Israel and the U.S. conducted bombings on Iran's nuclear facilities, an event that, contrary to many predictions, did not trigger an immediate global disaster.
Qualifications and Ongoing Battles
Analysts caution that these events, while significant, do not represent total victories. Canada, for instance, still operates under a federal EV mandate supported by key factions within the governing Liberal caucus. DEI frameworks remain deeply embedded—or 'systemically' entrenched—within many large institutions. Furthermore, reports suggest the U.K. government may seek ways to circumvent its own Supreme Court's ruling on gender. The long-term geopolitical consequences of the strikes on Iran also remain uncertain.
Nevertheless, the collective momentum of these events has undeniably shifted the landscape. While fiscal prudence remains elusive in nations like Canada, the U.S., and the U.K., the tide in the broader culture wars showed clear signs of turning against what its opponents label as ideological humbug.
The Central Irony: The Humbug-in-Chief
This leads to the year's defining paradox. The figure most responsible for orchestrating this policy retreat is himself widely perceived as a practitioner of humbug—defined as a 'lying man' (from the Italian uomo bugiardo). President Trump's rhetorical style, replete with capitalizations and grandiose claims, and his Scrooge-like public comments on issues like affordability—famously suggesting a child doesn't need '37 dolls' but could be happy with fewer—cast him in an ironic light. He is, in effect, a 'Yuge Humbug' presiding over the decline of a different species of humbug, creating a complex and contradictory legacy for the year 2025.
