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Trump as cultural corrective

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MagicM
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« on: December 03, 2016, 08:45:13 pm »

Just posted this over at DC under Hot Topics.

The anger and bafflement of the Left on the election of Donald Trump is also being felt by Labor/Green supporters elsewhere in the West including here in Australia.

Apart from economic pressures which are well known, here is an explanation based on cultural concerns quoted in the Atlantic magazine which I think comes closest to why many middle of the road, non political types supplemented by conservatives voted the man in:

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/08/donald-trump-voters/401408/#Trump%20Is%20a%20Corrective%20to%20American%20Culture's%20Pathologies

Trump is a Corrective to American Culture’s Pathologies

Although I am not yet committed to any candidate, I nevertheless do see the value in a Donald Trump candidacy. To be entirely honest, his appeal is more emotional than rational. I know this is not the best way to begin an endorsement, but having admitted that, I still believe he is the right candidate for today’s America.

Trump hasn’t elaborated much on any practical policy endeavors he would pursue. However, I think the bulk of his appeal comes through his defiance of the prevailing culture of political correctness among the media and academia. Although a seemingly minor issue relative to the economy or foreign policy, political correctness ignites conservative blogs and social media more than anything else.

Beyond speech codes, “trigger warnings,” or Twitter outrage mobs, the preeminence of political correctness among the culture class indicates a momentous shift away from formerly prominent middle-class cultural values and towards something entirely different. Even if Donald Trump were to accomplish little in his presidency, I think there is a hope that were he president, he could in some way alter that prevailing Washington/media culture and set a new cultural tone.

Many would probably question why, of all people, a decadent, rude, and pompous billionaire should be trusted to meddle with American culture? I think it comes down to a perception that America has already drowned in a post-modernist nightmare of moral relativism, from which extreme political correctness and protest culture stem. Trump, on the other hand, is all absolutes. Everything he says, accurate or not, is stated in absolute, definitive terms. His personal morality is clear: He respects people who work hard, are loyal, innovate, and “win,” and he shuns those who don’t meet the criteria. Cruel as it may sound, I think America needs to reenergize these fundamental cultural values before we can ever hope to create a better society.


So there you have it in words better than I could come up with. The same cultural concerns apply equally throughout the West. The current regime of the Left consensus is felt to be overwhelmingly oppressive to free speech and often to common sense.

The only push back powerful enough was seen to be this fearless, what-you-see-is-what you-get so-called barbarian alpha male (they still exist mirabile dictu!) who doesn’t care about insults, and who cannot be intimidated by the media and twitter mobs who have bullied a whole generation out of speaking their mind, cost people their jobs and reputation who stepped out of line and thereby closed down debate.

People looked around and asked “Who you gonna call?”
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Milo
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« Reply #1 on: December 05, 2016, 09:55:33 am »

Exactly.

But what I think really sealed the deal for many people was the sincerity of Trump's delivery. Bernie had this element in his campaign too, but as we all know from the DNC Wikileaks, he never had a chance of beating the Clinton machine. People could believe in Trump because he honestly believed in himself and the ideas he was putting on the table. I can tell you that the strength of his resolve didn't hit home with me until I attended the rally where I sang, and heard him speak live. He spends most of his time off the teleprompter. The things that he has to say are completely internalized, and come out of him organically. You would never know this from listening to the sound-bites that the media feeds us, but his speeches are full of hope and promise for a better tomorrow. I mean if black people would only listen to a few minutes of him talking about what he wants to do in inner cities, they would never call him a "racist" again. Now, don't get me wrong here: I'm not saying that I know what is in Donald Trumps heart--only God knows that. But when you hear the passion in his voice when he talks about problems like education in inner cities--and he tells a story about a specific teacher at a specific school in Philadelphia--you think that maybe...just maybe...this guy actually cares about us. Then repeat that passion with veterans, farmers, coal miners, factory workers, etc., etc., etc. and you win the hearts of the people.

But beyond the man, there is the movement. Brexit was just the beginning. Italy just voted down a set of constitutional reforms that were proposed by their liberal party. Marie Le Pen has a good chance of becoming France's next president. The citizens of Colombia rejected an attempt by their leaders to enter into agreements with drug lords. And the sounds coming out of Australia are indicating that globalism is going to have a difficult time hanging on there too. Populism is spreading across the world like wildfire now, and the world is going to look very different by 2020.
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injest
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« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2016, 09:45:48 pm »

Exactly.

But what I think really sealed the deal for many people was the sincerity of Trump's delivery. Bernie had this element in his campaign too, but as we all know from the DNC Wikileaks, he never had a chance of beating the Clinton machine. People could believe in Trump because he honestly believed in himself and the ideas he was putting on the table. I can tell you that the strength of his resolve didn't hit home with me until I attended the rally where I sang, and heard him speak live. He spends most of his time off the teleprompter. The things that he has to say are completely internalized, and come out of him organically. You would never know this from listening to the sound-bites that the media feeds us, but his speeches are full of hope and promise for a better tomorrow. I mean if black people would only listen to a few minutes of him talking about what he wants to do in inner cities, they would never call him a "racist" again. Now, don't get me wrong here: I'm not saying that I know what is in Donald Trumps heart--only God knows that. But when you hear the passion in his voice when he talks about problems like education in inner cities--and he tells a story about a specific teacher at a specific school in Philadelphia--you think that maybe...just maybe...this guy actually cares about us. Then repeat that passion with veterans, farmers, coal miners, factory workers, etc., etc., etc. and you win the hearts of the people.

But beyond the man, there is the movement. Brexit was just the beginning. Italy just voted down a set of constitutional reforms that were proposed by their liberal party. Marie Le Pen has a good chance of becoming France's next president. The citizens of Colombia rejected an attempt by their leaders to enter into agreements with drug lords. And the sounds coming out of Australia are indicating that globalism is going to have a difficult time hanging on there too. Populism is spreading across the world like wildfire now, and the world is going to look very different by 2020.

there are problems on the horizon that most people aren't looking at...

for one the debt bubble and negative interest rates....as well as the countries phasing out hard currency. I understand they are already doing that in Australia, MM??

we are being boxed in.
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