speed with which dangerous misinformation, disinformation and outright falsehoods can spread, the accuracy with which this can be tailored and targeted, and the complete lack of accountability. The overlapping contemporary crises of elite (gridlock, incivility, polarization etc.), the crisis of traditional news media (profit imperatives, digital media, pack journalism, etc.) and associated and the dissolution of public trust in parties, politicians, propaganda, paranoid the media, and institutions in general must be viewed in combination. Furthermore, we must explore the reasons that these of American history should surface as this particular constants moment. Political Economy: Monopoly Capitalism and Liberal Ideology There is considerable irony in the fact that President Donald Trump so perfectly embodies neo-liberal capitalism, the crisis of which is vital to his election. He is capitalism writ the immanent destruction that arises from its contradictions and the irrationality of its small, rationality that allows an average of 40 percent of union households to vote for Republican and Libertarian candidates since 1980, which includes 43 percent for Trump. The true question has to do with whether the irrationality is located in the individuals, or the social structures. To hear it from Trump supporters and the Tea Party, as Arlie Hochschild has done in Strangers in Their (2016), they’re just workers” who Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right “hard by the rules” and never ask for but fall behind socially and economically in an “play “handouts” America betrayed by elites who favor jumpers” (affirmative action beneficiaries, “line immigrants, and refugees). The turn of many such voters to a populist strong man who promises to defend the man” against forces squeezing from above and below is far from surprising “little in this context.
speed with which dangerous misinformation, disinformation and outright falsehoods can spread, the accuracy with which this can be tailored and targeted, and the complete lack of accountability. The overlapping contemporary crises of elite polarization (gridlock, incivility, etc.), the crisis of traditional news media (profit imperatives, digital media, pack journalism, etc.) and associated propaganda, and the paranoid dissolution of public trust in parties, politicians, the media, and institutions in general must be viewed in combination. Furthermore, we must explore the reasons that these constants of American history should surface as this particular moment. Political Economy: Monopoly Capitalism and Liberal Ideology There is considerable irony in the fact that President Donald Trump so perfectly embodies neo-liberal capitalism, the crisis of which is vital to his election. He is capitalism writ small, the immanent destruction that arises from its contradictions and the irrationality of its rationality that allows an average of 40 percent of union households to vote for Republican and Libertarian candidates since 1980, which includes 43 percent for Trump. The true question has to do with whether the irrationality is located in the individuals, or the social structures. To hear it from Trump supporters and the Tea Party, as Arlie Hochschild has done in Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right (2016), they’re just “hard workers” who “play by the rules” and never ask for “handouts” but fall behind socially and economically in an America betrayed by elites who favor “line jumpers” (affirmative action beneficiaries, immigrants, and refugees). The turn of many such voters to a populist strong man who promises to defend the “little man” against forces squeezing from above and below is far from surprising in this context.