Another angle on this is that political decision making under this condition is counterintuitive. Problems are by their nature difficult to solve and in a state of relative ignorance, the candidate telling you something that sounds good is probably telling you a comforting lie and the candidate that’s closer to the truth probably doesn’t seem so appealing.
Climate change is a good example because it’s really difficult to rap your head around but likely to cause more economic pain over time, but the real solutions are often uncomfortable changes people don’t really want to hear about and require up front investment and the payoff is that things don’t get more expensive in the future. Talk about a hard sell to someone living paycheck to paycheck.
Linked to your description of The Economy is the whole "unemployment percentage" game. It's either 0% or 100%... either I have a job (if I want one) or not.
Among many good points you make is the one about not just the Segregation in the nation, but that people don't have enough opportunity to interact as equals.
It is a very interesting question: In a big picture, long term way, how did we get here? I went to the NYC public library to get Sinclair Lewis' "It Can't Happen Here". They have 15 copies all checked out with 16 requests in waiting. My wife overheard a group of neighbors discussing renewing their passports. A comment on HCR's Substack implores Europe to start accepting refugees from the U S. A similar election result has occurred in Argentina about a year or two ago and the nation's condition for the common people has steadily deteriorated.
Apparently democracy cannot function under our level of ignorance and propaganda. The first time Trump ran for office there was a run on Orwell's "1984". It would be interesting to discover that most Trump voters never heard of Leo, Adelson, Thiel, et al. As Ms Kendzior said, the strongman is a strawman.
Absolutely. Not only occasionally funny, because it is so true--that most people in America don't know a damn thing about pretty much anything and listen to the Trumps of the world, who specialize in misinformation and shocking people into their own special "reality", but sickening because of the power that ignorance supports, and if you want to go "grab some pussy", go ahead and do so-you have permission from the highest sources, and if women don't like it, tough shit. If this garbage works, it's because the people who accept it--if they're even aware of it--are a perfect "base" for all the traitorous and filthy rich thugs who are about to take over our government.
Not to mention that Trump has benefitted from a right wing media system that has only grown FAR MORE robust since the early 90s.
Now all Trump has to do is lie and the grifters and "news" media and other right wing "influencers" jump in to launder those lies. Everyone repeating the same thing across social media and what ever Real America News network is.
The lies are amplified to a degree that is insane and now the alternative reality just continues on.
That "worthless pastime" link is definitely worth clicking. And that "In These Times" deal is amazing! I'm a paid subscriber to it, but if anyone knows a union member, share this info with them.
This piece IMHO is spot on. Why is it that the dems who ran for office and the dems that ran the campaign didn’t seem to grasp these observations and act or react accordingly. We are a distracted and disinterested and INTELLECTUALLY LAZY people. Messaging always needs to be catchy and brief to get through the digital fog and the misinformation fog . Some way has to be found to really engage low information voters. Ideas anyone ? This creates a conundrum. On the one hand the concepts and data and analysis does not readily yield to simplistic sound bite slight of hand IF YOU ARE AN HONEST CANDIDATE and other the other hand if you don’t resort to the dishonest tactics you loose the general population as their eyes glaze over and they pass the beer , nuts , and chips. The political philosophers Leo Strauss and Hannah Ardent , both of whom had to flee Nazi Germany because of an insane dictator who had complete control of everything , did not trust democracy because they feared the easy manipulation of the general population.
So over the USA with either under educated morons, people that are racist / misogynistic / homophobic (some aware some not), selfish fat babies that whine about prices w/o knowing JS about how we got there, and others that are so scared that they vote in a Strongman a la Putin Erdogan etc.
Completely over the Dems with the always talking about Trump when they should have been talking about Trump and the GOP that is the danger to our democracy.
Now it is done, the USA as we grew up with and know is GONE.
Trump is also a product of these lies. I’m not sure Trump always believes he is lying on these topics. Fox News sets the debate, and if you’re Trump, and see it as the media enterprise getting to the actual facts, these lies shape you too. He’s historically famous for spreading new lies after Fox News gets them going. It’d be fun to imagine that they sit in a back room and come up with these lies together with full premeditated planning (they obviously do with some lies). But the centuries of these major lies shaped them too! Now they are the messengers.
Great newsletter as always. Maybe this is too specific for the list but I would add IMMIGRATION. I married an immigrant and we went through a years-long immigration process. From my experience, every politician lies about it. Even the Democrats. They are much less blood-gurglingly psychotic about it, tbf.
How can we counter this? As in, what's the right mostly vibe-based messaging that Dems should employ on, say, crime when Republicans will lie through their teeth about it?
I, a scientist, can confirm that subscribing feels great and has made me even cooler, objectively!
Another angle on this is that political decision making under this condition is counterintuitive. Problems are by their nature difficult to solve and in a state of relative ignorance, the candidate telling you something that sounds good is probably telling you a comforting lie and the candidate that’s closer to the truth probably doesn’t seem so appealing.
Climate change is a good example because it’s really difficult to rap your head around but likely to cause more economic pain over time, but the real solutions are often uncomfortable changes people don’t really want to hear about and require up front investment and the payoff is that things don’t get more expensive in the future. Talk about a hard sell to someone living paycheck to paycheck.
Linked to your description of The Economy is the whole "unemployment percentage" game. It's either 0% or 100%... either I have a job (if I want one) or not.
Among many good points you make is the one about not just the Segregation in the nation, but that people don't have enough opportunity to interact as equals.
It is a very interesting question: In a big picture, long term way, how did we get here? I went to the NYC public library to get Sinclair Lewis' "It Can't Happen Here". They have 15 copies all checked out with 16 requests in waiting. My wife overheard a group of neighbors discussing renewing their passports. A comment on HCR's Substack implores Europe to start accepting refugees from the U S. A similar election result has occurred in Argentina about a year or two ago and the nation's condition for the common people has steadily deteriorated.
Apparently democracy cannot function under our level of ignorance and propaganda. The first time Trump ran for office there was a run on Orwell's "1984". It would be interesting to discover that most Trump voters never heard of Leo, Adelson, Thiel, et al. As Ms Kendzior said, the strongman is a strawman.
Nailed it.
Absolutely. Not only occasionally funny, because it is so true--that most people in America don't know a damn thing about pretty much anything and listen to the Trumps of the world, who specialize in misinformation and shocking people into their own special "reality", but sickening because of the power that ignorance supports, and if you want to go "grab some pussy", go ahead and do so-you have permission from the highest sources, and if women don't like it, tough shit. If this garbage works, it's because the people who accept it--if they're even aware of it--are a perfect "base" for all the traitorous and filthy rich thugs who are about to take over our government.
Thank you Henry I rely on you to help me see the positive side of things.
I've been reading your newsletter for awhile--went out and bought The Hammer. Can't wait to start it!!
It is so damned good. It’s also terrific as an Audible book. Though I hated getting it from Amazon.
Nolan is one of the best reporters and thinkers of this time. Hands down.
Not to mention that Trump has benefitted from a right wing media system that has only grown FAR MORE robust since the early 90s.
Now all Trump has to do is lie and the grifters and "news" media and other right wing "influencers" jump in to launder those lies. Everyone repeating the same thing across social media and what ever Real America News network is.
The lies are amplified to a degree that is insane and now the alternative reality just continues on.
That "worthless pastime" link is definitely worth clicking. And that "In These Times" deal is amazing! I'm a paid subscriber to it, but if anyone knows a union member, share this info with them.
Your critical thinking skills are off the charts. Nice.
This piece IMHO is spot on. Why is it that the dems who ran for office and the dems that ran the campaign didn’t seem to grasp these observations and act or react accordingly. We are a distracted and disinterested and INTELLECTUALLY LAZY people. Messaging always needs to be catchy and brief to get through the digital fog and the misinformation fog . Some way has to be found to really engage low information voters. Ideas anyone ? This creates a conundrum. On the one hand the concepts and data and analysis does not readily yield to simplistic sound bite slight of hand IF YOU ARE AN HONEST CANDIDATE and other the other hand if you don’t resort to the dishonest tactics you loose the general population as their eyes glaze over and they pass the beer , nuts , and chips. The political philosophers Leo Strauss and Hannah Ardent , both of whom had to flee Nazi Germany because of an insane dictator who had complete control of everything , did not trust democracy because they feared the easy manipulation of the general population.
Do not give a FF.
So over the USA with either under educated morons, people that are racist / misogynistic / homophobic (some aware some not), selfish fat babies that whine about prices w/o knowing JS about how we got there, and others that are so scared that they vote in a Strongman a la Putin Erdogan etc.
Completely over the Dems with the always talking about Trump when they should have been talking about Trump and the GOP that is the danger to our democracy.
Now it is done, the USA as we grew up with and know is GONE.
Not coming back so get used to it.
Disgusted with it all.
Excellent. We might as well go down telling the absolute truth and fighting the worst. Can’t think of a better way.
Trump is also a product of these lies. I’m not sure Trump always believes he is lying on these topics. Fox News sets the debate, and if you’re Trump, and see it as the media enterprise getting to the actual facts, these lies shape you too. He’s historically famous for spreading new lies after Fox News gets them going. It’d be fun to imagine that they sit in a back room and come up with these lies together with full premeditated planning (they obviously do with some lies). But the centuries of these major lies shaped them too! Now they are the messengers.
Great newsletter as always. Maybe this is too specific for the list but I would add IMMIGRATION. I married an immigrant and we went through a years-long immigration process. From my experience, every politician lies about it. Even the Democrats. They are much less blood-gurglingly psychotic about it, tbf.
How can we counter this? As in, what's the right mostly vibe-based messaging that Dems should employ on, say, crime when Republicans will lie through their teeth about it?