Robert Putman talked about loneliness in American life in his book Bowling Alone. For many decades, people showing up at events has been on a downward trend, for church, political and social events. The exceptions have been Alcoholics Anonymous and Rotary Clubs. In the metropolitan areas, people spend much time getting to and from work. Many people spend much time watching television.
We have the greatest wealth inequality in human history. In the United States, three men have the same financial assets as the lower 160 million. Neither major political party nor the pundits talk about this. Income for the middle class has been stagnant for decades. Less wealthy white people rightfully feel left behind. They feel threatened by immigrants, black people and gays rather than the One Percent who are picking their pockets. They turn to a narcissist billionaire for relief.
Hannah Arendt noted that people most likely to align themselves with totalitarian movements lack a sense of their own usefulness to society and feel excluded.
Andrea Mazzarino and Fareed Zakaria’s commentaries go a long way in explaining why church-going people cling to a miserable creep like Donald Trump. They feel excluded and want to participate in a movement where their feelings are recognized.
Trump gives isolated Americans the chance to hate alone together
Fareed: The rapid secularization of America
6 minutes
Fareed: The rapid secularization of America
Fareed: The rapid secularization of America |
Sincerely,
Ed
err1960
Sincerely,
Ed
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