It's Cultural Anxiety, Stupid

It's Cultural Anxiety, Stupid

By Michael Wolraich on Tue, 05/09/2017 - 11:50am |

In the wake of Trump’s surprise win, some journalists, scholars, and political strategists argued that economic anxiety drove these Americans to Trump. But new analysis of post-election survey data conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute and The Atlantic found something different: Evidence suggests financially troubled voters in the white working class were more likely to prefer Clinton over Trump. Besides partisan affiliation, it was cultural anxiety—feeling like a stranger in America, supporting the deportation of immigrants, and hesitating about educational investment—that best predicted support for Trump

URL:

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/05/white-working-class-trump-cultural-anxiety/525771/

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I totally buy this. It was so clear to me that Trump was selling a return to the U.S. of 1950's (or even the 40's) more than anything else and I think that's what a lot of people wanted to buy. I even think he fell more and more in love with the meme himself as he campaigned in "the heartland", that is the one thing that was a sort of strange transformation from his former self, really the only transformation. He started to fall in love with "Rosie the Riveter" instead of current pop culture, and that synched with his love of building big stuff and "winning".

by artappraiser on Tue, 05/09/2017 - 12:00pm

Again AA, I respectfully disagree. He found a Schtick that sold, and he went with it. He never in his life viewed himself as "of the heartland," His former self was as a spoiled, entitled ?handsome? guy who could get any woman he wanted because he was rich.

His whole selling point was no more deep than, "What 3 things does this property offer? Location, location, location." And it was just as sincere. Oh, for sure he wants to be the WINNER in every contest, but he has absolutely no concern about the losers (except that they must continue to believe his BS so they will vote for him again).

by CVille Dem on Wed, 05/10/2017 - 10:16pm

In this practicing psychology without a license game, everyone's opinion is equal. Except maybe wimmin should get a higher score because they got the intuition thing.

More seriously I enjoy everyone sharing their interpretations, it's input and I'm certainly no psychic about nutty presidents.

by artappraiser on Wed, 05/10/2017 - 10:45pm

I do think we're often insensitive to people's limited ability to absorb rapid change, and issues like transgender bathrooms aren't easily assimilated by many. (in 10 years, much of it will be settled, ignored, part of the woodwork, though abortion continues to mine gold).

Similarly, some of the rhetoric on demographics change is "whites are a doomed species - get used to it", and the "solution" is overwhelmingly towards citizenship for all illegals, etc. - not designed to comfort the still-here-still-the-majority.

But does this mean that Hillary didn't do such a bad job addressing economic issues, only she couldn't compete with rabid immigration & terror/security & minorities fear-mongering? Or the idea of the US' identity?

by PeraclesPlease on Tue, 05/09/2017 - 12:08pm

Hey, when I heard about FAX machines (before they existed) I didn't believe that they could possibly be real. I have a cheap Fax machine in my very kitchen now. So I apologize for being so uninformed and skeptical.

But Hillary, on the other hand, was always going to be just as bad as trump, so I would really appreciate it if all of the purists that just had to vote 3rd party would just go ahead and say they are sorry.

by CVille Dem on Wed, 05/10/2017 - 10:27pm

Woraich ... Check this out...

Besides partisan affiliation, it was cultural anxiety—feeling like a stranger in America, supporting the deportation of immigrants, and hesitating about educational investment—that best predicted support for Trump

Subliminal effects from short sound bites.

Daddy tells his children . . .

Now if you will... Take 5 minutes of your time to absorb this stark video from July 2016...

Subliminal effects from short sound bites.

~OGD~

by oldenGoldenDecoy on Thu, 05/11/2017 - 12:30pm

Come back, Shane!