Reveal

How Trump Exploits Working Class Pain

Apr 23, 2025

Arlie Hochschild, a sociologist and author of 'Stolen Pride, Lost Shame,' delves into the economic struggles in rural America and their political implications. She shares insights from her time in Pikeville, Kentucky, where the decline of coal jobs and rising opioid issues have fueled a complex emotional landscape. Hochschild argues that while Trump taps into the pride and pain of these communities, his policies may not provide the tangible benefits they seek. The discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding these experiences to bridge political divides.

26:52

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Arlie Hochschild

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Quick takeaways

Arlie Hochschild reveals that the emotional fallout from economic decline in rural America leads individuals to support Trump despite his unrealistic promises about job revival.

The podcast emphasizes the importance of understanding diverse perspectives to bridge socio-political divides and foster a sense of community in areas like Pikeville, Kentucky.

Deep dives

Economic Decline and Emotional Impact

The podcast highlights the significant economic decline in rural areas, particularly affecting non-college educated white Americans. This demographic has experienced downward mobility, with lower earnings compared to their college-educated counterparts, contributing to feelings of devaluation and loss of identity. The sociologist Arlie Hochschild points out that communities in places like Appalachia have not only faced job losses but also an erosion of pride, as traditional blue-collar work is replaced by fewer job opportunities. This emotional fallout manifests in various social issues, including higher rates of substance abuse and suicide, illustrating the deep ties between economic conditions and emotional well-being.

Intro

2min

Rural Despair and Political Shift

12min

Emotional Echoes of Trump's Return

4min

Bridging the Divide: A Personal Journey

10min

Bridging Political Divides Through Understanding

3min

Sociologist Arlie Hochschild has spent years talking with people living in rural parts of the country who have been hit hard by the loss of manufacturing jobs and shuttered coal mines. They’re the very people President Donald Trump argues will benefit most from his sweeping wave of tariffs and recent executive orders aimed at reviving coal mining in the US. But Hochschild is skeptical that Trump’s policies will actually benefit those in rural America. But Hochschild argues that Trump’s policies will only fill an emotional need for those in rural America.

In her latest book, Stolen Pride, Hochschild visited Pikeville, Kentucky, a small city in Appalachia where coal jobs were leaving, opioids were arriving, and a white supremacist march was being planned. The more she talked to people, the more she saw how Trump played on their shame and pride about their downward mobility and ultimately used that to his political advantage.
On this week’s episode of More To The Story, host Al Letson talks with Hochschild about the long slide of downward mobility in rural America and why she thinks Trump’s policies ultimately won’t benefit his most core supporters.

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Read: Farmers in Trump Country Banked on Clean Energy Grants. Then Things Changed. (Mother Jones)

Read: Trump’s Trade War Is Here and Promises to Get Ugly (Mother Jones)

Listen: The Many Contradictions of a Trump Victory (Reveal)

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