Heather Cox Richardson on Donald Trump, Democracy, and Taylor Swift
Oct 8, 2023
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Historian Heather Cox Richardson discusses Trump's rise compared to other authoritarian leaders, using fascists' theory of change against them, and the impact of widespread disinformation. They also talk about the decline in referral traffic from social media to news websites, the appeal of authoritarianism and the tactics of strongmen, the choices of apathetic voters regarding Trump, the disconnect between Republican priorities and public concerns, and Clarence Thomas's recusal from a Supreme Court case.
Language and storytelling are crucial for democracy, establishing a reality-based community and historical context for current events.
Authoritarians gain support by addressing grievances and identifying a scapegoat, making it difficult for followers to abandon their support.
The current era is characterized by social media's influence promoting disinformation, global wealth concentration exacerbating inequality, and the unprecedented rejection of democracy by a major political party in the U.S.
Deep dives
The Power of Language and Storytelling in Democracy
Heather Cox Richardson emphasizes the importance of language and storytelling in democracy, as it helps establish a reality-based community and provides a historical context to current events. She believes that the lack of context in media coverage, driven by the speed of information and social media's influence, hinders a functioning democracy. Richardson aims to counter this by explaining events, their significance, and how they fit into American history.
The Appeal of Authoritarianism
Richardson highlights that authoritarians gain support by promising to address the grievances and dispossessions felt by a population. They identify a scapegoat, usually the 'other,' and offer solutions to restore the prominence they believe the population has lost. Once followers internalize their identity as associated with the strongman, it becomes difficult for them to abandon their support, even as the strongman's behavior worsens.
Unique Aspects of the Current Era
Richardson identifies two unique aspects of the current era: the widespread use and influence of social media, which promotes disinformation and distorts reality, and the global concentration of wealth, which exacerbates inequality. Additionally, she points out that the rejection of democracy by one of the major political parties in the U.S. is unprecedented. Richardson remains hopeful that recognizing these unique challenges can lead to reclaiming technologies and promoting democratic values.
Challenges in Maintaining Democracy
Richardson acknowledges the difficulty of maintaining a functioning democracy in an era of polarized media, social media, and fast-paced information consumption. She emphasizes the need for patience, open-mindedness, a shared reality, and historical context in order to preserve democracy. Richardson also highlights the importance of storytelling and language in persuading people about the value of democracy in the face of authoritarianism.
American Democracy and Monocultural Moments
The episode discusses the lack of monocultural moments in American society due to the diverse sources of information and media fragmentation. The speaker raises concerns about what unifies the country in the absence of shared cultural experiences. They emphasize the significance of women creating a monocultural moment through their demands and actions, highlighting the impact and importance of such moments on society.
Dealing with Radicalized Factions and the Future of Anti-Trumpers
The episode explores the challenge posed by radicalized factions in American politics, particularly those inclined towards political violence. The speaker expresses uncertainty about how to address the growing and vocal faction of individuals who support and engage in extremist acts. They discuss the potential outcomes of Trump no longer being a viable candidate, suggesting that some individuals may become fervent anti-Trumpers, while others may become nihilists and desire to disrupt the political system.
Heather Cox Richardson, historian and author of the Substack’s most-read newsletter “Letters from an American,” joins Offline to explain why she’s still hopeful about the future of American democracy. Heather’s new book, "Democracy Awakening," pushes past the clamoring 24-hour news cycles and delves deep into US history: how does Trump’s rise compare to those of other authoritarian leaders? Can Americans use fascists’ theory of change against them? Is widespread disinformation anything new? But first, Max and Jon discuss why referral traffic from social media sites has plummeted and what that means for journalism. Then, they marvel at Congressman Matt Gaetz’s Trumpian political strategy, and why it’s stymied the Old Guard of the GOP.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.
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