Keen On America Where's the Countercultural Outrage to Trump?
Feb 1, 2026
John Taplin, cultural critic and former music/film executive, argues tech and a timid cultural class have drained today’s artistic fire. He traces countercultural roots from Thoreau to the 60s. They debate whether current dissent lacks real art, how tech and billionaires mute resistance, and why younger creators seem less daring.
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Tech's Dismissal Of Culture
- Silicon Valley treats culture as uncontrollable and irrelevant compared with tech dominance.
- John Taplin argues technologists believe they can steer culture via social media and AI rather than respect independent artists.
History Of American Counterculture
- John recounts the historical arc of American counterculture from Thoreau through the 1960s.
- He uses examples like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez to show artists historically resisted dominant politics.
Right's Cultural Energy Is Lopsided
- The right may have loud cultural figures but lacks traditional artistic output like theater, poetry, and dance.
- Taplin says right-wing influencers are mostly podcasters and personalities, not creators of enduring art.
