Those who have been reading my work for a while know that I’m very vocal about, and critical of, Donald Trump and his MAGA sycophants. I dearly hoped he would lose the 2024 election if for no other reason than I wouldn’t ever have to write about him again.
But here we are. And two things have become very clear.
First, all the facts, evidence and logical arguments against Trumpism — against fascism, corruption, vulgarity, cruelty, stupidity and lies — were futile. I’d say they fell on deaf ears, but the fact is that rational argumentation only matters to people who already prefer objective reality to personal fantasies and gut feelings, i.e., people generally already against Trump.
Those who needed to be persuaded were safely ensconced in right-wing echo chambers, blissfully oblivious to what they were being groomed to support. In a populace raised on spectacle and taught to see politics as just another entertaining diversion, complex truths have no chance against scintillating lies.
The second thing now clear: Trump and MAGA are not aberrations. This turn toward authoritarianism reflects deep structural problems in our country.
One example: Personally curated media feeds now deprive us of a shared set of facts, history and terminology by which to understand one another and address shared problems. Democracy cannot exist when everyone lives in their own bespoke reality.
Another example: The average American now only reads at a sixth-grade level, if and when they read at all. The average newspaper, however, is written at an 11th-grade level, meaning over half of Americans can’t even comprehend basic facts about what’s happening in their country. Instead, they must get their “news” from sources presenting at or below a sixth-grade level: social media influencers, podcasts, talk radio, TikTok, propaganda news outlets, and so on. Most voters are, thus, politically illiterate and easily manipulated. A big part of Trump’s appeal is the fact that he speaks at a fourth-grade level — he doesn’t make people feel dumb like college-educated liberals do.
Third example: The number of eligible voters who didn’t vote outnumbered those who voted for Trump, making apathy the true popular vote winner. Many Americans no longer see the government as having anything to do with them. While the symbols of democracy remain, the spirit of democracy — the will to self-determination and self-rule — is rapidly fading.
And then there’s our society’s constant misinformation, mindless consumerism, concentrated wealth, casual vulgarity, waning social etiquette, general cynicism, loneliness, anomie, and on and on.
It’s essential that we start looking beyond day-to-day politics to address these cracks in the foundation. This, or any election, matters far less than our long-term trajectory toward brutishness and ignorance. If we don’t start dealing with the fundamental principles and values by which we live and shape our society, Trumpism in some form will never die. We’ll just keep repeating the same old cycles, and the sound and fury of the past decade will become the new norm.
It’s arguable that elections and politics now serve primarily to keep us distracted and divided while leaders on both sides of the aisle amass ungodly amounts of wealth and power at our expense. As such, getting wrapped up in the daily outrage isn’t resistance — it’s compliance with a larger system of control.
So.
In the coming year and beyond, I plan to look at the troubles our culture faces from a broader and deeper perspective. Instead of focusing on the politics or economics of immigration, for example, I’ll be looking at the morality of deportation. Instead of looking at the science of climate change, I’ll be writing on the psychological implications of our disconnect from nature. Instead of arguing the merits of democracy, I’ll be exploring the forces that lead a free people to surrender their liberty for empty promises of security. Because our current political crisis is just the visible surface of a deep and abiding spiritual crisis — a crisis of meaning and purpose — that few are talking about.
Writing about Trump may prove unavoidable. He is, after all, basically a human grease fire. I plan to publish a monthly summary of his scandals and crimes against decency in my online newsletter and otherwise ignore him. No promises though.
I’m so glad to have you all along for the ride. It’s a rough road ahead, but I suppose that’s always been the case. But, we’ll keep moving forward like we always do — together.
Urie is a lifelong Idahoan and graduate of the University of Idaho. He lives in Moscow with his wife and two children. You can find his writing on Substack (hopeanyway.substack.com) or you can email him at ryanthomasurie@gmail.com.
