The gods of impossible problems drew cards in 2014 and decided to go in low-to-high order. Traumatized whiteness in 2016, middle class precarity in 2020, climate in 2024. 3-act tragedy. No problem actually solved. Just 3 groups of people allowed their scream-to-be-seen turns.
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One reason big problems rarely actually get solved is that most people are easily bought off by being given an opportunity to be seen/heard as having the problem. Not only are they satisfied with the recognition, they resist actual solutions because the problem is their identity.
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These problems are not solvable. Only crashable. As in a Flight 93 takeover and crashing of the institutions seen (mostly incorrectly) as responsible, without better ones ready to fill the vacuum, and without regard to actual functions. So in each case “now you have 2 problems.”
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It’s like how in riots over any issue, small businesses get looted because they are visible targets that vaguely rhyme with the obscure root causes of whatever is angrying up the mob. 2016-28 is going to be “riot democracy” with the vote being about “who gets to loot next?”
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A tale of 3 democracy riots 2016: Traumatized whiteness = “nationalism” = loot elite and impersonal state institutions 2020: Traumatized precariat = “inequality” = loot market institutions and large corps of the Buyback 500 2024: Traumatized planet = “climate change” = loot ?
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In 2016, clueless institutional elites like me had NO idea how much disaffected whites were directing (however inappropriately) their hulk-smash energy towards us. In many cases targeting institutions they weren’t aware they were dependent on. 2020 = clueless billionaires.
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They think it’s about defeating Warren the way we thought it was about defeating Trump. They think “reasonable” explanations pointing out how their mental models are misframed and the anger misdirected will defuse the anger just as in 2016.
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In 2016 we clung to stories about how “America was already great” and global prosperity that simply weren’t believed by activated crowd. In 2020 they cling to stories about historic stock market highs and low unemployment that simply aren’t being believed by activated crowd.
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In 2016 elites didn’t realize the extent to which opioid crisis had become the rallying symbol of anger, whatever its actual importance in the larger scheme of things. In 2020 the wealthy aren’t realizing the extent to which housing/urban blight have become the rallying symbol
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Replying to @vgr
Not realizing the whole scam of moving to a prosperous city where streets are paved with gold is no longer credible because housing etc. crisis
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It was almost working as recently as 2009, when I pulled that move by moving to DC. I wouldn't try it now. I'd possibly stay in Rochester (if not Xerox) if I were in that position today.
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Replying to @vgr
It's a questionable bargain for ambitious young people to stay in places where capital is ebbing. An uncommon mindset is needed.
@Sarah_Smarsh explores but for people in place for many generations.0 replies 0 retweets 0 likesThanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
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