Yesterday, the New York Times printed something that gave me pause, because it answered questions for me that I thought didn't have an answer. Or to elaborate, it gave me an answer that I thought would have been more elusive than it was. Here is the quote:
"Those falling behind [in America] face a serious threat to their self-worth and well being: Not only are the societal markers of personal worth and status becoming unattainable but, according to the dominant cultural narrative of individual responsibility, this is supposedly the result of their own lack of hard work or merit. Instead of focusing on the economic system and its elites, Right-wing populists usually identify what they call liberal elites in culture, politics, and the media as the 'enemies of the people.' Combined with the rejection of marginalized groups like immigrants, this creates targets to blame for dissatisfaction with one's personal situation or the state of society as a whole while leaving a highly unequal economic system intact."
I was shaken to my core, because it explained so much about people who I interact with everyday. It explained why when I was at a conservative friend's house, I showed her the famous national debt counter. She took one look at it and immediately said, "That's the immigrants doing that. Lord almighty." And I was puzzled why she said that. Well, the answer is in that paragraph above.
I have another conservative friend who is just a mediocre middle-aged man who is unemployed with no bachelor's degree, but (because of his narcissism) believes that he should be the powerful CEO of a company. If you're wondering how he survives, he lives in an apartment subsidized by his non-working aunt with his wife (who works) and pays off the bills while he plays video games and takes out loans on new vehicles. But those delusions aside...when I try to show him that liberal politics are (in fact) better for unemployed people like himself he gets pissed off. When I try to show him that medicare for all would help him and his wife both, he gets angry. Why? The answer is in the paragraph above.
It's weird to come across something with such profound clarity. But I felt like I was searching for this answer for years, and then (suddenly) there it was. Neatly summed up by someone who could put what I was observing into words. And folks...that paragraph is not good news. I don't know how our country is ever going to address low "self worth" from folks who lack any kind of self-awareness or accountability. Because that is exactly what it takes...self awareness and accountability. Without that...we're screwed.
