April 10, 2019

Sadopopulism: interesting perspective on Trumpism

I had not heard this word before, but it provides a very interesting perspective on the perversity of what is going on in the minds of trump cultists. Here is a video (one of several) by Timothy Snyder that explains the phenomenon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=228&v=oOjJtEkKMX4

Additionally, Teri Kanefield does an excellent job of explaining how it works:

https://terikanefield-blog.com/sadopopulism/

"Maybe it isn’t spite. Maybe it’s what Yale prof. @TimothyDSnyder calls Sadopopulism.

“What the heck is that?” you ask? Snyder talks about sadopopulism here.

Sadopopulism explains how oligarchs—those who seek to have both power and wealth—stay in power.

It works like this: Sadopopulist leaders enact policies designed to inflict suffering on the people. Policies such as tax cuts for the rich and eliminating health insurance for millions of Americans creates an abundance of suffering.

The leader directs that suffering into anger at the “enemies” (immigrants, minorities, migrants seeking asylum, Democrats, etc.”

While this perspective doesn't provide us with immediate solutions, it does help explain the cultish reactions of trump followers and their delight in his lies and their willingness to accept cognitive dissonance. It also helps explain why trump is a master deceiver while we beat ourselves over the head trying to convince everyone how stupid he is.