Chris Gloninger wove the reality of global heating into his forecasts in the conservative heartland of Iowa. Not everyone was receptive.
Chris Gloninger wove the reality of global heating into his forecasts in the conservative heartland of Iowa. Not everyone was receptive.
The point wasn’t the rare coal town but the perception that pervades the rural areas of this country. It doesn’t have to be coal towns - there are similar stories for all smallish cities across the Rust Belt for example. You’re focusing on a specific when really the point is that fascism grows only in poor economic situations.
These people are legitimately suffering and they are turning to hate as a response. Trust me, you or me could have easily been in their shoes had we been in their position. But just like they have been swayed to hate, I think it’s possible to sway them to socialism as long as you call it something other than socialism.
Zizek has talked about this before where Trump supporters in 2016 were a hair’s breadth away from being Bernie supporters. While a bit of a dramatic statement, there is some truth in this. When the economic situation is unstable, radicalism grows in both directions - left and right. Which is why around the same time period we saw an openly socialist candidate for president in the US receive about 6% of the general vote - while we also saw massive Nazi rallies in New York City.
Everything is connected. We are fighting for the hearts and minds of the same people.
In theory I agree with everything you said. In this specific example I don’t buy it. The people threatening this weather man aren’t taking that position because climate change legislation is hurting them personally. They’ve just brainwashed by right wing propoganda
Was more to do with the comment I replied to than the original post
Sure, people making death threats to weathermen are nutters. But majority of people living in these areas are not so crazy, even ones that lean Trumpers
I agree, but Žižek has always annoyed me.