The Children's Revoltion
The 2016 U.S. Presidential election has seen self-described ‘revolutions’ from both conservative and liberal candidates. Two have been very successful – surprisingly and, in one case, depressingly so. But while the candidates running these revolutionary campaigns could not be more different, their most fanatical followers are (surprisingly and depressingly) similar.
The far more successful revolution has been led by billionaire brand-name Donald Trump, who seems to be well on the way to becoming the Republican nominee for President. He has run a campaign designed to emphasize his outsider appeal, rejecting the business-as-usual approach that has defined the GOP and outraged a growing bloc of right-wing voters.
The less successful revolution – despite using the word ‘revolution’ in every other sentence – has been led by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who seems to be well on the way to finishing second to Hillary Clinton in the contest to select the Democratic nominee for President. He has run a campaign designed to emphasize his outsider appeal, rejecting the business-as-usual approach that has defined the Democrats and outraged a growing bloc of left-wing voters.
To be clear, both candidates have run stunning (and, in one case, depressing) campaigns, achieving far more success than was expected at the beginning of the primary season. I consider Sanders’ campaign less successful than Trump’s for the simple reason that he will not win the nomination of his party. It’s not a quality-based judgement, it’s a results-based judgement. So settle down, Bern-feelers. There’ll be plenty to get self-righteously pissed off about in a minute.
Where these campaigns have been most successful is in tapping into the dissatisfaction with the ‘politics as usual’ approach felt by many on both sides of the ideological divide. While the far left has focused its frustration on the undue influence of the wealthiest “1%” on our political system, the far right is angrier about the “47%” of citizens they classify as takers and moochers.
(NOTE: I’m not sure about the actual number of rich folks and moochers we’re talking about here, so I’m just gonna go with the favorite percentages quoted by the folks on either side.)
Unfortunately these campaigns have also been successful in exposing the sad similarities of those on the Far Right and Far Left, in that both have been behaving like spoiled children.
Now, they don’t behave like the same KIND of spoiled children. The Far Right is more like screaming, tantrum-throwing toddlers, while the Far Left prefers to whine and cry. But their tactics and delusions are incredibly similar.
Both Trump and Sanders fanatics claim to be horribly persecuted… see the world only in black and white (more ‘white’ in Trump’s case)… have turned political rallies into violent and abusive hate-fests… have threatened to ruin the careers of anyone who doesn’t support their candidate… blindly reject all information that doesn’t conform to their personal viewpoints (or math)… ignore their candidate’s less-than-detailed policy platform in favor of demonizing the competition… indulge in whacky conspiracy theories rather than accept simple, unpleasant realities… accept discredited accusations as the truth, while rejecting proven criticisms as slander… the list goes on and on and on.
And I get it. Really, I do. Passions run high. If I didn’t feel passionate about this, I wouldn’t be writing about it. But there’s a difference between passion and fundamentalism.
Fundamentalism is a belief so blindly devotional as to allow no conflicting points of view. We’re most familiar with religious fundamentalism - and hey, that’s been working out great! - but there is also political fundamentalism. It’s the primary motivation that drives both the Far Right and Far Left. These political fundamentalists flatter themselves that their strict, unwavering adherence to their specific candidate - at the exclusion and demonization of all others - makes them somehow pure and moral.
When actually, it just makes them lazy and myopic.
Fundamentalism is the easiest thing in the world. It doesn’t require thought, analysis, or debate. It only requires unquestioning belief and the ability to rationalize - two things the human animal is very, very skilled at.
Two things we learn as children.
And so we’re full circle.
The voters are not rebelling so much as the children are tantruming. Nothing is important except getting what we want right now and if we don’t we’ll scream and yell and cry and stomp our little feet because we’re the only thing that matters!
Because that’s really the bottom line with these folks. It’s not change, or revolution, or any of the high or low ideals they claim to support. It’s about the precious snowflake. It’s about YOU knowing they’re better than the common rabble. It’s about their purity and their conscience and their ability to constantly remind everyone of their moral superiority. (Even when that ‘moral superiority’ is based on hatred and racism.)
It’s Bart Simpson clanging on a pot while endlessly chanting “I am so great.”
All while a racist, xenophobic simpleton with bad hair and a fake tan moves into the White House and spray paints it gold. Which will be the LEAST horrifying thing he’ll do.
But you’re so brave, precious snowflake. You’re all that matters. Never waver.
