Failures of the education system to some extent - particularly In rural areas, particularly in Red states. Fail to educate for success in the real world = fail to prepare individuals for the real world= failure to succeed in the real world. That is not entirely on the education system - it is also on families and it’s also on the individual . I’ve worked in a HS for a decade now and see kids wandering the halls til they drop out, or given the easy pass.
Trump’s message is cutting through. When he says, “I’ll fix the economy, I’ll bring back jobs, I’ll make America strong again,” he’s not just talking about policy. He’s talking about manhood.
“Strength”. “Confidence”. “Feel like a man”. “Manhood.”
While reading this article, I thought about Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Erik Erikson's stages of psychological development. As the first of the 'boomers' I was raised in a different social culture than my Gen Z counterparts. I at least had the remnants of a dying patriarchy as a basis, but my younger brethren have been cut adrift without a rudder. Their confusion and desire for decisive leadership do not surprise me... "any old port in a storm" - any option is better than none.
As a young executive back in the early 80's I remember reading the book, "Winning By Intimidation." Today, that sounds cringeworthy, but the "Wolf of Wall Street" and "Greed Is Good" ethos of the times, got my attention. I was at the 'intimacy vs. isolation' stage in my life, like the Gen Z of today, where I was struggling to find how I fit in the zeitgeist of male success.
While the narcissistic advice in the book did not sit well with me, it helped to decipher the dynamics of the business world at the time. Even if it was toxic, it was enticing to my young male brain. If I wanted more than Maslow's basic needs, I needed to find a success model to allow me to acquire friends and prestige. Trump is a relic of the past, but his brutish retro style has a refreshing lure of uncensored clarity and action often missing in young men's lives today.
I am Trump's age and navigating Erikson's "integrity vs. despair" stage of development where I am investigating my life experiences sorting those aspects that enhanced a feeling of personal integrity and those leading to despair. Fortunately for me, I have a pretty good balance and a solid sense of my true self. I don't think we can say the same for Trump who, despite narcissistic material gains, is frantically lost and desperate.
I will venture a guess as to why Trump's toxic shorthand masculinity is popular with Zoomers who grew up in a digital world of information overload and artificial reality resulting in stunted attention spans and lives divorced from simple human relationships. Video games and popular entertainment are filled with superheroes with superhuman powers to transcend vexing life struggles. Trump has a super anti-hero bashing his way through life without moral consequences coupled with vulgar wealth. Sadly, it is more than just Zoomer males who are intrigued with Trump's brash, vulgar performance.
I agree with much of your assessment. Honestly if we cannot expect that young people at least check on facts and figures like the crime rate then we are not just letting them go, we are infantilizing them. We are making it someone else's responsibility for them to check what they see and hear. Yes Politicians need to earn votes, but voters do not get to act like children.
That said I think the last point about clarity does deserve mention. Biden had the bully pulpit, and he rarely used it. Pelosi and other Democratic leadership are out very little and are not clear on what they stand for. Indeed while I agree with Harris' plans she did not always sell them consistently in direct messages.
Modern Democrats could learn a lot from FDR and his economic bill of rights. It was not a full plan, but it was a core set of goals that guide the plans and from which he did not waver. Similarly "Green New Deal" was an operating concept that Democrats could have used to stake their claim to jobs and development for the environment but instead Pelosi pooh-poohd it as "green new whatever" then the Dems tried to pass ... jobs and development for the environment and complained that voters both criticized them for the slogan which they attacked while not recognizing what they did. You need a clear consistent message along with clear effective plans. There is something in the fact that Democrats don't have that or don't communicate it.
I would say there is also something in the feeling of party entitlement. In the run-up to the election I was swamped not only with fundraising appeals but my area was filled with groups with names like "Future Voters Unite!". They did a good job at GOTV, but they had not been here before or between elections, nor did they seem invested in talking to people, only assuming they would show up. That is not the Democrats as a party of course but I can see how it would leave a sour taste to have people expect your vote but never check in with you at any other time.
Are these young men paying attention to what trump is doing? The people he wants as cabinet secretaries and their qualifications or lack of them. The federal employees that have been fired that were doing their job.
When I was younger I didn't pay nearly enough attention to the way our government was ran or the character of the people I voted for. I do now. The rallies I saw where trump was talking about Arnold Palmers genitals or when he was fondling the microphone was very convincing. But we witnessed so much more.
Failures of the education system to some extent - particularly In rural areas, particularly in Red states. Fail to educate for success in the real world = fail to prepare individuals for the real world= failure to succeed in the real world. That is not entirely on the education system - it is also on families and it’s also on the individual . I’ve worked in a HS for a decade now and see kids wandering the halls til they drop out, or given the easy pass.
Then - perhaps most importantly - effects of legalizing marijuana -are being felt . And the male brain does not mature until around 26.
And don't forget the stupifing effects of gaming...
I so wish I had the courage to send this to my 28 yo son. But he would dismiss it immediately.
At least it gave me clarity. Thanks.
Why not send it? At the very least it might spark a conversation about what he really wanted or voted for. What is the downside?
Trump’s message is cutting through. When he says, “I’ll fix the economy, I’ll bring back jobs, I’ll make America strong again,” he’s not just talking about policy. He’s talking about manhood.
“Strength”. “Confidence”. “Feel like a man”. “Manhood.”
While reading this article, I thought about Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Erik Erikson's stages of psychological development. As the first of the 'boomers' I was raised in a different social culture than my Gen Z counterparts. I at least had the remnants of a dying patriarchy as a basis, but my younger brethren have been cut adrift without a rudder. Their confusion and desire for decisive leadership do not surprise me... "any old port in a storm" - any option is better than none.
As a young executive back in the early 80's I remember reading the book, "Winning By Intimidation." Today, that sounds cringeworthy, but the "Wolf of Wall Street" and "Greed Is Good" ethos of the times, got my attention. I was at the 'intimacy vs. isolation' stage in my life, like the Gen Z of today, where I was struggling to find how I fit in the zeitgeist of male success.
While the narcissistic advice in the book did not sit well with me, it helped to decipher the dynamics of the business world at the time. Even if it was toxic, it was enticing to my young male brain. If I wanted more than Maslow's basic needs, I needed to find a success model to allow me to acquire friends and prestige. Trump is a relic of the past, but his brutish retro style has a refreshing lure of uncensored clarity and action often missing in young men's lives today.
I am Trump's age and navigating Erikson's "integrity vs. despair" stage of development where I am investigating my life experiences sorting those aspects that enhanced a feeling of personal integrity and those leading to despair. Fortunately for me, I have a pretty good balance and a solid sense of my true self. I don't think we can say the same for Trump who, despite narcissistic material gains, is frantically lost and desperate.
I will venture a guess as to why Trump's toxic shorthand masculinity is popular with Zoomers who grew up in a digital world of information overload and artificial reality resulting in stunted attention spans and lives divorced from simple human relationships. Video games and popular entertainment are filled with superheroes with superhuman powers to transcend vexing life struggles. Trump has a super anti-hero bashing his way through life without moral consequences coupled with vulgar wealth. Sadly, it is more than just Zoomer males who are intrigued with Trump's brash, vulgar performance.
I agree with much of your assessment. Honestly if we cannot expect that young people at least check on facts and figures like the crime rate then we are not just letting them go, we are infantilizing them. We are making it someone else's responsibility for them to check what they see and hear. Yes Politicians need to earn votes, but voters do not get to act like children.
That said I think the last point about clarity does deserve mention. Biden had the bully pulpit, and he rarely used it. Pelosi and other Democratic leadership are out very little and are not clear on what they stand for. Indeed while I agree with Harris' plans she did not always sell them consistently in direct messages.
Modern Democrats could learn a lot from FDR and his economic bill of rights. It was not a full plan, but it was a core set of goals that guide the plans and from which he did not waver. Similarly "Green New Deal" was an operating concept that Democrats could have used to stake their claim to jobs and development for the environment but instead Pelosi pooh-poohd it as "green new whatever" then the Dems tried to pass ... jobs and development for the environment and complained that voters both criticized them for the slogan which they attacked while not recognizing what they did. You need a clear consistent message along with clear effective plans. There is something in the fact that Democrats don't have that or don't communicate it.
I would say there is also something in the feeling of party entitlement. In the run-up to the election I was swamped not only with fundraising appeals but my area was filled with groups with names like "Future Voters Unite!". They did a good job at GOTV, but they had not been here before or between elections, nor did they seem invested in talking to people, only assuming they would show up. That is not the Democrats as a party of course but I can see how it would leave a sour taste to have people expect your vote but never check in with you at any other time.
Are these young men paying attention to what trump is doing? The people he wants as cabinet secretaries and their qualifications or lack of them. The federal employees that have been fired that were doing their job.
When I was younger I didn't pay nearly enough attention to the way our government was ran or the character of the people I voted for. I do now. The rallies I saw where trump was talking about Arnold Palmers genitals or when he was fondling the microphone was very convincing. But we witnessed so much more.