Jump to content

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Old_SD_Dude

Echoes of Populism

Recommended Posts

My book club’s book for September is a 1955 book entitled “The Age of Reform” by Richard Hofstadter. It examines Populist and Progressive politics in the US in the late 19th and early 20th Century. I had a hard time getting into it. It’s like going back in time to an upper division history class.  But I’m back in the mode now. Today while sitting on the beach I came across this rather haunting and prescient passage about paranoia within the Populist movement:

“This kind of thinking frequently occurs when political and social antagonisms are sharp. Certain audiences are especially susceptible to it - particularly, I believe, those with a low level of education, whose access to information is poor, and who are so completely shut out from access to the centers of power that they feel completely deprived of self-defense and subjected to unlimited manipulation by those who wield power. There are, moreover, certain types of popular movements of dissent that offer special opportunities to agitators with paranoid tendencies, who are able to make a vocational asset out of their psychic disturbances. Such persons have an opportunity to impose their own style of thought upon the movements they lead.”

Thay Haif Said: Quhat Say Thay? Lat Thame Say

Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, I am Ram said:

 

giphy.gif?cid=790b76113f39f7cbcdf45ab15d

Hey, I’ve been called much worse things. It just amazed me that someone writing 65 years ago, regarding events 120 years ago, could be so reminiscent of now. 

Thay Haif Said: Quhat Say Thay? Lat Thame Say

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Populism is growing everywhere.  It is an "us vs them" mentality where the "them" is a loose network of shady individuals and groups not really defined.  You see this with Trump and his references to "they" and allusions to the deep state.

You see this with most democratic politicians today, where it is the people vs some sort of evil entity of elites and profit has become a curse word.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Old_SD_Dude said:

My book club’s book for September is a 1955 book entitled “The Age of Reform” by Richard Hofstadter. It examines Populist and Progressive politics in the US in the late 19th and early 20th Century. I had a hard time getting into it. It’s like going back in time to an upper division history class.  But I’m back in the mode now. Today while sitting on the beach I came across this rather haunting and prescient passage about paranoia within the Populist movement:

“This kind of thinking frequently occurs when political and social antagonisms are sharp. Certain audiences are especially susceptible to it - particularly, I believe, those with a low level of education, whose access to information is poor, and who are so completely shut out from access to the centers of power that they feel completely deprived of self-defense and subjected to unlimited manipulation by those who wield power. There are, moreover, certain types of popular movements of dissent that offer special opportunities to agitators with paranoid tendencies, who are able to make a vocational asset out of their psychic disturbances. Such persons have an opportunity to impose their own style of thought upon the movements they lead.”

Why in the world are you learning from a book from 1955??? You know how many things we were wrong about back then? Did they mention that smoking is cool and doesn’t hurt you? Politics was so different back then. Did they mention how much Reagan enjoyed being a Democrat? No wonder you’re always so wrong. 😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹

kat.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Old_SD_Dude said:

My book club’s book for September is a 1955 book entitled “The Age of Reform” by Richard Hofstadter. It examines Populist and Progressive politics in the US in the late 19th and early 20th Century. I had a hard time getting into it. It’s like going back in time to an upper division history class.  But I’m back in the mode now. Today while sitting on the beach I came across this rather haunting and prescient passage about paranoia within the Populist movement:

“This kind of thinking frequently occurs when political and social antagonisms are sharp. Certain audiences are especially susceptible to it - particularly, I believe, those with a low level of education, whose access to information is poor, and who are so completely shut out from access to the centers of power that they feel completely deprived of self-defense and subjected to unlimited manipulation by those who wield power. There are, moreover, certain types of popular movements of dissent that offer special opportunities to agitators with paranoid tendencies, who are able to make a vocational asset out of their psychic disturbances. Such persons have an opportunity to impose their own style of thought upon the movements they lead.”

What haunts me?

Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. -Alinsky

Take control of what people read and listen to — take control of what children learn in school. - Alinsky

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was listening to the Bill Burr podcast a few months ago. He was telling the story of hanging out with this ooooold drummer who was a session musician in like the 40s through the 60s and did stuff with some of the swing and jazz greats. Burr didn't tell specifics, but basically said this guy had stories about the road that would make the excess of the rock bands from the 70s and 80s look like a bible study. I don't remember the words exactly, but the dude had a great response when Burr seemed to be so surprised that this little old man was telling these stories. "Every generation thinks they're the first ones who learned how to f**k."

Planning is an exercise of power, and in a modern state much real power is suffused with boredom. The agents of planning are usually boring; the planning process is boring; the implementation of plans is always boring. In a democracy boredom works for bureaucracies and corporations as smell works for skunk. It keeps danger away. Power does not have to be exercised behind the scenes. It can be open. The audience is asleep. The modern world is forged amidst our inattention.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Jackrabbit said:

What haunts me?

Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. -Alinsky

Take control of what people read and listen to — take control of what children learn in school. - Alinsky

Your paranoia and dimness is a very good example of why the above quote is still relevant. 

Thay Haif Said: Quhat Say Thay? Lat Thame Say

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, renoskier said:

Weird book club.

The selections usually aren’t this arcane. There’s about a dozen of us so you pick and host once a year. I would say the breakdown is probably 1/2 current fiction, 1/4 classic literature, and 1/4 non-fiction. The latter is usually much more current, but that book got picked so...

Thay Haif Said: Quhat Say Thay? Lat Thame Say

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, Old_SD_Dude said:

My book club’s book for September is a 1955 book entitled “The Age of Reform” by Richard Hofstadter. It examines Populist and Progressive politics in the US in the late 19th and early 20th Century. I had a hard time getting into it. It’s like going back in time to an upper division history class.  But I’m back in the mode now. Today while sitting on the beach I came across this rather haunting and prescient passage about paranoia within the Populist movement:

“This kind of thinking frequently occurs when political and social antagonisms are sharp. Certain audiences are especially susceptible to it - particularly, I believe, those with a low level of education, whose access to information is poor, and who are so completely shut out from access to the centers of power that they feel completely deprived of self-defense and subjected to unlimited manipulation by those who wield power. There are, moreover, certain types of popular movements of dissent that offer special opportunities to agitators with paranoid tendencies, who are able to make a vocational asset out of their psychic disturbances. Such persons have an opportunity to impose their own style of thought upon the movements they lead.”

That "certain audience" analogy could apply to various segments of the current US population and not just poor white people which I think you may be alluding to with the implied parallel to Trump's recent popularity. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Old_SD_Dude said:

Hey, I’ve been called much worse things. It just amazed me that someone writing 65 years ago, regarding events 120 years ago, could be so reminiscent of now. 

Nothing new under the sun. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, SBBulldog85 said:

That "certain audience" analogy could apply to various segments of the current US population and not just poor white people which I think you may be alluding to with the implied parallel to Trump's recent popularity. 

You could be right. But “certain types of popular movements of dissent that offer special opportunities to agitators with paranoid tendencies, who are able to make a vocational asset out of their psychic disturbances” is pure Nacho Duce. 

Thay Haif Said: Quhat Say Thay? Lat Thame Say

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Nevada Convert said:

Why in the world are you learning from a book from 1955??? You know how many things we were wrong about back then? Did they mention that smoking is cool and doesn’t hurt you? Politics was so different back then. Did they mention how much Reagan enjoyed being a Democrat? No wonder you’re always so wrong. 😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹

 

9F75CD88-D644-46D9-9831-C600F7071425.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



×
×
  • Create New...