America needs a mass movement
AMERICA NEEDS A MASS MOVEMENT—NOW
Without one, America may sink into autocracy for decades.
By David Brooks
Illustrations by Nicolás Ortega
Summary of article
In “America Needs a Mass Movement—Now,” David Brooks warns that U.S. democracy is eroding as institutions act in isolation while authoritarian forces, led by Trumpism, gain strength. He argues that resisting autocracy requires not just elections or policies but a broad civic movement—one that unites working- and middle-class Americans, rebuilds trust across divides, and revives the nation’s founding ideals of liberty and dignity. Brooks urges citizens to craft a hopeful national narrative, coordinate across institutions, and achieve cultural as well as political victories before complacency allows America to drift into long-term authoritarian rule.
My opinion:
We have a Mass Movement going on, it’s just not ours..
Yes, the article is very detailed and articulate.
That is both its strength and our weakness in the Democratic Party. Our inability communicate effectively with our intended audience. Basically we are talking way over people’s heads. A person I love and respect used to summarize it like this: ‘Most people aren’t very smart’ and she is correct. Most people aren’t thinking about it on your level.
Most people are afraid to die and want to go to heaven. Therefore they Believe in being Christian.
Most people want to get rich. They like the idea of getting rich and being rich.
Most people don’t want charity and don’t want people or ‘programs’ trying to help them. They simply want to go to work and earn a living. Having a job gives them a feeling of self worth and self respect.
Most people want and accept sex and gender stereotypes and role assignments. In that realm, most people are homophobic.
Most people are viscerally racist. Birds of a feather flock together. They easily accept stereotypes about ‘those people’.
Most people are primarily focused on their own wants and needs and on their own conquests and survival. They don’t care about a million little lies as long as the Big Story makes them feel good.
And as this article points out, we don’t have a Big Story. We have a lot of high ideals but very weak punch lines.
Most people are not too worried about losing the complex governmental structure of democracy with it’s institutional balances of power especially when one guy can stand up there and lash out with name calling and repeatable one liners; Socialism, Fake News, America First, Pro Life, Build a Wall, etc. etc.
It doesn’t need to be true, it only needs to be macho, clever and viscerally feel good.
This is Identity Politics: Race, sex, religion and Making Money. Money, The Economy, is the one and only thing Everyone has in common. Most people don’t hate billionaires, they want to be one. What they do hate is taxes. The Republicans captured that all that and with a great Big American Flag!
Meanwhile the Democrats rally cry:
Global warming, climate change, multi cultural, LGBTQ, immigration rights….?
Even Freedom of Speech is pretty vague to a guy who just wants the freedom to root for his team or yell fuck you at a guy who cuts him off in traffic.
Our stories might be true, they might be fare, just and inclusive but because Most People, either don’t understand them or don’t identify with them or are downright fearful or ‘morally’ offended by them. It all adds up to, that’s why we lost and why we are losing.
We’re missing some of the core values that motivate people and assuming that different minority groups actually care about the plight of other minorities. We believe there is a shared empathy for others and there is not.
Trump figured out that the American attention span is two weeks and he creates a dramatic story to entertain us within that time space.
In the Tic Toc Twitter World it’s more like two minutes.
But the strategy and methodology remains the same. KISS
Keep it Simple Stupid. It’s works in Sales and it worked in Selling America.
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