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Isn’t Trump just a symptom? What scares the shit out of me, isn’t Trump. It’s that Americans voted for him once, and a repeat of that shit show is somehow again a possibility. Even 5% thinking that could be a good idea, would be cause for concern. 10% is “what the actual fuck America…”.
Remove Trump from the picture, and the issue is still there. The people who would vote for him, and the machinery in place that can convince them of it.
Imagine someone as vile as Trump, but not dumb as a sponge…
You’re kinda arguing my point tho, so maybe I didn’t communicate it very well.
If a character such as Trump gaining power can be considered a symptom, then the conditions that allow it is the disease. I.e. the points you make, with news networks not beholden to facts, lack of education and critical thought.
All of this is what I would argue is the underlying cause and conditions that are fertile grounds for populists. Also, just a little reminder that Hitler first succeeded on his second attempt at becoming a dictator. And unlike in the US, he was imprisoned for the first attempt.