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The majority of Americans have significant, legitimate material and social grievances that cause them real duress. Most are surrounded by a curated low-information media environment and society that reinforces punching down, zero sum in-out group thought, scapegoating, etc. And the only official political choice they're ever allowed is between two preselected corporate stooges.
I think we're the dimwits if we're confused as to why Trump has so much inertia.
I would disagree (not from the US, but I have lived there, travelled extensively and have American friends who I speak to pretty regularly).
The "low information" environment is a choice (especially nowadays). Scapegoating is a choice. A two party state is a choice. Even the unaddressed material and social grievances is a choice. US is rich enough to solve all these issues with no problem at all.
The real issue is that a significant portion of Americans support corruption, crime and believe lying is good. While at the same time parroting tedious polemics about "freedumz and shiiit".
And on top of that the majority of the voter base of the centre-right opposition is fundemantely opposed to anti-corruption, anti-crime and governance (in terms of real outcomes, not words). Most of them are simply too well off to risk rocking the boat (until it's too late).
While this is a gross generalisation, there is a reason why the following stereotype is applied to Americans:
And yet, most of the grievances that Trump bleats about are neither significant nor legitimate. "THEY'RE EATING THE DOGS AND CATS!!!"
Quit pretending those fools are reasonable and have anything behind their hatred besides stupidity.
Go on, say that both sides are the same.
At some point over the years these rage-blind takes stop being cathartic and start becoming an apologetic distraction from the institutions that prefigure our social issues in the first place.
Curious what you mean by zero sum in this context.
The conservative fallacy that the sum of all positives and negatives in the world is always zero, therefore good cannot be had by all and must always be had at someone else's expense.
The old "I don't really win unless someone else loses."
Thanks.