While some older Americans have developed a taste for being told what to do, Millennials by and large reject Authoritarianism. And that’s very bad news for Donald Trump, very good news for America.
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In January, Matthew McWilliams published a study on the one trait most predictive of whether or not a person supported Donald Trump.
It wasn’t age.
It wasn’t income.
It wasn’t race.
It wasn’t religion.
Rather, the strongest indicator was being Authoritarian.
What has traditionally made Authoritarianism so unpalatable here is that its very meaning is antithetical to the American myth.
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Authoritarianism is not a new political concept. You’ve probably heard it before in reference to preference for a “strongman.” Someone who rattles off declarative, unequivocal edicts. Someone who demands absolute loyalty and obedience.
Someone exactly like Donald Trump.
What has traditionally made Authoritarianism so unpalatable in America is that its very meaning is antithetical to the American myth.
The self-made striver.
The individual.
The cowboy.
The entrepreneur.
Instead of extolling his crowds with the greatness of America, all that untapped potential trapped by systemic government overreach or a host of anti-growth policies, Donald Trump promises to build a wall. Instead of inspiring his audience to reach their goals and help create a brighter future, Trump promises to hunt down and kill the wives and children of terrorists.
And then he asks his supporters to raise a right hand and pledge allegiance to him and him alone, in a visual so darkly reminiscent of Nazi Germany that over the weekend, Saturday Night Live focused their sharpest comedic critique on Trump’s troubling resemblance to dictators of the past.
The entire spectacle of Trump is moving quickly beyond entertaining, past creepy, and well into disturbing.
A good word for those fretting about our country’s future: Millennials are the next wave of American westerns, the next batch of entrepreneurs, the next bloc of self-made strivers.
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But! A good word for those fretting about the future of our country, should he be elected.
Millennials – that massive group of voters born roughly between 1980 – 2000 – are not very receptive to this message.
They’ve already figured Social Security won’t exist for them.
They’ve already navigated a rough and tumble economy.
They’ve already abandoned many institutional pressures – marriage, religion – in favor of forging their own definition of a good life.
In short, they are the next wave of American westerns, the next batch of entrepreneurs, the next bloc of self-made strivers.
This doesn’t mean they reject the notion of governmental good. Witness their rush to Bernie Sanders and the endless safety net of parental programs he wants to institute.
But it does mean that Trump stands little chance of garnering enough of their vote to ever be elected.
And that’s a bit of good news for us all.
Photo: Flickr/ITU Pictures
Young people are also supporting Trump because they see that as a means to strike back against the overly authoritarian PC culture that is running rampant right now. If Sanders doesn’t get the nod, I’m going to have to go with Trump myself.
Just an honest question here. These article writers write their views, which is good, but do they ever read the comments and think about the other points of view view? I don’t know that they do be a useful they never come back again to their now orphaned child. Either to further defend it or to say that this or that point may have merit and gave them something to think about. It’s all very odd. I just don’t know how you can be passionate enough about something to write about it and then let it wither on the vine.… Read more »
Hi Mark,
I do come back and check the comments! 🙂
You can see my responses below. In politics, as in life, things are messy. Multiple views are not only expected; it would be strange if everyone always agreed. So I know there will be intelligent, thoughtful people who disagree. I welcome their responses too. I’m open to learning, and am the first to admit if I’ve been wrong.
Thanks for reading!
Thanks for the reply! I mean it hec a use it appears you’re one of the few.
Millennials with their safe spaces and “harmful” speech which must be policed out of existence are about as authoritarian as it gets.
Thanks for reading! I think “safe spaces” are a campus-only phenomenon, and something all people (Millennials too) grow out of… it boils down to the question of: What is college for? If it’s a holding space between youth and adulthood, then we have to consider that we are dealing with people who are “not quite adults.”
Keep in mind, I don’t necessarily ascribe to that notion. Just pointing out this question, per a college professor of mine who is struggling with how to handle campus speech codes herself.
Of course they hate authoritarianism. They are for the most inexperienced young people who are very smart but realistically don’t do very well because they’ve been told what to do and how to do it by mommy and daddy helicopters all their life. Because they’re smart they think they know it all. Like we did when we were teenagers. Of course they resonate with Sanders as the big nanny from government giving out the free ice creacream andand goodies. That’s what they got from good old mummy and popsy. The recognize that right away. That’s the goodness of government they… Read more »
Hi Mark, As a Millennial, I’ve seen coddled fellow young adults. No doubt. But I’ve also seen incredibly bright, self-sufficient, free thinking adults. And I’ve honestly seen much more of the latter. I think the appeal of Sanders stems not from his economic policies – some want all the free stuff, but older Millennials understand “free” means taxes. Trust me, they get it. What most of them admire in him is his authenticity. It’s the fact that he really doesn’t change his views based on what’s popular, or what he gain from the moment. That is refreshing; it’s so rare… Read more »
Ok. So this is a point we agree on. Sanders being authentic. I get that too. But college tuition costs and stagnant wages have not been from conservatives but from progressive policies for so dang long. Government guarantee of loans drove the price of loans. Policies and laws against business, and to a degree affirmative action drove employment wages to a lower level. The biggest one was the blind eye to illegal immigrants. That really killed innovation and American employment 15 an hour jobs will be disastrous for youth and essentially minority youth employment which is already horrendous. Wall st… Read more »
I so agree Jessicah –our very future is in their hands. I have tremendous faith in Millennials –I find them to be far more conscious, compassionate and discerning than any previous generation. They also have highly refined B.S. detectors which is one of the reasons so many of them are attracted to Bernie Sanders. Theirs is the generation of cooperation and collaboration for everyone’s good, not just the interests of those at the top. My only concern is whether or not they will show up with the passion and energy necessary to have their voices and intentions heard. At some… Read more »
Hi Michael,
Thanks for reading, and I agree: very refined B.S. detector indeed. 🙂 I hope Millennials will coalesce around someone besides Donald Trump (Sanders seems like the choice for exactly the reasons you mentioned – Sanders is speaking from his heart). But they do have to act. I think they will.