America got the president it asked for. Even if you don’t like the candidate, there are no signs (as of now) that the democratic process itself broke down, so we will have to live with what’s slouching towards us.
If you believe our leaders reflect the electorate, if you agree that the values, desires and norms of a society are represented in the leaders who guide it, then its time for some reflection as an American about what Trump really represents.
America hired him again. What does his second presidency say about us? Did we get the candidate we deserve?
Presidents and political leaders are part of the mythology of America, the stories we tell about ourselves, the symbols we retain from culture and society. The symbols and stories and myths are our way making meaning and perpetuate (or avoid) important values and norms, a shorthand for understanding what’s good and bad in our society.
We lean on the myths and symbols without thinking twice about them, they’re so ingrained in our belief systems .
As an American, do you take some sense of pride in Washington’s character, and see in his political career the best of the American revolutionary spirit? The courage, the moral clarity, the democratic aspirations. Do you look back and see Lincoln as an emblem of the inherent good in America’s people, an embodiment of the values that makes this country unique? Do you secretly believe you would have been part of the electorate that made the choice to vote for him in 1860, hoping his intelligence, deep wisdom and moral courage would guide us through the turbulence of the times? Do you see Truman as an example of the strength of the common American, and the inherent goodness of a working class striver (he ran a clothing store!) who represented accountability (“the buck stops here”), practicality and fairness in a time when the Atomic age and Pax Americana changed the world? Kennedy is seen fondly now, a symbol of hope and optimism and duty (“ask not what your country can do…”) during a time of growth and prosperity in the American system. What does Nixon’s presidency say about the values of the voters? What did the American people value the most when they voted in Obama?
Trump is a profoundly flawed character, a deeply unserious man. He is a reflection of our times, now. He is the one chosen twice (!) by a majority of the voting population to represent them.
We must respect the outcomes of our elections; The public voice means something, on multiple levels. But at the very least, his second presidency is an indicator of the values, beliefs, assumptions and desires of the voters that brought him back.
His second presidency is now a part of the American mythology and the historians in the future will tell a story, using his return, about us, an unserious people who re-elected the worst leader in American history.
Voters, Are You Serious?
I’m sure if you asked most of his voters “why Trump again?” you’d get some thoughtful responses. Same for Harris.
I don’t believe most Americans thoroughly analyzed the issues, fully considered both the candidates, and considered the long term effects of either a Democratic or Republican administration. I fear most Americans put more energy into understanding the lore of the Marvel cinematic universe or the Kardashians than their decision on the presidential vote.
I fear the people voted on vibes. Or, they went with their gut.
It’s clear that most of America have mixed emotions about our political system, but those emotions haven’t translated into thoughtful, critical reflection, I’m afraid. I doubt most voters (on both sides) have thought deeply or seriously about the voting choices they make. Or, if they do, it’s down to a single issue that is pressing, currently, on their minds (e.g. – “The economy”, “Immigration”, “women’s rights”).
What percentage of voters truly considered the entirety of the factors in this, the most consequential election in our history? All the policies, the character of the candidates, the effects their policies would have on the broader society as a whole, on our international partners, on the global economy, on democracy in the world? Did they weigh the consequences of each candidate’s presidency? Did they give real thought to their own standards for the character of our leaders? Were they willing to trade out what they value to “own the libs” or “the economy”. Did they even think about where their line was?
Did they really take the choice seriously? Are Americans serious people?
Its hard to talk about virtues and character in America today. No one likes to be judged, and discussions of admirable personal values, what we humans “should” do, and what behaviors are “bad” always seem condescending, patriarchal, or like “man-splaining”. But, at the same time, Americans spent $13 Billion on self improvement stuff in 2022, so we must be open to elevating ourselves at least a bit?
Let’s look in a mirror, America. When we say someone is serious, we can imply they have certain personality characteristics:
- Sober
- Rationale
- Authentic
- Disciplined
- Critical thinking
- Good judgement
- Honesty
- Consistent
- Pragmatic
- Courageous
- Patient
So, the anti-serious person is:
- Frivolous
- Ironic
- Image obsessed
- Distracted
- Vibes first
- Disengaged or passive
- Self-centered
- tribal
Does that sound familiar? Does that sound like the America you see?
Tom Nichols wrote about the lack of seriousness in America back in 2021. In his mind, America is no longer a serious country.
But when it comes to seriousness—the invaluable discipline and maturity that allows us to discern matters that should transcend self-interest, to set aside churlish ego and emotionalism, and to act with prudence and self-restraint—we’re a weak, impoverished backwater.
And, earlier that year he wrote:
The collapse of seriousness is the greatest loss we have sustained under Trump, one of the least serious human beings ever to occupy a position of great power in America. What do I mean by seriousness? It is the burden of knowing that we own our decisions, that our actions have consequences. It is the sense of responsibility that helps us to act without being ordered to act, the instinct that tells us, even when we are alone, that we owe a duty to others and that our behavior affects them as much as it does ourselves.
But, the country is it’s people, it’s leaders. We the voters are the country. We’re the ones that are self interested, churlishly ego-centric and lacking self restraint. We see a candidate like trump mimic oral sex on stage and we laugh at his “humor” and see in that something valuable? Do words and actions matter anymore?
Katherine Boyle, former Washington Post reporter and now VC wrote about seriousness in the context of entrepreneurship:
But the trait that is most meaningful is the hardest to describe. It is the fire in the eyes, the ferocity of speech and action that is the physical manifestation of seriousness. It is the belief that God or the universe has bestowed upon you an immense task that no one else can accomplish but you. It is a holy war waged against the laws of physics. It is the burden of having to upend sometimes hundreds of years of entrenched interests to accomplish a noble goal.
I’m not a fan of all her politics (Boyle wrote that for Barry Weiss’s pretty conservative, right-leaning platform, the Free Press), but I am a fan of the idea that its time to build new movements and institutions (and rebuild old ones, and retire some others).
She’s spending a lot of time with tech leaders and entrepreneurs, sure. But what she’s getting at is more important:
- There’s a high level of intent to take real, legitimate action
- They’re going after hard problems, with full commitment
- There are few political considerations, most likely
- These folks mean what they say, say what they mean
Throughout the rest of the essay, she offers, as a counterpoint examples of unserious efforts. The examples highlight poor policy outcomes from institutional leaders, probably due to either political considerations (in a political system that is fatigued or failing or somehow not great) or changing cultural norms.
It is unserious to be led by a gerontocracy, where our elected officials had kids in college when the internet was invented. It is unserious when young people retreat from public service. We now have the oldest Congress of any Congress in the past two decades, with half of American senators over the age of 65.It is unserious to beg dictators in failed states to send America oil when we invented fracking. It is unserious to talk about renewables and not nuclear. It is unserious to attack the companies leading our electrification revolution because you don’t like their memes on Twitter.It is unserious when the most trusted men in news are stand-up comedians.
In her essay, being serious implies strength, focus, will, competence . The stakes in a America are high, she implies, the quality of American lives depends on a more serious approach from leaders.
Autocrats want to roll over the population. Those with fascistic tendancies will want to use the power of the state to change your personal values and behaviors, to limit your freedoms and bring you to heel.
They can do that when the people don’t take them, or the democratic process seriously.
Maybe it’s time to go back to the history books and understand when American progress was rebooted by concerned, serious leaders. Or, maybe we should look outside the US for examples of serious people changing their government through non-violent, impassioned efforts over time when voting wasn’t enough.
It’s time to get serious, again, Americans. To go to work. With focus, integrity, clarity and a strong desire to get actual shit done to protect our freedoms and the institutions that make it possible to thrive in the US. It’s time to clock off TikTok, to put down the phone, and turn towards the real work of making our communities better.