Lessons from the U.S. election
Brandon Sun, November 30, 2020 - David McConkey
I have been reflecting on
some lessons from the U.S. election. Two words come to mind:
humiliation and humility. And although these observations grow out
of the U.S. context, they are also general, so there is much to
ponder for us Canadians.
Many on this side of the border, including me, thought that American
citizens would vote overwhelmingly to throw Trump out and bring in a
more sane government under Joe Biden. But that did not happen. Trump
received a larger percentage of the popular vote – and millions more
votes – than he did in 2016. Biden did manage a victory in the
Electoral College. But the Democrats barely held on to the House of
Representatives. The Democrats failed to win a majority in the
Senate. (Although they have one more shot in January in two special
runoff races in Georgia). And right now, tens of millions of voters
think that Biden won only because the election was rigged.
So Biden and the Democrats had an epic failure. They failed to make
a convincing case that the Trump presidency of chaos should be
soundly repudiated, that sensible governing should be endorsed, and
that Biden should be regarded as a legitimate president. The
Democrats could not communicate these basic arguments – and they are
supposed to be the elite, the experts, the knowledgeable ones?
Let’s go to the background of Trump’s rise to power. This is where
humiliation comes in. A key element in Trump’s success was his
channeling the sense of humiliation felt by millions. Many ordinary
people – branded as “deplorables” – feel looked down upon by the
liberal coastal elites. Trump hurled back this humiliation. His
presidency excelled at trolling, “owning the libs” and causing
“Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
This sense of humiliation is also how Trump became the champion of
American Christiantiy. The elites feel superior to Trump’s
supporters, who tend to be religious. Elites are no longer
religious. Today’s leaders in science, technology, business, the
arts, and popular culture skew toward the secular. And there often
is a condescending attitude toward more religious folks.
Trump, as a rich and famous member of the elite himself, could
brashly promote Christianity on the national stage. As religious
leader Jerry Falwell Jr. said of Trump, “Evangelicals have found
their dream president.”
The heart of this issue, I think, is that sympathizing with other
people’s views often seems difficult, if not impossible. For
progressives and conservatives, there is a wide chasm. For the
religious, a secular outlook can appear empty. For secular people,
traditional religious ideas can appear crazy. And those on the
outside are dumbfounded trying to understand those who are into
conspiracy theories like QAnon.
Now I arrive at humility, which may be an excellent way to approach
this mess of social division and misunderstanding. I am thinking
that we could use more of the humility that allows us to step back,
to let our own ego melt away for a bit and to look dispassionately
at the situation.
I envision the humility to admit that we do not have all the answers
and that the other side may have some good points as well. The
humility to see how good intentions and actual grievances can go
terribly awry. The humility to admit that we are often the ones who
are stuck in our own echo chamber. The humility to accept
uncomfortable truths, complexities and nuances. The humility to see
that inflicting humiliation is a short-term satisfaction, not a
long-term solution. The humility that allows for more respect, for
more listening and for more understanding.
For conservatives, such humility could lead to acknowledging that
Trump might have some good ideas, but he is a narcissistic con man,
which was always going to overwhelm everything else. Also, that
time-honoured religious beliefs need to be harmonized with modern
science and modern morality.
For liberals, such humility could lead to acknowledging that some
woke ideas (like “critical race theory”) are borderline nuts. Also,
that the presentation of progressive ideas often can alienate more
than attract people.
In the aftermath of the U.S. election, an interesting lesson about
politics and religion is unfolding. Biden is a practising Roman
Catholic. For both secular liberals and religious conservatives,
Biden’s example offers an invitation to embrace humility, to learn
and to appreciate something they might not have considered before.
That’s because Biden’s life encompasses both a conservative
Christianty and a progressive outlook including being pro-feminist,
pro-LGBT and pro-science.
There are lessons out there. A big lesson is realizing the harm of
humiliation and the benefit of humility. In a divided social
atmosphere, this is good news. That’s because the option to choose
humility is available to everyone.
See also:
Trump's Comments Pave Way for Cultural Change
Could We Have a Donald Trump in Canada?
Appreciate Everyday Goodness All Around Us
How Can We Learn to Think and Argue Better?
More Than Ever, Words and Ideas Matter
On Tyranny: Learning Lessons from History
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