Maand: november 2024

In response to this article in The Guardian.

Actions and decisions are often based upon personal experiences. And government gives really bad ones. Especially in the United States the contrast with the commercial world is big. Seen from Europe the bureaucracy is more bureaucratic, the armed forces are extremely armed, the law is extremely strict. 

Except if you can buy yourself an interface with the government it is less painful. But did your parents pass on some skin pigment through their dna to you it can be lethal to interact with anyone in a uniform. If you are poor and you depend on the state for your survival you will be humiliated structurally because you failed the American dream. The state hates you and the feelings are reciprocal.

Interactions as a consumer are generally better than elsewhere in the world. You can always return your purchase, you can use credit if you can’t afford it, you won’t hear ‘no’. The working poor that serve you smile and are friendly because their job is on the line and they could really use a tip. The servant makes you feel like a feudal master. 

Still Americans and many immigrants love the country. Many immigrants have fled some government that either threatened their lives or failed to protect them against thugs. Most conspiracy theories have an important role for the government. It is an entity out there that can’t be trusted. Therefore it comes as no surprise that Americans do not rise up for a more friendly government. 

When a populist from the business world, I deliberately avoid his name, promises to make the country great again it resonates better than if the opponent with a shiny career in government makes any promise. Obviously she is a ‘commie’. The business men are going to run the country like an efficient business, that will fix government surely. 

(longer version here)

also, in 305 words

After the elections of the next American president around the world analysts have produced dozens of explanations of this outcome.

From my experience as a moderator of a petitioning website I can say that many citizens base their actions and decisions upon their personal experiences. Journalists and the ones they meet personally present them the options to choose from. Perhaps this also helps to understand the motivations of Americans voting in the Republican candidate.

When voting for a president, many are led to believe that it is about the ‘leader’ of the nation. The head of the government. The president decides about how the government is run, is the message that is popularised during the campaign and an existing belief passed by education and upbringing at least.

The experiences citizens have with the US government are generally really bad. Especially in the United States the contrast with the commercial world is big. To visitors from Europe the bureaucracy is more bureaucratic, the armed forces are extremely armed, the law is extremely strict. If you have money you can buy yourself an interface with the government and it is less painful. Did your parents pass on some skin pigment through their dna to you, then it can be lethal to interact with anyone in a uniform. If you are poor and you depend on the state for your survival you will be humiliated structurally because you failed in the frame of the American dream. The humanity is lost. The state hates you and the feelings are often reciprocal.

Interactions with the commercial world are generally better than elsewhere in the world. You can always return your purchase, you can use credit if you can’t afford it, generally you hardly hear the word ‘no’. Even the working poor that serve you are trained to smile and be friendly because their job is on the line and they could really use a tip. The servant makes you feel like a feudal master. Where is the humanity here?

Still Americans and many immigrants love the country. Many immigrants have fled some government elsewhere that either threatened their lives or failed to protect them against thugs. Most conspiracy theories have an important role for the government. It is an entity out there that can’t be trusted.

Therefore it comes as no surprise that Americans do not rise up for a more friendly government.

When a populist from the business world, I deliberately avoid his name, promises to make the country great again it resonates better with all those who hate the government than if the opponent with a shiny career in that government is making any promise. Obviously she is a ‘commie’. The business men are going to run the country like an efficient business, that will fix government surely.

The bad reputation for government is something we see in the whole western world. The left has been making many promises on what the government can or should do. While it has also been underdelivering because it by definition is limited by an infinitely growing set of restrictions. This again in contrast with the business world that is only limited by (human) capital and the law. If it fails it goes bankrupt, but this does not harm the reputation of business in general. With a little help from advertising it tells the story that only through consumption you can truly achieve happiness.

Along the way industry destroys the planet and seeks ways to make consumers addicted. The only way to prevent the destruction of the planet is by strong government intervention. Surely industry is not going to come up with a technological fix because it will not sell.

Educated Democrats in the $100k+ income bracket know have to navigate the perils of the commercial offerings and pass these skills on to their children. They might also have a secure job inside that government, preferably not in direct contact with those who need a helping hand the most. Reading in this paper about how probably the economy is what made their party lose the elections.

Perhaps it is just a profound hatred of government that did it.