A phrase that would seem fitting to many after this radical month of sudden twists and turns. The end of the year rapidly approaches, and yet there seem to be no indication that there will be any decrease in the continuous flow of surprise and disbelief that stem from the decisions of one particular president-elect. Just this week, it was officially announced that a neurosurgeon is to be running the Housing and Urban Development department. Because what's more in tune with the standard of urban, suburban, and rural living than a PhD in the human brain, right?
Yes, the world is turned upside down and history will glare unforgivingly to this newfound rise of extreme populism that seems to be taking modern society by storm. There will be a time, in the future when one looks back and wonders, "How did that even get passed?" How, indeed? Until that day, when hopefully there is more control and a safer feel in the often turbulent world humanity was graced with, one can spend their time coping with reality by perhaps looking into the logistics, the likelihood of these results. How did a widely considered bigot with a ridiculous toupee become President of the United States when compared to someone who has been in the field their entire career? It would normally seem completely out of the question. However, as surprising and unsatisfactory as it is, the real question one must ask themselves is how could he not win?
For a proper answer full of a social scientist's thesis on humanity and civilization with statistics and entire textbooks dedicated as proof, one could simply turn to the idea of social cycles. The theory, albeit complex, almost always calls for a rise in capitalism or leadership that is wildly radical after a period of intellectualism. It is economy based, and often, unfortunately for the current situation of the USA, results in a period of chaos or social revolution: a crash that starts the cycle back at the first stage of rebuilding a more evolved society. This does indeed fit with the outcome of the election and may even offer those intellectuals interested in such a thing some piece of mind. At least it's an answer. Based on this theory it makes logical sense that after a period of relative progressiveness and social evolution into the 21st Century perspective, the rise of such frightening populism would come to be. Hitler rose to power after a widespread global age of social progress, did he not? For with progress comes an equal lack of progress. Every action has an equal opposite reaction. Intellectual leadership spurs new command based on the contrary.
Of course, most people don't spend their free time idly flipping through some professors one hundred page thesis on the complex workings of social patterns. Instead, they need something simple. Something that would make sense to anyone. To this majority, the answer seems obvious. The man won the presidency because there's no way he couldn't. Think of it as a fictional story. What is more likely to happen, the outgoing, different, unique character gaining victory, or the run of the mill safe character wining? The difference between the two candidates was obvious. While the winner is under-qualified and wildly out of control for stereotypical Presidential decorum, he is the one with more pizzazz. He is more interesting. One with a personality such as his is not one who simply loses and fades back into mediocrity. He is far too grandiose for such triviality.
So, of course Trump won the election. He was the victor from the beginning. The one with wild ideas that seem too ridiculous to be true. How could something as outrageous of that simply be ignored or voted against? It doesn't take much to excite people en mass. Who needs facts when there's a man in a bright red hat promising to "make America great again" regardless of consequence? Who wouldn't want to see how that plays out? Pay no mind to the millions of people who could possibly suffer from the decisions of this man. Give no attention to the impending global environmental crisis. This man is completely out of the ordinary! How amazing is that?! How can the country pass up an opportunity like this?
Rest assured, fellow intellectuals who are reminded of countless pieces of literature warning us of the devastation of such events. This overwhelming feeling of doom you feel may simply be in line with how humanity is meant to evolve. Perhaps there must be this frightening period of unprecedented decision making in order to achieve a better society. Maybe in a decade or so, when the first world is starting over and transitioning into a higher state, we will have the last laugh, knowing all along that this was how it was supposed to be. It's as good a coping method as any other. Let's just hope we survive until then.
Historically speaking, only time will tell if Trump goes down as the worst or an ineffective political figure. The one constant is change and just as his election was an uprising of sorts from the middle class outraged at government, so too could four more years bring in a new wave of people who are angry and upset for a whole new set of reasons. It's the beauty of democracy.
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