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This story is not supported by surveys and studies. White Americans, particularly men, are angry that they're losing their dominant group status. It's not that

This story is not supported by surveys and studies. White Americans, particularly men, are angry that they're losing their dominant group status. It's not that they're actually losing money or jobs or anything, it's just that they've been brought up to believe themselves above everyone else and always be at the centre of attention. Unfortunately, this mindset means that even marginally fairer treatment of other groups gets interpreted as "oppression". https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/04/existential-anxiety-not-poverty-motivates-trump-support/558674/ https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/04/existent...

nickthemagicman 8y ago
I agree with your assessment of losing dominant group status and I think you're definitely right. However, I do think it relates directly back to income and survival. Humans are tribal and want to associate with members of their own tribe. Being the dominant tribe gives members of that tribe certain advantages in the job market. If any other tribe gets in power members of that tribe will then have those advantages.
petermcneeley 8y ago
Wages for white male working class in the lower quintiles has seen no growth for the past 40+ years. (More specific analysis can show negative wage growth) https://youtu.be/BsqGITb0W4A?t=1100 https://youtu.be/BsqGITb0W4A?t=1100 Mark Blyth - Brown University
- lurquer 8y ago
  Isn't the more illuminating data the average wage growth of an individual? That is, observing that the average height of the lower quintile has regrettably not changed in 40 years obscures the fact that it isn't at all unlikely for an individual who started at 1 foot tall to grow to 6 feet tall in just a few years.
  - petermcneeley 8y ago
    Who cares? The argument is that populist anger is rooted in economics. You want to look at large fractions of the populations and categorize them.
axaxs 8y ago
As a white male, in Kentucky of all places... I've never once thought or heard, aloud or in confidence, a complaint about losing 'dominant group status.'. The closest would be probably immigrants taking jobs, but I think that's more related to wages and unemployment than anything else. I'm not saying it doesn't exist, but I can't imagine anything close to a majority of whites feel that way.
- dorchadas 8y ago
  Caveat: I'm also a white male, from a rural part of a southern state that went heavily for Trump. It definitely exists, though I'm not sure it's specific to "white male" as opposed to "white people" (very generally). I've definitely heard "But whites will be in the minority soon" relatively frequently... Countering with "What's wrong with being a minority?" never ends well, from personal experience.
- Latteland 8y ago
  As a white male from the south, all I see in current political rhetoric is a fear of the other coming here and supplanting the good christian white men and women. Those rapists from mexico coming here, and China stealing our knowledge, immigrants are the threat to our way, support from the president of those people who are espousing white supremacy. I don't think a majority of people feel this is an accurate worry, but I do think it's a dominant political message.

nickthemagicman 8y ago

I agree with your assessment of losing dominant group status and I think you're definitely right. However, I do think it relates directly back to income and survival. Humans are tribal and want to associate with members of their own tribe. Being the dominant tribe gives members of that tribe certain advantages in the job market. If any other tribe gets in power members of that tribe will then have those advantages.

petermcneeley 8y ago

Wages for white male working class in the lower quintiles has seen no growth for the past 40+ years. (More specific analysis can show negative wage growth) https://youtu.be/BsqGITb0W4A?t=1100 https://youtu.be/BsqGITb0W4A?t=1100 Mark Blyth - Brown University

lurquer 8y ago
Isn't the more illuminating data the average wage growth of an individual? That is, observing that the average height of the lower quintile has regrettably not changed in 40 years obscures the fact that it isn't at all unlikely for an individual who started at 1 foot tall to grow to 6 feet tall in just a few years.
- petermcneeley 8y ago
  Who cares? The argument is that populist anger is rooted in economics. You want to look at large fractions of the populations and categorize them.

axaxs 8y ago

As a white male, in Kentucky of all places... I've never once thought or heard, aloud or in confidence, a complaint about losing 'dominant group status.'. The closest would be probably immigrants taking jobs, but I think that's more related to wages and unemployment than anything else. I'm not saying it doesn't exist, but I can't imagine anything close to a majority of whites feel that way.

dorchadas 8y ago
Caveat: I'm also a white male, from a rural part of a southern state that went heavily for Trump. It definitely exists, though I'm not sure it's specific to "white male" as opposed to "white people" (very generally). I've definitely heard "But whites will be in the minority soon" relatively frequently... Countering with "What's wrong with being a minority?" never ends well, from personal experience.
Latteland 8y ago
As a white male from the south, all I see in current political rhetoric is a fear of the other coming here and supplanting the good christian white men and women. Those rapists from mexico coming here, and China stealing our knowledge, immigrants are the threat to our way, support from the president of those people who are espousing white supremacy. I don't think a majority of people feel this is an accurate worry, but I do think it's a dominant political message.