3 ms·

You have described the political landscape in Spain to a T. I fear than in the upcoming general elections we will see the rise of the populist far right, and w

You have described the political landscape in Spain to a T. I fear than in the upcoming general elections we will see the rise of the populist far right, and with it further polarization of the political landscape. Source: am Spaniard.

Udik 8y ago
Sorry to hear that. I also wonder how much this depends on local, contingent events, and how much can be attributed to internet and social media, where the outrage is the driver of clicks and attention, and uninformed conversations thrive. Populists are on the rise everywhere. On the side, the bursts of social justice outrage in the US might be just a different, leftwing expression of the same mechanisms that produced Trump on the right. We urgently need cultural tools to deal with the consequences of social media.
- wazoox 8y ago
  Populist are on the rise because oligarchy has stolen money and power everywhere. Don't look for pseudo "cultural" reasons (bordering on xenophobia, racism or classism) where a basic Marxist analysis works marvels. Do you really think that Italians are angry and lazy, and Brits too, and Greeks, and Spaniards, and French, and Trump voters? Because of Facebook? Really? Come on. This is silly.
  - Udik 8y ago
    I'm glad that you asked :) I think that yes, a lack of economic growth (in some cases) and an increasing disparity in wealth (in others) makes people angry, and distrustful, on the long term. I also think that "oligarchies stole the money" is an incredibly simplistic explanation for the lack of growth- there are at least two factors, the competition from emerging countries and software, that have removed low skilled and low added value jobs from the West. But still the countries who kept up with their industry and education managed to thrive. On the other hand, the people's anger doesn't come with an understanding of the issues and their causes; it's more of a general bad mood that disrupts everything, what is wrong and what is right in the same way. So that people fight against the problems and the solutions alike. And yes, I think social media act as a multiplier of this unproductive anger, because they give a voice and an audience to those who lack the minimal educational standards that have been traditionally required to those who wrote for the public. It's classist? Fair. But it's true. Information used to flow from an educated elite (think of the incredibly ponderous and boring articles of Marxist newspapers, if you want) to the masses, who tried to absorb and follow (with all the risks that this entailed, as well). In Italy the single voice of the communist party, through its press, could reach every peasant and set the line. While now the communication is horizontal and universal, and angry, uninformed opinions spread and reinforce each other. It's clear since a long time (think of tabloid covers) that indignation, outrage, scandal are extremely successful memes. They survive and spread replacing everything else. We need to learn how to deal with this, not with censorship, but culturally.

Udik 8y ago

Sorry to hear that. I also wonder how much this depends on local, contingent events, and how much can be attributed to internet and social media, where the outrage is the driver of clicks and attention, and uninformed conversations thrive. Populists are on the rise everywhere. On the side, the bursts of social justice outrage in the US might be just a different, leftwing expression of the same mechanisms that produced Trump on the right. We urgently need cultural tools to deal with the consequences of social media.

wazoox 8y ago
Populist are on the rise because oligarchy has stolen money and power everywhere. Don't look for pseudo "cultural" reasons (bordering on xenophobia, racism or classism) where a basic Marxist analysis works marvels. Do you really think that Italians are angry and lazy, and Brits too, and Greeks, and Spaniards, and French, and Trump voters? Because of Facebook? Really? Come on. This is silly.
- Udik 8y ago
  I'm glad that you asked :) I think that yes, a lack of economic growth (in some cases) and an increasing disparity in wealth (in others) makes people angry, and distrustful, on the long term. I also think that "oligarchies stole the money" is an incredibly simplistic explanation for the lack of growth- there are at least two factors, the competition from emerging countries and software, that have removed low skilled and low added value jobs from the West. But still the countries who kept up with their industry and education managed to thrive. On the other hand, the people's anger doesn't come with an understanding of the issues and their causes; it's more of a general bad mood that disrupts everything, what is wrong and what is right in the same way. So that people fight against the problems and the solutions alike. And yes, I think social media act as a multiplier of this unproductive anger, because they give a voice and an audience to those who lack the minimal educational standards that have been traditionally required to those who wrote for the public. It's classist? Fair. But it's true. Information used to flow from an educated elite (think of the incredibly ponderous and boring articles of Marxist newspapers, if you want) to the masses, who tried to absorb and follow (with all the risks that this entailed, as well). In Italy the single voice of the communist party, through its press, could reach every peasant and set the line. While now the communication is horizontal and universal, and angry, uninformed opinions spread and reinforce each other. It's clear since a long time (think of tabloid covers) that indignation, outrage, scandal are extremely successful memes. They survive and spread replacing everything else. We need to learn how to deal with this, not with censorship, but culturally.