Status Anxiety, the Attention Economy, and the Appeal of Trump
A conversation with Alan Elrod.
Aaron Ross Powell
February 07, 2025
Listen At: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Overcast | RSS
The rise of Trump is, in many ways, a story about status. Plenty of Americans feel like their relative status has fallen in recent decades, and they believe Trump, both as an embodiment of their identity and values and as a wielder of vast power, can give them that status back.
That's the argument my guest made in a recent essay at the Bulwark called "Trump’s Secret Weapon Has Always Been Status Anxiety." Alan Elrod is President & CEO of the Pulaski Institution and columnist at Arc Digital.
We explore how status is perceived, the role of attention in shaping political narratives, and the generational shifts in attitudes towards status and authenticity. We discuss the exhaustion of political engagement, the importance of civic connection, and the challenges posed by online interactions in fostering a civil society. Ultimately, this is a conversation highlighting the need for community engagement and the restoration of social capital in addressing the current political climate.
Produced by Landry Ayres. Podcast art by Sergio R. M. Duarte. Music by Kevin MacLeod.
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