I just finished reading Strangers in Their Own Land and it was one fascinating read. Just about a month ago, everyone around the world (myself included) woke up on November 9th and was dismayed. Donald Trump has won the US Presidential elections.
That was a pretty sobering moment. The people I thought were fanatics, the crazies, the fringe, won. There were many reasons that led to this outcome (misogyny, timing of the FBI report, handling of emails, and Hilary Clinton as a candidate to potentially name a few.) There was another compelling narrative. It argued that people voted for Donald Trump because they couldn't take the establishment anymore. And we couldn't see it coming because we were so polarized that we stopped talking with each other.
This is the thesis of Stranger in Their Own Land. The book follows the journey of Ariel Russell Hochschild across Louisiana as she interviews and talks to ordinary tea party supporters to try to discern their "deep story", right in the midst of the Republican Primaries of 2016.
It’s a compelling story, a story of those who believed adamantly in waiting in line for their turn to do great things, create wealth, build communities, and succeed. As they waited patiently in line, they perceived that the big social movements started to condone people to cut the line. Now they're pushed all the way to the bottom.
The deep story she discovered also helped to explain and fill the gap that Hochschild saw as "the Great Paradox" - most people who she interacted with cared about the environment. They were angry at how the big chemical companies have ruined the environment. And yet they were willing to overlook those things to support oil companies' expansions (because jobs are created) and elect Republican politicians (because they keep the "Big Brother" government out.)
A line that I heard often repeated surrounding Donald Trump's election is that the people who voted for him weren't necessarily racists, sexist, or homophobia, it's just that they didn't care. This statement is often said in an accusing tone. This book flips that narrative. It's not that they didn't care, Hochschild argues that these individuals couldn't afford to care. Because caring for these groups meant condoning behaviours (breaking the rules and cutting in lines) that were so fundamental to their identity.
Hochschild finishes her journey with 2 letters. One of which is directed to the left and the other to the right: "You may assume that powerful right-wing organizers-pursuing their financial interests-"hook" right-wring grassroots adherents by appealing to the bad angels of their nature - their greed, selfishness, racial intolerance, homophobia, and desire to get out of paying taxes that go to the unfortunate. But that appeal obscures another - to the right wing's good angels - their patience in waiting in line in scary economic times, their capacity for loyalty, sacrifice, and endurance - qualities of the deep story self."
We live in uncertain times now and there has never been a more important read, to try to bridge the gap that has seemingly opened between the left and the right. If you read a book during this holiday seasons, this would be one that should be on top of your list.
That was a pretty sobering moment. The people I thought were fanatics, the crazies, the fringe, won. There were many reasons that led to this outcome (misogyny, timing of the FBI report, handling of emails, and Hilary Clinton as a candidate to potentially name a few.) There was another compelling narrative. It argued that people voted for Donald Trump because they couldn't take the establishment anymore. And we couldn't see it coming because we were so polarized that we stopped talking with each other.
This is the thesis of Stranger in Their Own Land. The book follows the journey of Ariel Russell Hochschild across Louisiana as she interviews and talks to ordinary tea party supporters to try to discern their "deep story", right in the midst of the Republican Primaries of 2016.
It’s a compelling story, a story of those who believed adamantly in waiting in line for their turn to do great things, create wealth, build communities, and succeed. As they waited patiently in line, they perceived that the big social movements started to condone people to cut the line. Now they're pushed all the way to the bottom.
The deep story she discovered also helped to explain and fill the gap that Hochschild saw as "the Great Paradox" - most people who she interacted with cared about the environment. They were angry at how the big chemical companies have ruined the environment. And yet they were willing to overlook those things to support oil companies' expansions (because jobs are created) and elect Republican politicians (because they keep the "Big Brother" government out.)
A line that I heard often repeated surrounding Donald Trump's election is that the people who voted for him weren't necessarily racists, sexist, or homophobia, it's just that they didn't care. This statement is often said in an accusing tone. This book flips that narrative. It's not that they didn't care, Hochschild argues that these individuals couldn't afford to care. Because caring for these groups meant condoning behaviours (breaking the rules and cutting in lines) that were so fundamental to their identity.
Hochschild finishes her journey with 2 letters. One of which is directed to the left and the other to the right: "You may assume that powerful right-wing organizers-pursuing their financial interests-"hook" right-wring grassroots adherents by appealing to the bad angels of their nature - their greed, selfishness, racial intolerance, homophobia, and desire to get out of paying taxes that go to the unfortunate. But that appeal obscures another - to the right wing's good angels - their patience in waiting in line in scary economic times, their capacity for loyalty, sacrifice, and endurance - qualities of the deep story self."
We live in uncertain times now and there has never been a more important read, to try to bridge the gap that has seemingly opened between the left and the right. If you read a book during this holiday seasons, this would be one that should be on top of your list.
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