So if politicians respond to the legitimate concerns of “middle aged white men”…. it’s characterised as “charismatic” politicians exploiting white male anger. Sounds scary. Kind of brings to mind scenarios that are vaguely Hitlerian.
Why then when “progressive” politicians pander to the demands and alleged grievances of women and feminists (or any other identifiable group in society pushing issues of identity politics or other ‘social justice’ causes) is that never characterised as “charismatic” politicians ‘exploiting’ (primarily white) female anger (or transgender anger? Or racial minority anger? Or aboriginal anger? Or youth anger? etc.) Why are we to think of that as nothing other than responsible, engaged politicians addressing the needs of their constituents?
Could it be that this is a vivid example of a pervasive but socially acceptable ideological prejudice embedded in the media that is being propagandised to the public at large?
Let’s see…You have one group in society identified by race and gender whose suffering and genuine grievances are characterised in the mainstream media as vaguely ominous and sinister (why are they so “angry”?). Politicians who attempt to address the grievances of that identified group are characterised as extremely sinister… even invoking not particularly subtle allusions to authoritarian dictators.
At the same time, every other identifiable group with a grievance in society almost always receives unqualified affirmation, empathy and validation from that same mainstream media. Politicians who take up the causes of those classes of aggrieved people are lauded for their ‘progressive’ outlook and their moral and ethical excellence.
Hmmmm.
Is the propaganda working? Ask yourself how often you’ve heard or read some variant of the expression “old white men” used as a pejorative to deride and invalidate the perspective of people who fall into that combined category of age, race and gender.
Here is a sample I pulled from a quick glance at just a single thread on a major newspaper’s online comment section recently:
Sharon K: How unusual that a middle aged white Man doesn’t understand female repression. I’m stunned!
Joe McD: It looks so sad to see old white men insisting that women aren’t in danger of being oppressed. I’m guessing you’re not much of a student of history or politics in your spare time.
Kim Ro: Another white middle aged male mansplaining to women what/how the should feel/experience so predictable.
Nicolette A: But hey, freely tell me about how it sucks for white men because trans people are using the toilet they identify with
Kevin C: I would however like to reduce the unreasonable influence some rich old men have over the overall system.
That isn’t individual insight, folks. That’s group-think.
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