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What The History Channel Can Teach Us About the Electorate [1]

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Date: 2024-11-03  

It has been said in many ways; knowing how the other side thinks is key to prevailing. You do not have to agree with other views to be aware of them, and this knowledge is essential to forming strategies.

History teaches this. For instance, you could learn about this in the many documentaries about world history, say on the History Channel. Like about the rise of fascism in Europe in the 1930s. Or at least you used to be able to.

In the early “cable “days of the History Channel, some labelled it “The War Channel” as it aired many war documentaries (there were al lot of those available). Not anymore.

Now, said channel seems to be dedicated to paranormal shows, bigfoot, aliens, et al. Why, because a big enough share of a small segment of the viewing market is obsessed with such things, just enough to keep the channel afloat amid a highly competitive streaming market.

That audience might be relatively small, but if added to other niche viewer cohorts, it adds up to a lot. The reality show fans, the C-list celebrity shows, the angertainment addicts. It does add up.

Now, switching gears, picture a Venn diagram of folks with particular tastes that can influence how they vote, and where they overlap.

Let’s take the conspiracy theory susceptible. Such things used to be relegated to the wee hours and Art Bell on A.M. radio. Now it is mainstream, reflected in a party platform. The adherents to conspiracy theories now have a kindred spirit and spiritual leader in a candidate for the highest office of the land.

Next, think about other groups of people. How about people who have had run ins with the law and resent the law. Now they can live vicariously through their hero who flouts authority and seems to get away with anything.

How about people who are generally unpleasant, who love to insult and put down others to feel good about themselves. They now have role model. Misogynists, bigots, entitled, cranky, vain, rude, crude and vulgar. They feel justified and represented.

Xenophobes, like many of the “Leave” contingent of the Brexit debacle, though they masked their views by deflecting with arguments about sovereignty and economic. Yeah, sure. We hear the same here, but deep down, such folks are more likely just to be scared of “others”. They also have a big orange champion.

Revanchists pine for an idealized past (that never really existed in the way they daydream about). It’s even a slogan on a hat. They would love a revanchist-in-chief.

None of these groups is particularly large but add them together and you get a huge orange overlap. That simple concept seems to have been underestimated by many.

There is no good reason the election should be this close, only a collection of many small bad reasons that form a Tsunami of misinformed and triggered voters. Just enough to possible tip the scales in the historically unfortunate electoral system that results in rule by a minority of votes. The mistake might have been viewing the orange mob as a monolith, instead of the many little groups it is made up of.

If on Nov 6th (or shortly after), our worst fears are realized, and you change the channel to get your mind off it, perhaps the History Channel might not be such a good choice.

Footnote: In the spring of this year, I posted the heresy of considering reasons why the sitting president might not have the best shot at stemming the orange tide. The comments were vicious, calling me a traitor and troll. For asking a question? As it turns out, the president (who I admire greatly) put his country first. Are we afraid to ask questions or try to understand our foes (to try to strategize), or is it echo chamber only?

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