Podcast Summary
Discussing Globalism, Populism, and Trump's Incompetence and Manipulability: Despite serious concerns, 40% of Americans remain unphased by Trump's actions on global issues like immigration and trade. Ian Bremmer, author of 'Us versus Them,' shares insights on the current global political landscape and its challenges.
During this episode of the Making Sense podcast, Sam Harris interviewed Ian Bremmer before the controversial Trump-Putin meeting in Helsinki. The conversation focused on the issues of globalism, populism, and the related topics of immigration and trade. However, the discussion also touched upon the political situation in the US and the perceived incompetence and manipulability of President Trump, which was recorded before the alarming news from the summit. Despite the serious concerns raised by many, including accusations of treason, 40% of the American population remains unphased by Trump's actions. Ian Bremmer, the president and founder of the Eurasia Group, emphasized the relevance of these topics in today's world and shared his insights as the author of the new book "Us versus Them: The Failure of Globalism." Overall, the conversation provided valuable insights into the current global political landscape and the challenges it presents.
Understanding and addressing concerns of those left behind by globalization: Political scientist Ian Bremmer warns against dismissing populist concerns, emphasizing global issue requiring global solutions, and acknowledging complicity among globalists.
Political scientist Ian Bremmer, in his new book "Us Versus Them: The Failure of Globalism," argues against dismissing the concerns of those who have been negatively impacted by globalization and have turned to populism. Bremmer, who has spent the last 20 years analyzing how politics affect markets worldwide, warns against mocking the populace and business as usual not serving us well. He emphasizes that the rise of populism is a global issue, not just an American one, and solutions cannot be limited to the American president. Bremmer believes there is complicity among globalists, including himself, in contributing to this problem, and addressing it requires understanding and addressing the concerns of those who have been left behind.
Globalism vs Globalization: Two Different Concepts: Globalization has led to significant progress, but unequal distribution of benefits has caused disillusionment and desire for change
Globalism and globalization are two distinct concepts. Globalism refers to a political ideology advocating for free trade, open borders, and global security, promoted by elites. Globalization, on the other hand, is an economic process that brings goods, services, and ideas from around the world to create global wealth and improve lives. While globalization has led to significant progress, such as a global middle class, literacy, and longer lifespans, advanced industrial democracies have failed to distribute these benefits evenly among their citizens, leading to growing structural inequality and discontent. Cosmopolitanism, a related concept, holds that humanity is a single community and that differences in background should not matter in the long run. However, from a political science perspective, the unequal distribution of globalization's benefits has led to widespread disillusionment and a desire for change.
The Rise of Populism Challenges Global Citizenship: Populism promotes group identity over shared human experiences, reinforcing divisiveness through technology and social media.
The attitude of being a global citizen, which values the interconnectedness of humanity and the potential for collective progress, is being challenged by the rise of populism. Populism, as defined, is the opposite of cosmopolitanism, focusing on promoting one's own group first, often based on identity politics. This reduction of humanity to smaller pieces undermines the idea of shared experiences and commonalities, as seen in the decline of shared cultural touchstones like astrological signs. Modern technology and social media algorithms, instead, sort us into distinct groups, reinforcing us-versus-them ideologies and fueling divisiveness. This is a dysfunctional trend that undermines the potential for unity and progress on a global scale.
Social Media Contributing to Society's Polarization: Social media's vast reach and ability to connect can bring us closer together or drive us further apart. Awareness and efforts towards meaningful connections and conversations are crucial.
Technology, specifically social media, is contributing significantly to the growing polarization and fragmentation in society. This was evident in a jury duty experience six years ago where people were more engaged with their own worlds through books and newspapers, compared to a recent experience where everyone was absorbed in their devices. This trend is concerning as it is exacerbating the divide between different groups and making civil conversations more difficult. The rise of political polarization, fueled by fake news and disinformation, is becoming more real and accelerated by the fragmented media landscape. Social media, with its vast reach and ability to connect people, is a double-edged sword that can bring us closer together or drive us further apart. It's important to be aware of this trend and strive for more meaningful connections and conversations, both online and offline.
The Impact of Biased News and Lack of Diversity on Society: Biased news consumption and lack of exposure to diverse perspectives can lead to significant ideological shifts and rewiring of brains, raising concerns for a cosmopolitan society. The trend is particularly concerning among younger generations and could have serious implications for democracy.
The increasing consumption of biased news and the lack of exposure to diverse perspectives can lead to significant ideological shifts and the rewiring of our brains. This phenomenon, combined with the growing influence of technology on our lives, particularly among younger generations, raises concerns about the future of a cosmopolitan society. For instance, the once unimaginable shift in Republican views towards figures like Vladimir Putin is a stark reminder of this trend. Furthermore, the concerning finding that a majority of Republican voters in a Washington Post poll were open to postponing the 2020 election based on Trump's suggestion underscores the potential danger of this trend. Ultimately, there is a growing belief that democracy is not a viable system due to perceived inequality and rigging, which could have serious implications for our political future.
Disillusionment with current systems leads to sympathy for disruptors: People's dissatisfaction with political and economic systems can lead them to support radical actions, driven by feelings of being disadvantaged and a belief that the status quo offers no solutions.
Many people feel disenchanted with the current political and economic systems, leading them to sympathize with those who want to disrupt or even destroy these institutions. This sentiment is not limited to any particular country or belief system, as people's perceptions of what constitutes a "better" system can be influenced by their upbringing and historical context. For instance, some individuals may feel that the American system is rigged against the poor, leading them to support radical actions like Brexit, despite the potential negative consequences. This anger and frustration stem from a belief that no matter who they vote for or what they do, they will continue to be disadvantaged. Immigration and open borders within the EU are just one issue that can be a source of contention, with some arguing that these policies have no downside while others believe they harm local communities. Ultimately, it is essential to understand and address the root causes of this disillusionment to prevent further destabilization of our political and economic systems.
