Iron Maiden, DEI, and Trump’s America
A long-expected newsletter.
It has been 48 blissful, carefree days since you all were burdened with content from me. This isn’t an apology — probably more of a you’re welcome — but I figure that given the time transpired, it was far past time to ruin your evenings with the one thing Americans definitely don’t have enough of: political commentary. However, it is mine — so consider that a mercy. Buckle up: we’ve got a lot of ground to cover.
The Trumpstorm and What Came of It
In a move that I initially thought I predicted quite poorly, but as vote counts came in I ended up being more accurate than I’d thought (in my electoral map, because I’m just that cool, I missed my guess on Wisconsin, Michigan, and Nevada), Donald J. Trump has now come up to the podium to fight with Grover Cleveland for the 'People Loved, Hated, and Then Loved My Presidency’ award and will be the 47th president of the United States.
What an election this was - especially for those of us who haven’t invested in ad-free YouTube (it’s not an ad read, I swear). I can’t even express the relief I felt logging into YouTube the morning after the election and seeing an ad for definitely-not-bullcrap supplements instead of some old person telling me I’m a selfish person for not wanting to pay for more of their medicine. With that in mind, I can hardly give a comprehensive picture of what the time period between now and the inauguration is going to look like, except to say that it’s going to involve a lot less Matt Gaetz than initially feared anticipated.
And yes, there’s been a lot of discussion over the people Trump has and hasn’t picked to be movers in the government for the next 4 years. Apparently, the fervor of victory has seeped into the vents at Trump Central, to the point where they now seem to think that anyone who’s lost a race for president doesn’t get an opinion on what the next Trump administration looks like. Give you one guess as to which person is conveniently immune from this rhetorical filter…
I really think some of Trump’s picks are quite solid - I see a real case for people including Marco Rubio (Secretary of State), Susie Wiles (chief of staff), and Chris Wright (Secretary of Energy, FOSSIL FUELS BABYYYY-). Some of the other picks (RFK, Gabbard, and He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-AG)? How shall we put this in nice-PR-speak? There’s a bell curve of quality in every organization.
Most people who voted for Trump, I’d posit, knew that picks whose quality left much to be desired were going to come with the Trumpitory. To those who think that his picks were all unconscionable, and to those who think that his picks were all amazing, I only have one thing to say: may the miracle of limited government and a system designed by people much smarter and more prescient than anyone in politics right now to create, not prevent, gridlock, disappoint your desire for silly things.
The Death of DEI - Greatly Exaggerated?
Diversity, equity, and inclusion programs are on the decline across America, from the classroom to the boardroom, as concerns continue to mount about their effectiveness, cohesiveness, and internal moral consistency. For more of my thoughts on DEI (for those of you who haven’t figured out that I’m not a fan, water is wet and there was an election this month), peep the madness here, here, here, here, and here. But for a more future-focused outlook on the fate of the racially furious, a smattering of thoughts are below.
Corporate DEI is on the decline in name only. Its status, as a source of PR risk, will likely render many corporate diversity programs behind-closed-door operations as opposed to being touted on websites and infographics come Black History Month (that’s right, it’ll be Groundhog Regime Month, the way it always should have been).
The next four years are going to see a maelstrom of controversy and skepticism leveled at anything that so much as smells of DEI, which will likely result in a spectrum of outcomes from completely deserved shutterings of equity programs to unwarranted outcry over programs and institutions that just don’t tread the line between ‘marketable’ and ‘inoffensive to the culturally ascendant right’ with due care. The past several years have not exactly re-centered the left in its cultural ascendant moment, and I doubt the right will behave any better (despite what some may say, they’re not all that different). However, if the next four years involve, at some level, a real re-ordering of the narrative surrounding the way American institutions prioritize merit, I’m confident in my prediction that we’ll all be better off for it.
The New Evangelicals, Christian Nationalism, & Rhetorical Manipulation
A relatively small point compared to PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTMENTS and NATIONAL TRENDS IN DIVERSITY PROGRAMS, but worth focusing on, nonetheless. (If you saw the thread on Twitter, it’s nothing different so feel free to move to the next absolute pearl of wisdom below.)
Recently, The New Evangelicals podcast put out the below post on Christian nationalism. It's a great example of misleading rhetorical jiu-jitsu - and the subtle but tremendous power of snuck premises.
The "good" side is people: couples, teachers, etc. The "bad" side is an abstract idea: "White Christian Nationalism." This is an obvious case of a snuck premise: it implies the "good" side is fighting for people, whereas the "bad" side is fighting against people.
As social scientist and former AEI president Arthur C. Brooks points out, the people who win debates argue on behalf of people. The people who lose argue on behalf of things. By using a snuck premise, TNE paints people who disagree with them on drag & DEI as not just wrong, but anti-people. Note the implications of TNE's framing: progressive causes are virtuous because they're intentioned to help people. Conservative causes aren't virtuous because they're intentioned to spread "White Christian Nationalism." Both assessments of intent can very often be wrong.
The reality is, raising questions about how DEI actually helps minorities, or about young children being sexualized, or about students being taught good curriculum, is just as pro-people as any of TNE's preferred issues. But TNE doesn't mention any of that. What about the minorities (and non-minorities) who are actually hurt by DEI programs? What about children who are exposed to sexual material at a young age as a result of bad curriculum/programming? Championing the cause of those people isn't White Christian Nationalism. When we accept bad arguments like these on their face, we accept their biased framing of the world - and their erroneous beliefs about who & what we fight for. Fallacies are incredibly powerful. To rebut them, we have to see them first.
The Iron Maiden Experience
Several days after the election, I had the privilege of seeing one of my favorite bands, British heavy metal titans Iron Maiden, live on the Days of Future Past tour at Pittsburgh’s PPG Paints Arena. And of course, being a no-good journalist (but only part-time now, praise be), I did some people watching along the way.
Outside of the obvious stereotypes about heavy metal concerts (loud, black shirt surplus, deodorant deficit, you get the idea), I can honestly say this was the best place to be after the chaos of an electoral contest. Instead of yelling at people on Twitter (no, YOUR super niche political philosophy is wrong, idiot-), I enjoyed an evening of great music, accompanied by that weird ear feeling that’s not the ear-ringing level of tinnitus but basically the level below that.
The gentleman next to me brought his young son to see the band for the first time, and we had a great conversation about music, life, and how politics isn’t as divisive as it’s often portrayed. He didn’t even flinch when I mentioned the last time I was at PPG was to see Jordan Peterson (which counts as political side-signaling in my book). A great evening and, in direct rebuttal to the stereotypes of metal fans as brooding, emo, antisocial losers, the one day that week where I actually didn’t encounter any angry people.
As we head into the holiday season, a new year, and a new presidential administration to boot, may you all have your own Iron Maiden moments in these wild times. Here’s to the next (probably) 48 days until I remember to write again.