Very nice post. Of course, casting Europe as Narcissus is especially mischievous given that Trump is routinely accused of being the greatest narcissist... The way in which Trump seems to be influencing nearly all elections around the world is truly fascinating -- also ironic given that everyone was obsessed with covert Russian interference. I've been struggling to make sense of it, so your analysis really helps me think through it. Perhaps one interesting feature of the situation is: while we think of the anglosphere as often having common trends, it is in fact in many continental European countries that we now see the greatest synchronicity with the US in terms of the "populist" reaction to immigration and a number of social and cultural issues.
One note of disagreement: you characterize Canada as a smart and pragmatic David. I see it more as childish and immature, and i am not sure what the appropriate classic avatar would be: so, you had gotten seriously fed up with the economic, energy/environmental, and social policies of your current administration, but then you enthusiastically sign up for more of the same just because a foreign leader trolled you on X?
Very nice post. Of course, casting Europe as Narcissus is especially mischievous given that Trump is routinely accused of being the greatest narcissist... The way in which Trump seems to be influencing nearly all elections around the world is truly fascinating -- also ironic given that everyone was obsessed with covert Russian interference. I've been struggling to make sense of it, so your analysis really helps me think through it. Perhaps one interesting feature of the situation is: while we think of the anglosphere as often having common trends, it is in fact in many continental European countries that we now see the greatest synchronicity with the US in terms of the "populist" reaction to immigration and a number of social and cultural issues.
One note of disagreement: you characterize Canada as a smart and pragmatic David. I see it more as childish and immature, and i am not sure what the appropriate classic avatar would be: so, you had gotten seriously fed up with the economic, energy/environmental, and social policies of your current administration, but then you enthusiastically sign up for more of the same just because a foreign leader trolled you on X?