Redistricting Democracy Away
THIS WEEK: The Many Faces of Nihilism
The kids are not alright. And they don’t think we’re doing that great, either.
This spring, during the 52nd Harvard Youth Poll an alarming number of young people reported something we have all sensed. They think things look kinda hopeless. And they’re pretty certain they can’t do much about it.
This isn’t just about isolation, loneliness or online addiction —although these are real problems, too. It’s a general sense that the American political system isn’t just failing other people. It’s failing them.
It’s a worrisome assessment as it lays down fertile ground for some pretty destructive solutions.
Hello, political nihilism –the not-so-new idea that is turning on way too many of the young and the restless.
Modern-day Nihilism comes in a variety of different forms.
This week, Reporting Right offers a primer.
Right-Wing Nihilism: David Brooks recently wrote about it.
Reactionary Nihilism: Katherine Stewart coined the term in her recent book.
Right Accelerationism: The idea that our current political system is so deeply flawed that we must accelerate internal crises to generate political collapse.
The Neo-Reactionary Movement: Founded by Curtis Yarvin and developed further by Nick Land, the NRx also known as the Dark Enlightenment is an anti-democratic movement that promotes more hierarchical forms of governance often inspired by monarchical nations, tightly-controlled corporate management styles and the fantastical idea that technologically driven city-states are our best future.
Nihilistic Violent Extremism: Support of violence as a means of getting to societal collapse. NVE groups like 764 and No Lives Matter don’t tend to have a clear political agenda, instead they aim to generate chaos by glorifying extreme acts of violence through their online networks.
Identifying people and/or orgs with nihilistic leanings isn’t always easy. Here are some warning signs:
Frequent discussion of (and excitement around) the idea of a collapsing nation
References to “the coming storm,” “civil war,” “national divorce”
Glamorization of political violence
The number of true American nihilists is still low. But it’s growing. Research shows that certain Americans, already attached to fringe groups, are at particular risk of falling down the rabbit hole. Here are some of them:
Disaster preppers
Military-grade gun aficionados
Election deniers
Conspiracy theorists
Manosphere dwellers
Religious zealots
Telling stories about the rise of politically-motivated nihilistic thinking — not the “I’m a Sartre lover and wonder why we’re all here” kind — requires some ingenuity.
Here are some coverage ideas:
Report on the concerned:
People who interface frequently with the young are often the first to recognize darker movements rising up. Concern among teachers, church leaders, local police departments or coaches is worth reporting on.
Dig into the causes:
The presence of inflammatory local leaders, militia groups and/or white supremacists can all directly link to the rise of nihilism among the young. Look out for ways the presence of anti-social groups have caused ripple effects and tell stories about how they may have set the stage for political violence in your community.
Highlight the helpers:
If a local police department, PTA or youth group is taking steps to educate around these issues, report on that. These local hero stories can be particularly inspiring and engaging.
Also in the News:
The Iran War and Rural America
We’re Reading:
Nihilism
by Nolan Gertz
Comic Relief:
If You Like What You Are Reading:
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See You Next Week!
Our Staff
Executive Editor Kyle Spencer
Our Board of Advisors
Alex Aronson, executive director of Court Accountability
David Armiak, research director for the Center for Media and Democracy
Connor Gibson, founder of Grassrootbeer Investigations
Maurice Cunningham, retired associate professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts at Boston and author of Dark Money and The Politics of School Privatization.
Isaac Kamola, associate professor of political science at Trinity College, founder of Faculty First Responders and co-author of Free Speech and Koch Money, Manufacturing a Campus Culture War
Nancy MacLean, William H. Chafe distinguished professor of history and public policy at Duke University and author of Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for America
Ralph Wilson, founder of the Corporate Genome Project and co-author of Free Speech and Koch Money, Manufacturing a Campus Culture War
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