His Rhetorical Style is Reminiscent of a Country Preacher
How Does Donald Trump Do It?
Donald Trump shocked the world when he won the U.S. presidency in 2016. His defeat in 2020 left many hopeful that his political influence would fade. Yet here he is in 2024, in strong contention for the presidency. Initially, the MAGA campaign pummeled Joe Biden in the polls. When Kamala Harris took his place, she was buoyed by an outpouring of donations and endorsements. She pulled into the lead in August. Still, outspending Trump by tens of millions and even pulling in Republican endorsements, her lead remains tenuous—no greater than four percentage points. Trump winning in November is a real possibility.
It’s baffling to many how Trump has maintained his political popularity. In 2016, he was already criticized for being self-serving, misogynistic, and dishonest. By 2024, he’s a bankrupt, vindictive felon. A second Trump presidency poses even graver risks: with Roe v. Wade overturned, a federal abortion ban is a looming possibility; his defeat of border security reforms exacerbated the immigration crisis; and mass deportations may be enforced using military power. His administration could weaponize the president’s office for personal vengeance and perpetual power, He may form an alliance with Russia. Democracy will be corrupted.
So, why would anyone vote for Trump? To understand, we need to explore the feelings of alienation and discontent among his supporters—a backlash rooted in a culture war of the 21st century. Trump taps into this with remarkable skill, using old-world communication patterns that resonate deeply with his base.
Strangers in Their Own Land
A useful lens for understanding Trump’s appeal comes from Arlie Russell Hochschild’s book Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right (2018). A liberal sociologist from Berkeley, Hochschild spent five years in conservative Louisiana, listening to the grievances of right-leaning Americans.
I relate to Hochschild’s findings. My background shares some similarities with the Louisianans she studied. I come from a large, low-income, Christian family. I remember the resentment of taxes. It makes some sense because this population preferred to give to others though their churches. Unfortunately, churches cannot scale to address global problems like climate change.
The environment is the key paradox Hochschild addresses throughout her book. Louisiana, one of the most polluted states, is also strongly opposed to environmental regulation. Across the U.S., states with higher exposure to pollution tend to lean Republican. Why? Less regulation may bring short-term job gains, but long-term pollution is destroying their land and health. Louisianans, like many others, seem numb to this damage. There’s a failure to see that green jobs could also sustain their communities.
Education, or lack thereof, plays a role here. Beyond formal degrees, education teaches critical thinking and how to assess information. Fox News, while a popular source, cannot be the only source. With the collapse of traditional journalism, a vacuum has formed, allowing disinformation to thrive. Hochschild describes this as a “deep story” of resentment—where people feel left behind and insulted by stereotypes of “rednecks” or “white trash.” Self-reliant and proud, these individuals feel alienated from a world they no longer recognize, as if they are “strangers in their own land.”
A Culture War
The 21st century brings rapid and unsettling change. The global population has surpassed eight billion. Climate change threatens ecosystems, food supplies, and health. Economic inequality is deepening social unrest. Pandemics have strained healthcare systems, and technological advances, while beneficial, are also reshaping jobs, creating disinformation, and undermining trust. Amid these shifts, some people envision a future of environmental sustainability, social justice, and economic equality. Others long for a simpler, more familiar past—a world they believe worked better for them.
This conflict between progress and nostalgia is the heart of the culture war. It pits left against right, progressives against conservatives, diversity against patriarchy. While change is inevitable, it stirs anxiety, especially among those who feel they are losing ground. The old guard is lashing back, and they’re not alone—many others sympathize with their discontent.
Trump’s Old-World Communication Style
One of Trump’s strengths in this culture war is his ability to connect with those nostalgic for the past. His rhetorical style is reminiscent of a country preacher, relying on emotion and simplicity to resonate with his base.
In the presidential debate, Harris was poised, articulate, and well-prepared with facts and reasoned arguments. But how much of what she said was memorable? Trump, on the other hand, broke the internet with his absurd claim about people eating pets. This may have seemed ridiculous to many, but it dominated the conversation. Trump’s appeal lies in his ability to bypass intellectual objections with repetition and emotional appeals—techniques well-honed in oral traditions.
In Orality and Literacy, Walter J. Ong explains how oral cultures used repetition, cliché, and aggregation to ensure ideas were memorable and passed down. Trump employs these same tactics, making him a master of old-world communication in a modern context. While Harris’s intellectual rigor appeals to the literate, Trump’s emotive rhetoric strikes a chord with those who prefer storytelling and simple narratives.
Trump Remains a Real Threat in November
As November approaches, enthusiasm for Harris is high, but Trump remains a real threat. His base won’t be easily swayed by facts or policy arguments. To reduce that risk, we must recognize the emotional and cultural appeal that Trump has to his supporters. Engaging with them on a personal level, outside of the MAGA echo chamber, could reveal more common ground than we expect. As Hochschild observed in Louisiana, people are often kinder and more generous than their politics suggest.
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Published on October 5, 2024
Updated on December 11, 2024