We Didn’t Take Him Seriously Then, Now We Have To: Trump’s Rise

            In September of 2015, U.S. and World News contributor Brian Walsh wrote, “Everyone loves a carnival barker and reality shows can be amusing but when you get to the point of seriously deciding if that person should be the leader of the free world, expect many Republican voters to pull the lever for someone else” of President-Elect Donald Trump. While the election autopsy is still unfolding, it is clear Trump’s win was fueled by a silent majority who are fed up with the reality of America’s political structure.

           

Just as Black Mirror predicted in the 2013 episode, “The Waldo Moment”, voters were swooned by the idea of an outsider, someone who says it like it is and doesn’t give a damn. Like The Donald, Waldo started off making snood sexual jokes, criticizing professionals without warrant, and trying to get good ratings, but the audience ate it up. The passion these two expressed resonated among voters who no longer trusted traditional politicians, feared the current political climate, and needed a voice of change. At what point did these fictional characters transform into real politicians though? When we gave them credibility.

Brian Walsh, along with countless other news sources, made the dangerous assumption that people would only take Trump’s hateful rhetoric and nationalistic approach at face value; however, the 13,300,472 popular votes he got in the GOP primary changed their mind. As media outlets tried to make a mockery out of him, it only maintained the hateful climate his campaign thrived off of. Just as when Mr. Monroe engaged Waldo at the debate, we engaged Trump’s political fantasies, giving him credibility as a politician. Momentum snowballed among conservatives who already took him seriously while us liberals sat back laughing at him. For the past eight months, my news feed, social media, and television have been dominated by Trump coverage, which has drowned out any potential momentum other candidates had.

The American people bought into Trump quickly and passionately, creating a political movement like no other in history. While this process looks ridiculous on a 41-minute television show, we let it happened before our very eyes.