It seems so classically gatekeeping to say “populism” because it implies that just because its popular with people it’s bad. Trump attracts grifters. They call themselves “entrepreneur” or “business minded” but it’s all a big ecosystem of ideology driven spending. It isn’t “popular with people” - it’s madness overtaking the gullible and uncurious.
Each and every one of his followers are ardent dollar chasers who see themselves as deserving of the same treatment as the wealthy elites. They are all at varying stages of luck and yet none will admit that luck has anything to do with success. They are delusional, not popular.
So it isn’t “populism” that drives merch. It’s the echo chamber of greed.
And wearing the glint makes their lives easier because when anyone sees their colors they know exactly what to expect from them. If they are ok with it then they might be a mark and if they are repulsed then they know not to waste their time.
It seems so classically gatekeeping to say “populism” because it implies that just because its popular with people it’s bad. Trump attracts grifters. They call themselves “entrepreneur” or “business minded” but it’s all a big ecosystem of ideology driven spending. It isn’t “popular with people” - it’s madness overtaking the gullible and uncurious.
Each and every one of his followers are ardent dollar chasers who see themselves as deserving of the same treatment as the wealthy elites. They are all at varying stages of luck and yet none will admit that luck has anything to do with success. They are delusional, not popular.
So it isn’t “populism” that drives merch. It’s the echo chamber of greed.
And wearing the glint makes their lives easier because when anyone sees their colors they know exactly what to expect from them. If they are ok with it then they might be a mark and if they are repulsed then they know not to waste their time.
Populism is not the same as something just being popular though. It is pretty well defined political -ism.
But yeah populist personality cult is a closer descriptor, because not every populist movement entails the latter.