The Age of Pain

Populism arises out of grievances. “At what point do we attribute denunciations to the state of the world, and at what point to the state of the individual making them?” writes William Davies for New Statesman, adding that “the line separating ‘public politics’ from ‘private distress’ is culturally constructed, and not always very clear, even as we seek to police it.” Populist movements offer refuge for the marginalized, frustrated and lonely, and Davies suggests that generational differences are in play. Many take past economic and social gains for granted. The ability to cope with economic crisis can linger for generations in some families while other families are obsessed with health, ambition, inequalities, failure and narcissistic pursuits as reflected in consumerism and self-absorption on social media. Digital networks – ubiquitous with an either/or binary logic and fast reframing of language – reshape social life and generate anxiety. Newcomers to politics struggle to express themselves with reason, evidence and logic. Medicalization of distress is costly, Davies concludes, and governments must address systemic causes. – YaleGlobal