Donald Trump has viewed the mainstream media as his adversary since his first term as president. Unfortunately for us, young people have grown to distrust the mainstream media, too.
According to Time Magazine, young men who didn’t view Joe Biden favorably “didn’t get their news from mainstream media.” These young men were also less concerned with reproductive rights—an issue that Kamala Harris heavily campaigned for in her bid for the presidency. If not the mainstream media, where exactly do these young people get their information from?
For young men, it’s podcasts like Joe Rogan’s. This isn’t surprising since Rogan’s demographic is between the ages of 18 and 34. Trump capitalized on non-mainstream media to reach out to a younger demographic of men. It seems that speaking to the bros did work out in Trump’s favor. It moved the needle to Trump’s side, contrary to criticisms of Rogan being “overrated.”
Men struggle to find a place in the world
Joe Rogan, who peddled vaccine myths and unfounded COVID-19 cures, is trusted by these younger men. As described by Godon from The Atlantic, “This moment in American history is not rich with role models for men.” Coupled with diminishing self-worth and a struggle to find purpose, these men turn to figures like Rogan. He makes these lost men feel seen when he speaks in an unfiltered fashion. Rogan’s push against political correctness and refusal to be shamed for the privileges of being a man—something that no doubt resonates with his audience.
Trump simply took a page out of the same strategy and made men feel as if they were being listened to. This doesn’t excuse how the majority of young men voted for Trump, but it explains how things came to be. Young men are leaning more conservatively, perhaps because they want to bring back the “good old days” where their fathers had more power and control. They feel a sense of disillusionment, as if the establishment no longer caters to them.
This, of course, is not the ideal way forward. The ramifications couldn’t be clearer now that Trump is poised to return to the White House. Nevertheless, men need to feel that they have a place in this new age with women—that they don’t have to fight against women to retain relevance in this world. We need to uplift positive role models and safe masculine spaces where men could talk about their woes without being put down. This effort doesn’t have to overshadow the issues of women and other minorities. All these spaces have to do is make men feel like they belong and contribute constructively to society.
Published: Nov 8, 2024 01:43 pm