Postmodernized and Kayfabed

The United States is entering a neo-Dark Age characterized by a postmodern crisis of truth and a "neo-kayfabe" blurring of reality and fiction, which has enabled the rise of Donald Trump and his supporters. This argument can be broken down into several key points:

1. Postmodern Condition and the Mercantilization of Knowledge
   Jean-François Lyotard, in his 1979 work The Postmodern Condition, warned of a society where truth is not absolute but shaped by power dynamics, particularly in a consumer-driven, postindustrial world dominated by commercial interests. He argued that the digital revolution and capitalism would commodify knowledge, leading to battles over information control. This crisis, as Sean Illing notes, reflects not a rejection of truth but a recognition that what we accept as true is often manipulated by unseen economic and cultural forces.

2. Neo-Kayfabe and the Erosion of Reality
   Heather Cox Richardson describes "neo-kayfabe," a phenomenon borrowed from professional wrestling, where reality and fiction intermingle in a chaotic blend of truths, half-truths, and lies, delivered with conviction. This mirrors Hannah Arendt’s observation in The Origins of Totalitarianism that totalitarian rule thrives when people can no longer distinguish fact from fiction. In this environment, Trump’s outrageous claims and blurred realities captivate and confuse, undermining a shared sense of truth.

3. Trump as a Symptom of White American Anxiety
   Chris Mosser argues that Trump’s rise represents a reaction by white Americans who, for the first time, face competition for cultural and political dominance. This group, historically unchallenged, now sees itself in an "Us versus Them" struggle. Faced with losing their traditional power or supporting a flawed leader, they choose Trump as the lesser evil—not out of blind loyalty, but as a defense of their perceived identity and privilege.

4. The Coalition of Trump Supporters
   A. Ramsay and A. Barnett outline the diverse yet interconnected groups backing Trump: wealthy elites, suburban middle-class homeowners, evangelical Christians, and retirees benefiting from neoliberal policies. These supporters often overlook Trump’s racism, misogyny, or crudeness because he reinforces their security, prosperity, and sense of supremacy. They are the "winners" of a system that has historically favored them—through war, economic policy, and structural inequality—and they now push back against threats to that dominance.

5. Conclusion: A Neo-Dark Age
   Together, these elements depict a society spiraling toward a neo-Dark Age. The postmodern crisis of truth, amplified by neo-kayfabe’s distortion of reality, has empowered a coalition of Americans who prioritize self-preservation over a shared national project. Trump exploits this fragmentation, thriving in a landscape where power, not truth, defines reality, and where his supporters willingly embrace the chaos to protect their stake in a fading order.

This trajectory suggests not just a political shift, but a profound cultural and epistemological unraveling, where the tools of postmodernism and kayfabe have been weaponized to obscure reality and entrench power.