Lots of folks on this site began by smearing McDonalds, showing revulsion for that kind of work, for the food, and disdain towards the kinds of people who would eat there. And then, when the poor class implications of these narratives became undeniable, they tried to retrofit their comments as being about something else... like the staged nature of the event, faux populism, etc.
It's fine to criticize those things! But that wasn't the initial tenor of the conversation at all. And the initial conversation is a good example of why this was a good political stunt for Trump -- provoking the Democrats' core constituency into mocking and deriding "those people" in elitist ways.
It's fine to criticize those things! But that wasn't the initial tenor of the conversation at all. And the initial conversation is a good example of why this was a good political stunt for Trump -- provoking the Democrats' core constituency into mocking and deriding "those people" in elitist ways.
The same kind of thing happened when he served up McDonald's to college athletes: cnn.com/2019/01/15/pol…
For his part, Trump famously loves @McDonalds. He's eaten there his whole life, and has a really idiosyncratic go-to order, as highlighted during his initial run for office: businessinsider.com/trumps-mcdonal…
So it's theater. But it's also real passion for the product. And this latter fact is the kind of thing that a certain bloc of America really finds grating about the man. And another part of the population finds endearing.
For his part, Trump famously loves @McDonalds. He's eaten there his whole life, and has a really idiosyncratic go-to order, as highlighted during his initial run for office: businessinsider.com/trumps-mcdonal…
So it's theater. But it's also real passion for the product. And this latter fact is the kind of thing that a certain bloc of America really finds grating about the man. And another part of the population finds endearing.
For my part, I couldn't help but think of @Chris_arnade's book Dignity while watching many who self-identify with the left step onto a rake on this issue.
As Arnade highlights, for many less affluent folks, McDonalds is an important community gathering point.
It's bad politics to bash McDonalds, the people who work there, or the people who eat there. Don't recommend.
I do heartily recommend Arnade's book: penguinrandomhouse.com/books/566661/d…
As a teaser, a good article in @GuardianUS on McDonalds: theguardian.com/business/2016/…
As Arnade highlights, for many less affluent folks, McDonalds is an important community gathering point.
It's bad politics to bash McDonalds, the people who work there, or the people who eat there. Don't recommend.
I do heartily recommend Arnade's book: penguinrandomhouse.com/books/566661/d…
As a teaser, a good article in @GuardianUS on McDonalds: theguardian.com/business/2016/…
To understand the core political and cultural divide at work here, I'd recommend this article I wrote for @TheLibPatriot: musaalgharbi.com/2023/12/04/kno…
And for an even deeper dive into the political economy of the knowledge professions (and contestation around these professions, affiliated institutions, communities, and their outputs), check out my book, now available in stores: musaalgharbi.com/we-have-never-…
And for an even deeper dive into the political economy of the knowledge professions (and contestation around these professions, affiliated institutions, communities, and their outputs), check out my book, now available in stores: musaalgharbi.com/we-have-never-…
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