Manliness, Cat Ladies, Fertility Panic and the 2024 Election
Digest
The episode delves into the ideological currents shaping the 2024 election, particularly the rise of reactionary movements on the right. It examines how the election is increasingly centered around gender and family, with contrasting visions of masculinity and the role of family in society driving the political discourse. The episode analyzes JD Vance's controversial statements about childless Democrats, exploring the underlying ideological currents influencing his views, including post-liberalism, the manosphere, the tech-right, and national conservatism. It distinguishes between two distinct right-wing factions: the neo-patriarchal right, focused on traditional morality and family formation, and the barstool conservative right, driven by cultural resentment and a desire for less social regulation. The episode examines Donald Trump's response to Vance's comments, highlighting Trump's attempt to soften Vance's extreme views while acknowledging his popularity among a certain segment of voters. It contrasts Vance's focus on family with Trump's emphasis on masculinity, analyzing Trump's use of camp masculinity and testosterone-fueled symbols to appeal to alienated young men. The episode explores the widening gender gap in voting, particularly among young people, and how the Republican Party is seeking to exploit this divide by appealing to men's anxieties about masculinity and social change. It examines Senator Josh Hawley's speech about the "deconstruction of American men," analyzing his argument that the left is attacking traditional masculinity and its virtues, and how this rhetoric resonates with a certain segment of the right. The episode discusses the philosophical and economic underpinnings of the reactionary spirit, highlighting its critique of liberalism, its nostalgia for a traditional past, and its desire for a return to a male-dominated economy. It examines how the trans issue has become a key wedge issue for the right, analyzing how it appeals to both neo-patriarchal and barstool conservatives and how it is used to stoke fear and resentment towards the left. The episode explores the global context of reactionary ideologies, arguing that the feminist revolution and its challenges to traditional gender norms are not unique to the United States and are fueling similar movements around the world. It examines the right's growing concern about declining birth rates, arguing that it has become an existential threat to civilization and a key driver of their political agenda. The episode delves into the post-liberal critique of liberalism, arguing that it is not just a political system but a set of social norms that promotes a hedonistic and self-centered lifestyle, which they see as detrimental to family and community. The episode analyzes the Democrats' approach to gender in the 2024 election, highlighting their focus on abortion rights and their attempt to present themselves as the party of freedom and inclusion, in contrast to the Republicans' perceived anti-freedom and illiberal stances. It examines the significance of Tim Walz's selection as Kamala Harris's running mate, arguing that he represents a new, more positive and approachable vision of masculinity that challenges the traditional Republican image of the "he-man" and appeals to a broader audience. The episode discusses the "metabolization" of identity politics within the Democratic Party, arguing that the intense debates surrounding wokeness and identity have subsided, leading to a more nuanced and less self-righteous approach to these issues. The episode concludes by examining the Republican Party's ongoing identity crisis, arguing that the party is struggling to reconcile its traditional conservative values with the more extreme and illiberal views of the post-liberal movement, and that this internal conflict is likely to continue to shape the party's future.
Outlines
Introduction and Overview
The episode introduces the Ezra Klein Show and sets the stage for a discussion about the ideological currents shaping the 2024 election, particularly the rise of reactionary movements on the right.
Gender and Family in the 2024 Election
The episode discusses how the 2024 election is largely centered around gender and family, focusing on contrasting visions of masculinity and the role of family in society.
JD Vance's "Cat Ladies" Argument and Pronatalism
The episode analyzes JD Vance's controversial statement about childless Democrats, exploring the underlying ideological currents and the implications of his pronatalist views.
Ideological Currents Influencing JD Vance
The episode delves into the various ideological currents influencing JD Vance, including post-liberalism, the manosphere, the tech-right, and national conservatism.
Neo-Patriarchy vs. Barstool Conservatism
The episode distinguishes between two distinct right-wing factions: the neo-patriarchal right, focused on traditional morality and family formation, and the barstool conservative right, driven by cultural resentment and a desire for less social regulation.
Trump's Response to Vance's Views
The episode examines Donald Trump's response to JD Vance's comments about childless Democrats, highlighting Trump's attempt to soften Vance's extreme views while acknowledging his popularity among a certain segment of voters.
Trump's Focus on Masculinity
The episode contrasts Vance's focus on family with Trump's emphasis on masculinity, analyzing Trump's use of camp masculinity and testosterone-fueled symbols to appeal to alienated young men.
The Growing Gender Gap in Voting
The episode explores the widening gender gap in voting, particularly among young people, and how the Republican Party is seeking to exploit this divide by appealing to men's anxieties about masculinity and social change.
The Deconstruction of American Men
The episode examines Senator Josh Hawley's speech about the "deconstruction of American men," analyzing his argument that the left is attacking traditional masculinity and its virtues, and how this rhetoric resonates with a certain segment of the right.
The Roots of the Reactionary Spirit
The episode discusses the philosophical and economic underpinnings of the reactionary spirit, highlighting its critique of liberalism, its nostalgia for a traditional past, and its desire for a return to a male-dominated economy.
Keywords
Post-Liberalism
A political and philosophical movement that critiques liberalism's emphasis on individual rights and self-fulfillment, advocating for a shared telos, a common good, and a more traditional social order.
Manosphere
An online community of men who express resentment towards feminism and social changes that they perceive as threatening to traditional masculinity.
Tech-Right
A group of right-wing individuals and organizations within the technology industry who share a contempt for democracy and liberalism, often advocating for authoritarian solutions.
National Conservatism
A recent movement within conservatism that emphasizes national identity, traditional values, and a rejection of libertarianism, often drawing on religious and cultural arguments.
Pronatalism
A policy or ideology that encourages people to have more children, often based on concerns about declining birth rates and the future of society.
Barstool Conservatism
A type of conservatism that is characterized by cultural resentment, a desire for less social regulation, and a focus on issues like free speech and traditional masculinity.
Reactionary Spirit
A political and social movement that opposes progressive change and seeks to restore a perceived traditional order, often drawing on nostalgia and a sense of cultural displacement.
Camp Masculinity
A style of masculinity that is characterized by exaggeration, theatricality, and a playful subversion of traditional masculine norms, often seen as a form of resistance or critique.
Metabolization
A process by which a political movement or ideology is absorbed and transformed within a larger political context, often leading to a more nuanced and less extreme expression of its core ideas.
Q&A
What are the main themes of the 2024 election, according to the episode?
The episode argues that the 2024 election is largely centered around gender and family, with contrasting visions of masculinity and the role of family in society playing a significant role in the political discourse.
What are some of the ideological currents influencing JD Vance's views?
Vance's views are influenced by a range of ideologies, including post-liberalism, the manosphere, the tech-right, and national conservatism, each contributing to his pronatalist stance and his critique of liberalism.
How are the Democrats approaching gender in the 2024 election?
The Democrats are focusing on abortion rights and presenting themselves as the party of freedom and inclusion, contrasting with the Republicans' perceived anti-freedom and illiberal stances on issues like family and gender.
What is the significance of Tim Walz's selection as Kamala Harris's running mate?
Walz represents a new, more positive and approachable vision of masculinity that challenges the traditional Republican image of the "he-man" and appeals to a broader audience, potentially attracting voters who are turned off by the more extreme and divisive rhetoric of the right.
What is the "metabolization" of identity politics within the Democratic Party?
The intense debates surrounding wokeness and identity have subsided, leading to a more nuanced and less self-righteous approach to these issues, suggesting a shift towards a more inclusive and less divisive political discourse.
What is the Republican Party's ongoing identity crisis?
The party is struggling to reconcile its traditional conservative values with the more extreme and illiberal views of the post-liberal movement, creating internal conflict and uncertainty about the party's future direction.
What is cultural backlash and how does it relate to politics?
Cultural backlash is a reaction against perceived changes in cultural norms and values. It can manifest in political movements, social activism, and public discourse. This backlash often fuels political polarization and can influence policy decisions.
Show Notes
A strange new gender politics is roiling the 2024 election. At the Republican National Convention, Donald Trump made his nomination a show of campy masculinity, with Hulk Hogan, Kid Rock and Dana White, the president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, warming up the crowd. JD Vance’s first viral moments have been comments he made in 2021 about “childless cat ladies” running the Democratic Party and a “thought experiment” assigning extra votes to parents because they have more of an “investment in the future of this country.” Meanwhile, Kamala Harris is centering her campaign on abortion rights, and Tim Walz has been playing up his own classically masculine profile — as a former football coach, hunter and Midwestern dad. What are the two sides here really saying about gender and family? And what are the new fault lines of our modern-day gender wars?
Christine Emba is a staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of “Rethinking Sex: A Provocation.” Zack Beauchamp is a senior correspondent at Vox and the author of the new book “The Reactionary Spirit: How America's Most Insidious Political Tradition Swept the World.” In this conversation, we discuss some influences on JD Vance’s ideas about gender and family, the tensions between those ideas and the beliefs about gender represented by Donald Trump, the competing visions of masculinity presented by the two parties in this election, how Dobbs changed Democrats’ message on gender and family, and more.
Mentioned:
“What Does the 'Post-Liberal Right' Actually Want?” with Patrick Deneen on The Ezra Klein Show
“A Powerful Theory of Why the Far Right Is Thriving Across the Globe” with Pippa Norris on The Ezra Klein Show
Book Recommendations:
Black Pill by Elle Reeve
What Are Children For? by Anastasia Berg and Rachel Wiseman
The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien
Justice, Gender, and the Family by Susan Moller Okin
Cultural Backlash by Pippa Norris, Ronald Inglehart
Conservative Parties and the Birth of Democracy by Daniel Ziblatt
Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.
You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.
This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Annie Galvin. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, with Mary Marge Locker. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Isaac Jones and Aman Sahota. Our senior editor is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Rollin Hu, Elias Isquith and Kristin Lin. Original music by Isaac Jones. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. Special thanks to Sonia Herrero.
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These 2 guests seem to support JDs twisted racist view of family and keeping his 1950s family safe. They're stretching to support the whacky good life of lots of children.