I think the reason we keep on seeing people like Tr*mp and Farage continue to make gains is because of this asymmetric difference between intolerance and hatred on one hand, and empathy and collaborative problem solving on the other. They simply don’t speak the same language as each other.

We are in a world where the desire to destroy the perceived enemy is in the ascendant. There is no interest in rapprochement or dialogue. We can call the Tr*mpers and Farageists idiots all we want, but so long as they are in possession of all this hatred and desire to destroy, it wont make a difference.

Hopefully the pendulum will swing back at some time in the future, but not with a lot of pain having been experienced along the way.