He's the cult leader. That's why.
https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/6089598-piker-influence-young-voters/
That has led to the usual debate over whether Democrats should distance themselves from Piker. I am more interested in why they wanted to be around him in the first place.
The obvious answer is his audience. Piker reaches huge numbers of young people who aren’t necessarily watching cable news, reading newspapers or paying much attention to what politicians say on Sunday morning shows. But I don’t think his appeal can be explained by audience size alone. When politicians go on his stream, they aren’t just trying to reach his viewers. They are trying to tap into the relationship he has with them.
As a psychotherapist, I find that relationship more interesting than Piker’s politics. Think about the world as many of his younger viewers experience it. Housing feels out of reach. Dating is miserable. Democracy always seems to be in danger. The climate is approaching catastrophe. Open your phone and there’s another crisis waiting for you.
Piker gives all of this a story: Capitalism is screwing you. Billionaires are screwing you. Israel is committing atrocities. Conservatives are standing in the way of progress. Whatever the problem, there’s usually an explanation and somebody to blame.
There’s something reassuring about that. Most people don’t particularly enjoy uncertainty. It’s hard to admit that you don’t know why your life isn’t going the way you hoped, that nobody may be responsible for it, or that some problems don’t have clean solutions. It’s much easier when somebody connects the dots for you.
https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/6089598-piker-influence-young-voters/
That has led to the usual debate over whether Democrats should distance themselves from Piker. I am more interested in why they wanted to be around him in the first place.
The obvious answer is his audience. Piker reaches huge numbers of young people who aren’t necessarily watching cable news, reading newspapers or paying much attention to what politicians say on Sunday morning shows. But I don’t think his appeal can be explained by audience size alone. When politicians go on his stream, they aren’t just trying to reach his viewers. They are trying to tap into the relationship he has with them.
As a psychotherapist, I find that relationship more interesting than Piker’s politics. Think about the world as many of his younger viewers experience it. Housing feels out of reach. Dating is miserable. Democracy always seems to be in danger. The climate is approaching catastrophe. Open your phone and there’s another crisis waiting for you.
Piker gives all of this a story: Capitalism is screwing you. Billionaires are screwing you. Israel is committing atrocities. Conservatives are standing in the way of progress. Whatever the problem, there’s usually an explanation and somebody to blame.
There’s something reassuring about that. Most people don’t particularly enjoy uncertainty. It’s hard to admit that you don’t know why your life isn’t going the way you hoped, that nobody may be responsible for it, or that some problems don’t have clean solutions. It’s much easier when somebody connects the dots for you.
