22 Comments
User's avatar
li's avatar

yes more on dark enlightenment please

Linda Blumberg's avatar

I really appreciate your thoughtful explanation. However, my deep concern with your "optimism" about this not being the dark enlightenment desire playing out, is that they are crashing everything - the economy, education, science, healthcare, everything valuable about government. That evidence suggests the desire to destroy is much broader than for deal making, doesn't it?

Jac's avatar

Does anyone know how to join the Trump administration’s Signal chat on tariffs? I feel like we all have some thoughts to share. /s

Lisa Hazen's avatar

The Dark Enlightenment! 😱

Elle Shaw's avatar

More on the dark enlightenment, please. Only because it is fascinating.

Allyson Lee's avatar

Yes, more on the dark enlightenment please. Thank you for this thoughtful and detailed explanation. I really appreciate you.

Didem Kokturk's avatar

I'd like to hear more about the dark enlightenment theory as well since Musk has eluded to it "getting much worse" before it gets better in one of his past remarks.

Laurie Calland's avatar

Yes, please, to further exploration of the dark enlightenment theory!

Penny Dedel's avatar

YES PLEASE interview the guy about the dark enlightenment! So dystopian but kind of the only "logical" explanation for all the things Trump is doing.

Elizabeth F's avatar

Jessica, I love your content. For your conversations with your Conlaw scholar, I would love their perspective on the best options to challenge the legality of DT's executive orders (especially as they conflict with civil rights protections against state action (under 1983) or private actors (governed by the full array of federal civil rights laws). It's my understanding, especially as to domestic issues, a presidential executive order, is less persuasive (is trumped by, no pun intended) federal statute/the US constitution. Is this a less viable option these days because of the slog of bringing a federal action? Or is it less viable for other more problematic reasons, because the US Supreme Court will defer to executive power (not for any principled reason but because half the bench is ideologically in camp DT? Or is there something entirely different going on here?

Pam's avatar

Jessica I agree that Trump is using tariffs because he believes that it will bring manufacturing back to America. However, the 2025 sponsors are looking at something more long term and far more nefarious, using Trump to get started. If you agree, can you please talk about what that might be? This is no longer all about Trump, he's the monkey now.

Cynmonkey's avatar

I would like to hear more Dark Enlightenment. That is not a crack pot theory. There are a lot of big names in billionaire tech/others that are supportive of DT, when on the surface it does not make sense, so kinda supports the long game, advance tech and capitalism theory.

Chris R's avatar

Please find out if tariffs can be used as offset income to extend the first Trumptax cut thru reconciliation. That makes the most sense- I don’t think he could care less about blowing up the deficit

Vanessa Bee's avatar

Mother Jones theorizes a variant on the theory he wants to make deals for America. He wants to make deals - but only to further enrich himself. He essentially made foreign bribery legal to pave the way for his tariffs and the follow on windfall for his family in bribes. What will you give ME to lift the tariffs, not what will you give America.

Kate Wallace's avatar

I would like to know more about Dark Enlightenment, although thus far it sounds horrifying. Hopefully it is too wild to be more than a remote possibility.

What time today is the interview with the Constitutional scholar? I want to watch live if possible.

In an effort to keep in light, I'll just observe that the penguin memes are amazing, and Jessica, your hair looks great!

Elizabeth F's avatar

Yes, please more on the dark enlightenment. HCR shared this content in her post last week (which not surprisingly was censored by FB). I think this mythology/framework is at especially popular with some of the more messed up people in power (esp the greedy, bigoted tech billionaires)