The article explores a peculiar incident involving Donald Trump and Elon Musk, shedding light on the broader issue of how reality and spectacle have merged in contemporary politics. As Americans protested against Tesla amid Musk's leadership, Trump's response blurred the lines between serious governance and media moments. The piece critiques the growing disconnect between facts and beliefs within parts of the conservative movement, suggesting this trend has roots in earlier conspiracy theories like QAnon. Ultimately, it posits that this trend has surged in the wake of the pandemic, radically changing political discourse.
The entire incident was, in its way, revelatory. A series of protests had targeted Tesla dealerships and owners, as Americans expressed their distaste for Musk, the unelected leader of the US.
One of the bizarre hallmarks of the Trump era is a set of elected officials who increasingly cannot tell apart spectacle and reality - as well as a group of voters who seem similarly confused.
It seems the conservative mind cannot comprehend that DEI is, in fact, actually popular. To avoid acknowledging that, the voter summoned up a conspiracy theory.
The break with reality has been a long time coming - QAnon and Pizzagate preceded it - but in the pre-pandemic era, it was largely the fringes of the conservative movement.
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