Junk Politics: The Trashing of the American Mind

by Benjamin DeMott

When George Bush's inaugural address stressed civility, compassion, and character, he was continuing a decade-long trend of American politicians trying to get "touchy feely" with the American electorate. Who could forget Bill Clinton's "I-feel-your-pain" chatter from the 1992 election, or the party conventions of 2000 where delegates recounted tales of privations endured and overcome. What this amounts to is the growth of no-politics politics—or "Junk Politics," as Benjamin DeMott — one of America's leading cultural critics — names it. DeMott explains that lack of character, civility, and feeling, rather than inequality and injustice, is seen as the root cause of our "national woes." Great causes—like the civil rights movement—nourish themselves on firm awareness of the substance of injustice. But those causes, DeMott warns, are losing their voice as junk politics gains ascendance. Junk Politics looks at the cultural influences and political signals of the last half century that have stamped the apolitical style of those in power. He focuses on some of the lesser-known but defining elements of Bush-era antipolitics rhetoric and action; that poverty is a character problem, that "leadership" is first of all an emollient, as he digs deeper into the cultural soil that has nourished these views.

Genres: Politics

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 4, 2003

About the author

Benjamin Haile DeMott was an American English professor and cultural critic. The author of more than a dozen books, DeMott was known for his cultural criticism in popular magazines and a trilogy, The Imperial Middle: Why Americans Can't Think Straight about Class (1990), The Trouble with Friendship: Why Americans Can't Think Straight about Race (1995), and Killer Woman Blues: Why Americans Can't Think Straight about Gender (2000).
He wrote glowingly of Otis Redding, The Beatles' "Blue Jay Way" and "the supergorgeous Mantovanian Motown Sound", while mocking Marshall McLuhan and Mary Ellmann.
One of DeMott's last pieces was a scalding dissection of the 9/11 Commission Report that appeared in Harper's Magazine in 2004. His final piece, "Battling the Hard Man: Notes on Addiction to the Pornography of Violence", was published in Harper's in August 2007.
DeMott taught English at Amherst College for more than 40 years. He graduated from George Washington University (BA) and Harvard University (PHD).
DeMott was survived by Margaret, whom he married in 1946, and their four children.

Reviews

[Ken · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not just politics, DeMott includes his observations of celebrity, management theory, sexuality and race. A collection of previously published pieces, this may be a little outdated. Although it does provide an incite to the author's view at a period of time. Not for everyone.

[Algernon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of critical essays on American culture and politics dating from the presidency of Bill Clinton and the beginning of George W. Bush's government. It includes his still-relevant and often cited essay on the politics of "civility," with additional critiques of commercial fads in "leadership training" and "character education" as diversions from critical analysis of power structures and social justice. A long essay later in the book describes a sort of personal anecdotal tour of the United States in the 1970s examining changing mores on marriage and family. There are also some film and book reviews. Not everything in the collection feels strongly relevant to the stated theme of the book. It is also feels inevitably dated, a pre-September 11 analysis that is unable to include DeMott's analysis of how the "War on Terrorism" has contributed to political obscurantism and the militarization of civil space. DeMott began that work before he passed away, critiquing the 9/11 Commission report and writing on the "pornography of violence" during the George W. Bush decade. Any updated edition of this book should include these.