If you run societies using popularity, and even say that’s democracy, the outcome will always be some form of…

If you run societies using popularity, and even say that’s democracy, the outcome will always be some form of Trump. Popularity is the enemy. Authoritarianism is just endgame populism. Popularity, used to bypass ordinary checks and balances. 1/3

Culturally and socially, it’s the schoolyard’s final victory over the classroom. The jocks over the nerds. Not by analogy, that is the literal cultural shift. The nerds are never popular. But they’re the civilisation that lasts. 2/3

Only a culture focused on material realities can survive, longer term. That reality requires zero detour through popularity. Our days are wasted fighting in teams against other teams. Populism. Focus on material realities, ignore the detour. They’ll always ultimately win. /end