A review by killedbyfluffy
Alienated America: Why Some Places Thrive While Others Collapse by Timothy P. Carney

3.0

This was recommended by my mom and it has an interesting premise: that the first people to support Trump can be identified by finding those places where the American Dream is dead and that today, the American Dream is only alive if you are either economically well off or, if you're not economically stable, attend church regularly. It's also a premise that, if you've been following the cottage industry of essays that have popped up since Trump became President attempting to explain the Trump voter, isn't that original but is more nuanced and a better supported argument about their motivation than most. Carney examines counties where the American Dream is thriving and what he finds is that these communities are fairly homogeneous, have high incomes, and have a thriving public square, like rec teams, volunteering, community groups, religious institutions, etc. He also presents that the American Dream is more likely to be attainable by those who follow a specific pattern: find a job, get married, have kids. Ultimately, his entire argument hinges on the assertion that attending church and having a strong religious community for support is what keeps a community strong and makes people more hopeful about their future and their place in America. Which is true, but, the other argument he somewhat glosses over in his haste to present his main claim, is that people who make up to 75k a year claim an increase in happiness as well. And since, not everyone can make that much, their next best option for happiness and community is the church. Not to get too Marxist here, but why is it automatically assumed that only those with a certain bank balance are capable of supporting the institutions capable of building and maintaining strong communities? And if that is the case, why is that considered default? What is it about our current economic system that makes it so hostile to building community? Isolation and alienation are a constant theme throughout the book and a reason, Carney claims, for the rise of Trump. I agree with him. What I disagree is with his claim that we can somehow pray the alienation away while not addressing the economic system we are slaves to and that actively works to undermine our humanity and ultimately our ability to create meaningful connections with each other.