As the political centre distorts under popular pressure from  left and right-wing populists, it is worth considering at least one factor in this story: The lies and guarded, PC speech of the elites (mostly “Bullshit” formal variety) makes political extremists look authoritative for stating obvious facts that mainstream political narratives have deemed unmentionable (although the old Overton Window is being disintermediated by the internet too, see Seth Godin’s tweetstorm via Stratechery.)

Venkatesh Rao explains it in “Be Slightly Evil“:

“We give people authority even when we don’t like them and are not afraid of them if they possess valuable information or skills.

There are many such “authority-earning” skills, but one of the most important is the ability to see reality as it really is, in minimally-deluded ways…[and] to see and convincingly frame realities in ways that turn matters of opinion into matters of fact.“

Whilst elites are denying obvious problems and pandering to special interests, they are allowing skilled extremists to present themselves as the only ones who see reality as it is and therefore the only one competent to lead.

Just look at what Trump did to the over-engineered, scripted and memorised soundbite bullshit which is the hallmark of public political speech. It is now political liability, a badge of insincerity and duplicity.

The problem of course is that thoughtful politicians who weigh their carefully chosen words will be seen to be inauthentic bullshitters.

See more:

• The Right struggles to understand Trump and populism – Fabius Maximus 
• Liberals look at Trump and populism, but see only their prejudices – Fabius Maximus
• The propagandists have won: What Fox News and the pornography revolution have in common – Salon