The Storming of the Capitol

In this episode of New Ideal Live, Onkar Ghate and Elan Journo discuss the moral significance and the consequences of the January 6 storming of the Capitol by supporters of President Trump.

Among the topics covered:

How the storming of the Capitol resembled the 9/11 terrorist attacks
Trump’s level of moral responsibility for the attack
The arbitrariness of Trump’s conspiracy assertions
Our culture’s descent into irrationalist tribalism
The increasing authoritarianism on both the right and the left
The importance of recognizing the varying degrees of support for violence and authoritarianism on both sides of the culture
The importance of recognizing the various forms of dictatorial aspiration
The tribalistic attempt to claim victimhood in order to scapegoat the other side
Why the attackers were not “patriots” but nihilists
The commonalities between the storming of the Capitol and the BLM protests
The attack as an attempt to defy the rule of law
The political institutions worth supporting in an irrational political culture
The philosophical causes of tribalism
How to think rationally about election fraud claims
What should happen to Trump in the future given his moral responsibility for the attack
What is the best path forward for America

Mentioned in the discussion is Onkar Ghate’s 2016 essay “One Small Step for Dictatorship: The Significance Of Donald Trump’s Election.”

This podcast was recorded on January 13, 2021. Watch or listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here.