This summer in politics has been a whirlwind. Democrats went from what seemed like almost certain defeat by Donald Trump to President Joe Biden stepping aside and handing the political torch to Vice President Kamala Harris. These last eight or so weeks also included the Republican and Democratic Party’s national conventions, an assassination attempt on Trump’s life, and a disastrous first debate between Biden and Trump. Many political experts have described this series of events as being some of the most consequential and rapid in recent American history in the shortest amount of time. We are now on the eve of one of the most anticipated presidential debates in history.
As I have tried to make sense of this summer, and the Age of Trump more generally, I have kept returning to the image of a car going around a racetrack in an endless circle at high speed and unable to stop. It is loud, fast, and disorienting while at the same time being very tedious and repetitive. Those of us in this car — and watching it from the stands — are suffering from motion sickness. With the sudden change of political fortunes in these last weeks, it feels as if the American people have gotten a whiplash or a concussion.
The Centers for Disease Control lists the following signs of a concussion:
• Can’t recall events prior to or after a hit or fall.
• Appears dazed or stunned.
• Forgets an instruction, is confused about an assignment or position, or is unsure of the game, score, or opponent.
• Moves clumsily.
• Answers questions slowly.
• Loses consciousness (even briefly).
• Shows mood, behavior, or personality changes.
Reported symptoms of concussion may include:
• Headache or “pressure” in head.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Balance problems or dizziness, or double or blurry vision.
• Bothered by light or noise.
• Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy.
• Confusion, or concentration or memory problems.
• Just not “feeling right,” or “feeling down”.
Because the personal is the political, these symptoms and effects can apply to both individuals and societies. To that point, public opinion research and other evidence show that the Age of Trump has had many moments where the American people, both individually and collectively, have manifested these symptoms of a concussion.
The next seventy or so days until Election Day will feel both slow and very fast. In addition, to being an example of some type of collective whiplash or concussion, this experience of time distortion is a response to individual and collective trauma.
In a 2023 essay at PsyPost, Eric Dolan explains the concept of “temporal disintegration” and its implications:
Experiencing a psychological phenomenon known as temporal disintegration during or shortly after a collective trauma is associated with higher levels of distress both in the immediate aftermath and over time,