Why the young are more drawn to dictatorships | James O’Brien - The Whole Show

This is a catch-up version of James O'Brien's live, daily show on LBC Radio from the 14th of January 2025

00:00 - Donald Trump would have been convicted over 202 election, says special counsel
37:12 - Special counsel Jack Smith's report - Scott Lucas, Professor of American Politics at University College Dublin
01:01:01 - One Fifth of young shun democracy, new poll finds

#jamesobrien #lbc

LBC is the home of live debate around news and current affairs in the UK.

[slumdogjay]

The Scottish Lady talking about why some people don’t care anymore hit the nail on the head. It gets exhausting to the point you’re burned out from it all.

[woonivurse_gurl]

The young are not drawn towards dictatorships. There's a small but vocal portion of vulnerable, radicalised young men who listen to people like Trump, Tate and Elon... Outside of that the rest of us are mostly socialist/ democratic socialist. We want to rejoin the EU and we want universal basic income propped up with progressive wealth and corporation taxes. Basically... we want the guarentee of the social contract first.

[jonstrickland]

I'm lower middle class living in the US and I choose democracy over shinny objects. I've lost all respect for my country. 😢

[Sam-lk]

Im not drawn to dictatorship, but i can see why millennials especially want some form of change. Speaking as a person who is middle millennial 1988, my generation has dealt with more financial blows then most generations starting their work life and growing into young adults. I was at the back of a labour government when i was 16. I had a full time minimum wage job, i left home at 18. At 18 on minimum wage, i could pay rent, bills, go out every weekend drinking, and some evenings, eat out, food shop well, smoke 20 a day. Two takeaways per week. New clothes and have left overs. Now, after rent and bills on national average annual wage, i cant hardly eat a well nutritious diet, cant go out drinking, definitely not eat out. Not smoke, and new clothes are rare and budget shops. Ive seen my wage against the cost of living decrease dramatically. And many others compared to 18 years ago are the same.

We went from house prices reachable but to young to get a mortgage, and just watched it getting further and further away. My parents generation really have no idea they had the best period, from wages to cost of living.

[TheLucanicLord]

That guy who travels in the US is talking tosh. Americans love big government, just so long as it's other people being governed. Preventing contraception, book bans, forced religion, prohibition.

[drewmalesky]

Its really weird to me whenever I meet a lets call it, "dictator enthusiast". Some of the most shortsighted people in existence.

[emiebex]

My guess having someone think for you is easier than you thinking for yourself.

[Domzdream]

I’ve gotta watch this later. Love James’ show. Progressives rock!!

[JeannettedeBeauvoir]

I'm American and I'm not cheering. I worked very hard to get Kamala Harris elected. Along with most of the people with whom I associate, I'm feeling absolute despair (and fear) over Trump's election.

[Khalkara]

The problem with polling like this is that its worthless to talk about any poll without taking in to context the methodology.

Last year a poll came out in the US that like half of young people polled were right leaning, but the polling methodology was flawed in that it was conducted through land lines and mobile phones. Virtually no young person has a land line to begin with, and of the young people who are willing to take a survey over mobile phone (from an unknown number) is also very small. So the study only proved that among young people, right wingers were disproportionally more likely to answer surveys over the phone.

And while I couldn't find the actual source (only references to FGS Global) and therefor no methodology, its entirely possible that the methodology ensures that younger right wingers are overrepresented for their age demographic. So this study too is meaningless without that context.

[jezzat]

The first caller is the worst kind of person, the classic oh trump is ok because he will sell an ally we swore to defend down the river.

[primuso]

The reality is there is a loss of memory. From the collapse of the Iron curtain, the fall of the USSR. The fall of military dictators in Africa, Asia and South America all at the rnd of the 80s and early 90s. Young men do not remember the fear and abject terror.Or else didn't see the horror. They only hear and see the romanticization of those dictators or at least the time they lived. They saw the Clinton's, the Blairs snd the Obamas and did realize that what they saw as weak governments were really a strong reactionary vote. Hence the landslides.

[obscurazone]

Margaret the Scottish lady in Amsterdam was absolutely spot on. Brilliant brilliant analysis.

[DJSykoOfficial]

"...and he's allowed to use scissors." 😂

[MajorCharlesCarringtonV.C]

They give a simplified view of the world daddyism

[moose]

Are they? Not in the US at least. If you look at demographics, the older people most voted for Trump

[bogdiworksV]

In my experience with people, I've come to the conclusion that strict morality is a luxury. People do care more about what they're gonna eat next, especially during austerity.

[mattiasdesmet]

There should be someone present at these Trump press conferences who starts laughing out loud at each lie, so that every viewer in the world knows it rediculous.

[adityathakur]

Your fascination with trump is mind blowing…..you gonna have a lot of material for the next four years

[buckynick]

Could it be because young people have nothing to lose