Pride and Shame: Arlie Hochschild's Cultural Bilingualism Decodes Rural America

After the shocking 2016 election, it was Arlie Hochschild in her book "Strangers in Their Own Land," not "Hillbilly Elegy," that truly explained the power of populist appeal in Appalachia. In my recent conversation with Hochschild, about her new book “Stolen Pride: Loss, Shame, and the Rise of the Right,” the renowned sociologist continues this exploration, emphasizing the crucial need for what she calls cultural bilingualism to bridge America's political divide. Hochschild argues that understanding today's politics requires examining the role of emotions, particularly pride and shame. She introduces the "pride paradox" and explains how Donald Trump has masterfully manipulated these emotions to gain support. By transforming "lost pride" into "stolen pride," Trump channels feelings of loss and shame into blame, creating a powerful emotional narrative. Hochschild's work, based on deep, empathetic listening in Appalachia, reveals how economic decline and cultural shifts have reshaped political allegiances.