It Could Happen Here Normalcy feat. Andrew
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Feb 10, 2026 A brisk conversation about the bias toward “normalcy” and how comforting stories of progress hide ongoing harm. They probe the limits of tech fixes like electric cars and AI and question the sustainability of postwar consumer culture. The discussion explores institutional fragility, how elites profit from instability, and practical community responses like mutual aid and shared skills.
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Trump As Product Of The Old Normal
- Andrew Sage argues that Trump's actions are a product of a pre-existing “normal” rather than an unprecedented aberration.
- He says yearning for a return to that old normal misses systemic issues that predate Trump.
The Myth Of Linear Progress
- Andrew Sage critiques the myth of linear progress as a sedative that blinds people to reality.
- He warns progress narratives can mask ongoing harms instead of fully resolving them.
Postwar Boom Was A Fossil-Fuel Blip
- The postwar consumer boom is a historical anomaly driven by cheap fossil fuels, not a permanent baseline.
- Andrew Sage and James Stout stress that many modern comforts are unsustainable long-term.
