Keen On America Where's the Countercultural Outrage to Trump?
Feb 1, 2026
John Taplin, cultural critic and former music/film executive, argues tech and a timid cultural class have drained today’s artistic fire. He traces countercultural roots from Thoreau to the 60s. They debate whether current dissent lacks real art, how tech and billionaires mute resistance, and why younger creators seem less daring.
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Right-Wing Rule Can Spur Art
- Periods of right-wing governance have historically triggered creative renaissances in film, music and literature.
- Taplin points to 1968–1978 under Nixon as a golden era of countercultural output.
Commercialization Silences Young Artists
- Taplin argues today's young artists largely work as advertising shills and avoid political risk.
- He suggests commercial pressures and advertiser preferences discourage overt political expression.
Modern Films From Older Creators
- Andrew and John discuss recent films like Paul Thomas Anderson's as signs of countercultural hope.
- Taplin acknowledges these works but notes their creators are from an older generation.
