When the racism and sexism of postmodernism drove a rise in cynicism.

Not sure about the qulity of the research but it is thought-provoking. From Victims, perpetrators, or both? The vicious cycle of disrespect and cynical beliefs about human nature. by Olga Stavrova, Daniel Ehlebracht, and Kathleen Vohs. From the Abstract:

We tested how cynicism emerges and what maintains it. Cynicism is the tendency to believe that people are morally bankrupt and behave treacherously to maximize self-interest. Drawing on literatures on norms of respectful treatment, we proposed that being the target of disrespect gives rise to cynical views, which predisposes people to further disrespect. The end result is a vicious cycle: cynicism and disrespect fuel one another. Study 1’s nationally representative survey showed that disrespect and cynicism are positively related to each other in 28 of 29 countries studied, and that cynicism’s associations with disrespect were independent of (and stronger than) associations with lacking social support. Study 2 used a nationally representative longitudinal dataset, spanning 4 years. In line with the vicious cycle hypothesis, feeling disrespected and holding cynical views gave rise to each other over time. Five preregistered experiments (including 2 in the online supplemental materials) provided causal evidence. Study 3 showed that bringing to mind previous experiences of being disrespected heightened cynical beliefs subsequently. Studies 4 and 5 showed that to the extent that people endorsed cynical beliefs, others were inclined to treat them disrespectfully. Study 6’s weeklong daily diary study replicated the vicious cycle pattern. Everyday experiences of disrespect elevated cynical beliefs and vice versa. Moreover, cynical individuals tended to treat others with disrespect, which in turn predicted more disrespectful treatment by others. In short, experiencing disrespect gives rise to cynicism and cynicism elicits disrespect from others, thereby reinforcing the worldview that caused these negative reactions in the first place. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)

IF true, this might be an element in the explanation of so-called polarization. Polarization is much discussed in the MSM but it is not quite right. Before Trump, there was of course competition between the parties but it was intramural between the establishment parties. Not really debating fundamentals, just ensuring that their respective interest groups got scraps from the national pie.

Trump, more of a Tea Party outsider, set the cat among the pigeons. Reviled by establishment Republicans he has to some extent brought them over by his survival and effectiveness. Democrats have nothing but revulsion for him.

But all of that isn't polarization per se. It is inside baseball for the inside the beltway crowd. Outside Washington, polarization is barely visible.

My inclination is to look at this as an issue of the populi versus the establishment rather than as partisan polarization. And I think that is substantially true and evidenced across the world, particularly among the developed countries.

But this research suggests something else is going on, though it may be a coincidence of time.

If the research is true that there can be a cycle of disrespectful escalation which drives cynicism, then I wonder whether the perceive anxiousness, polarization, etc. might not be as much driven by ideology as it is by partisan interests.

Specifically, the umbrella postmodernist ideological camps which have blossomed post-Berlin Wall and gained traction circa 1995 in academia and then later in media might be much more of a driver of cynicism and polarization.

Critical Race Theory (ideological racism), Critical Theory (class ideology), Third Wave Feminism (ideological sexism) are very much the frame for all MSM discussions. See, for example, today's delightfully sexist and absurd headline.

Click to enlarge.

It defies comprehension.

Both Obama ("bitter clingers") and Clinton ("basket of deplorables") were transparent in their ridicule of the poor, men, and whites. You net these out and that is a lot of privileged disdain by the 1%ers for the numeric majority of people. Disdain trumpeted without comment by the MSM.

So if the majority of the population has targeted and sustained insults hurled at them, would it be surprising that their cynicism might rise?

The incubation habitats for postmodernism (academia and media) then become the birthers of perceived increase in polarization which is really just a rise in common cynicism owing to the disdain of the privileged one percenters for the great majority (males, whites, and middle and lower classes).

Just an alternate perspective.