Donald Trump's resounding victory reflects a shift toward nationalism in the U.S. and across the globe. Anti-immigrant fervor, tinged with racism, is part of the motivation, as are the negative impacts of technology and globalization on a large segment of society.
While Trump has yet to offer details regarding the sweeping change that he proposes, it is clear that he will attempt to role back environmental regulations; after all, he has been one of the leading climate change deniers. Expressing anti-science rhetoric and ridiculing the importance of international cooperation, Trump and his legions may ruin the planet before they have a chance to establish their utopia.
Most unsettling, America, the acclaimed leader of the free world, has elected a narcissist to run the country; subject to speaking, tweeting or acting before he thinks, Trump's tenure will likely be an extension of his entertainment career. While I respect individuals who do not share my personal politics (social liberal, fiscal conservative), I cannot respect anyone who uses their position of power to foster intolerance, promote discrimination, suppress human rights and oppose the conservation of our natural resources. Hopefully, Trump's deranged comments were merely a campaign ploy and he will be humbled by the responsibilities that he has been granted. For a man who led the "birther movement," that will be a dramatic change indeed.
