MIDTERM SPECIAL: 5 Ways the Uchiha Massacre Resembles the 2022 Midterm Elections

Special edition of the Culture Wars.

This time I assess the 2022 midterms and think about how we got here, drawing comparisons between the infamous Uchiha Massacre from the Naruto anime and current US politics. I draw parallels between that notorious incident and our culture today, where themes like grievance politics, leadership selection/election controversies, social and political isolation, subversive plots, and alleged coups led to that tragic night in the Naruto series where Itachi fulfilled orders to massacre his own Uchiha clan under the pretense of protecting the Konoha village.

Then I highlight a number of very serious yet underreported stories of political violence from this year to unpack a bit of how we got here, as I think 2022 has been even more politically contentious than 2020, perhaps inflamed by January 6th tension.