"Wind Chill Politics."

I can remember the days before the “wind chill factor.” I would listen to the radio (those were also the days before cell phones and weather apps) to learn the temperature and plan accordingly. If it was 32 degrees F or below, I knew it was cold.

Then, in the 70’s and 80’s, the wind chill factor became a regular part of our weather information – and I started to feel colder.

The wind chill factor is the temperature a person feels because of the wind. On that same 32-degree day, if there is a 20 mile per hour wind, it feels like 20 degrees.  So now when I check the weather, even if it won’t actually affect my day, I feel much colder. I am rarely required to be outside on a cold, windy day, but the words “wind chill” have already changed my outlook.

Therefore, I wasn’t surprised to hear about Michael Kimmel’s concept of “wind chill politics” at a recent lecture by historian Robyn Rosen.  According to Rosen, white men are still dominant in almost every aspect of society. However, as recent elections and events have demonstrated, a significant number of white men believe they are victims. They believe that women, immigrants, Jews, and persons of color have taken what is rightfully theirs. Words have convinced them that they are under attack, and they are prepared to fight accordingly.

I think the saddest thing about this phenomenon is that the words often come from powerful white men who don’t care about the men they are misleading. They are not scientists protecting people from potentially dangerous temperatures, they are men who lie to satisfy their lust for power.