The MAGA zeitgeist is a mirage

What’s being described as a “conservative zeitgeist” isn’t what it seems. As usual, people are over-reading the election results, calling it a shift in the national mood. It is, but not for the reasons you think.

Despite the narrative about a sweeping Trump victory, the election was still extremely close (49.9% to 48.3%). Only 23 percent of the total U.S. population voted for Trump. The broader story isn’t about a conservative wave—it’s about overall frustration with institutions and how the status quo isn’t working.

A Pew study from October found only 22 percent of Americans trust the federal government—and 28 percent view both major parties unfavorably. Anti-business sentiment specifically unites people from every party.

In fact, after the election The Harris Poll conducted research that shows nearly half of Americans said they want companies to do more on social issues. And almost everyone thinks businesses should do more to communicate about their ethics and corporate responsibility efforts—including 71 percent of Republicans.

If corporate leaders should be paying attention to anything, it’s the demand for leadership that actually addresses what’s broken, including in business. There’s a reason people are detaching from their jobs.

Retreating from social responsibility in order to focus on profits is a cynical misread of the moment.