By Michael Kelman Portney

Kurt Vonnegut, the satirical novelist and social critic known for his dark humor and existential wit, possessed a unique talent for capturing the absurdities of American life. In works like Slaughterhouse-Five, Cat’s Cradle, and Breakfast of Champions, Vonnegut exposed the grotesque, nonsensical, and often tragic aspects of human existence. His critique of power, corporate greed, nationalism, and the darker side of American values remains strikingly relevant in today’s polarized and chaotic political landscape.

If Vonnegut were alive to witness Donald Trump’s re-election in 2024, his response would likely be a blend of scathing satire, ironic detachment, and profound sadness. Vonnegut’s worldview, shaped by his experiences in World War II and his acute sense of human folly, would see Trump’s victory as yet another testament to the cyclical absurdity of history and the stubborn resilience of human ignorance. Through Vonnegut’s imagined perspective, this paper explores what he might say about Trump’s second term and what his insights could reveal about America’s future.

1. The Absurdity of the American Dream: Trump as a Vonnegutian Character

A. Trump as the Embodiment of American Greed and Vanity

Vonnegut often used characters who embodied the extremes of American culture, exaggerating traits like ambition, greed, and vanity to underscore their ridiculousness. In Trump, Vonnegut would likely see a character who epitomizes the worst qualities of the “American Dream”—an individual whose relentless pursuit of power and self-interest is glorified as success.

• A Caricature of Capitalism: Vonnegut’s novels frequently portrayed capitalists as morally bankrupt figures who wielded their wealth and influence with reckless abandon. Trump, as a billionaire turned politician, would be the ultimate Vonnegut character: a wealthy egotist who, against all odds, ascends to power while projecting his own flaws onto the country he claims to serve.

• The Hollow Pursuit of Power: To Vonnegut, Trump’s rise would exemplify a hollow pursuit of power, achieved not through noble qualities but through divisive rhetoric and an insatiable desire for fame. He might liken Trump to one of his own characters who, driven by vanity, gains success only to find it devoid of meaning.

B. The Ironic Tragedy of the American Dream Gone Wrong

In Vonnegut’s work, the American Dream often appears as a cynical, ironic myth that promises prosperity but delivers little more than disappointment and dissatisfaction. Trump’s victory would, in Vonnegut’s eyes, represent this dream turned on its head: a dream that once inspired hope but now serves as a justification for greed, power, and division.

• The American Dream as a Satire: Vonnegut might describe Trump’s America as a satirical version of the American Dream, where success is measured by one’s ability to manipulate others and incite anger rather than by character or integrity. This twisted version of the dream would serve as a tragic reflection of America’s distorted values.

• The Sad Absurdity of Success: Vonnegut often used humor to underscore tragedy, and he might find Trump’s success absurdly tragic—proof that the very qualities once mocked as weaknesses are now celebrated as strengths. Trump’s re-election would be, for Vonnegut, a final irony, a farce where the joke is on all of us.

2. “So it Goes”: Vonnegut’s Cynical Acceptance of Human Folly

A. Cycles of History and the Inescapability of Ignorance

Vonnegut frequently commented on the cyclical nature of human history, showing how societies fail to learn from past mistakes and are condemned to repeat them. Trump’s 2024 victory would, in Vonnegut’s view, be just another round of history’s endless repetition, a reminder that humanity is often too foolish to avoid its own traps.

• A Return to Authoritarianism: Vonnegut, who was deeply influenced by his experiences in WWII, saw fascism as a persistent threat in human society. He might view Trump’s return to power as a reemergence of authoritarianism in a democratic disguise, evidence that America has failed to learn from the dangers of unchecked power.

• The Inability to Change: Trump’s re-election would symbolize, for Vonnegut, humanity’s inability to evolve past its own destructive tendencies. His signature phrase, “So it goes,” would likely apply to the outcome—an acceptance of humanity’s perpetual failure to learn, grow, and move beyond self-interest.

B. Satire of Modern Media and the Spectacle of Trump

Vonnegut would likely find Trump’s success a product of a media culture that thrives on spectacle, polarization, and drama. As a writer who critiqued mass media and consumer culture, Vonnegut would see Trump’s media-savvy, attention-grabbing style as emblematic of an era where substance is secondary to sensationalism.

• The Age of Media “Buffoonery”: Vonnegut might describe Trump as a “buffoon” whose antics are perfectly suited for a culture more interested in entertainment than serious discourse. He would see Trump’s ability to dominate the media as a reflection of a society that prefers spectacle over substance.

• A World Where Truth No Longer Matters: Vonnegut was fascinated by humanity’s relationship with truth and lies, and Trump’s approach to “alternative facts” would amuse and horrify him in equal measure. He might see this as a time when truth has lost its value, replaced by whatever story gains the most clicks or followers.

3. A Vonnegutian View of Trump’s America: Life in a Machine Made for Fools

A. Dehumanization and the Loss of Empathy

Vonnegut often depicted the world as a “machine” that treats humans as expendable parts rather than individuals. He might see Trump’s America as a “machine” that chews up empathy and understanding, replacing them with division and indifference.

• Society as a Mechanism of Division: In works like Player Piano, Vonnegut explored how industrialization dehumanized people. In Trump’s America, he might argue, the machine is ideological—an apparatus that divides citizens against each other to distract from larger issues like economic inequality and systemic injustice.

• Loss of Empathy as a National Characteristic: Vonnegut, who valued empathy above all, would see the divisive rhetoric of Trump’s campaigns as antithetical to the American spirit. He might argue that the emphasis on “winning” over caring reflects a dangerous shift in values, where people are valued for their usefulness rather than their humanity.

B. The Absurdity of It All: A Country That Can’t Stop Laughing at Itself

For Vonnegut, laughter was both a coping mechanism and a means of exposing hypocrisy. He would likely find dark humor in the fact that, even amid division and crisis, America continues to laugh—often at its own absurdity. Vonnegut would see humor as both a relief and a curse, a way to cope but also a barrier to taking reality seriously.

• The Tragic Comedy of American Politics: Vonnegut might describe Trump’s second term as a dark comedy, where Americans continue to laugh at the ridiculousness of their own situation while struggling to find a way out. He might suggest that laughter itself has become hollow, masking the deep unease beneath the surface.

• The Joke America Played on Itself: For Vonnegut, Trump’s victory could symbolize America’s unwitting participation in its own undoing. He would see it as a sad, cosmic joke—a nation that once prided itself on democracy now glorifying figures who defy its principles.

4. What Vonnegut Would Leave Us With: A Call to Humanity

A. Embrace Kindness in a World of Division

Vonnegut, despite his cynicism, consistently emphasized the importance of kindness and empathy. His fictional characters often failed to find meaning in institutions, governments, or religions, but they found solace in treating each other with decency. He would likely leave us with a message about finding common ground and treating others with compassion, even when systems fail us.

• “Goddamn It, You’ve Got to Be Kind”: Vonnegut’s simple plea to “be kind” would resonate in Trump’s America, where divisions are stark and compassion is often lacking. He would remind us that, even in dark times, the small acts of kindness we show one another are a form of resistance.

• Seeing Humanity in Each Other: Vonnegut would implore Americans to look past labels, party lines, and divisive narratives and remember that, despite our differences, we’re all humans trying to navigate an absurd world. This empathy would be, for him, the one thing that gives meaning in an otherwise absurd reality.

B. Remembering That Life Is Absurd, But It’s All We’ve Got

Vonnegut would likely conclude that Trump’s America is just one more iteration in an endless cycle of absurdity. He would caution against seeking meaning in power, materialism, or blind loyalty to leaders, suggesting instead that we find purpose in small, human acts of kindness and connection.

• Finding Joy Amid Absurdity: Vonnegut would encourage people to laugh at the absurdity of it all—not as a means of ignoring it, but as a way to remain sane in a world that seems increasingly irrational.

• Living with Dignity Despite It All: Finally, Vonnegut would leave us with a reminder to carry ourselves with dignity and integrity, even when the world around us feels