There’s something darkly appealing about the whole spectacle of contemporary politics. The distinct magnetism of the performative theatrics, the moral histrionics, the impassioned talk show hosts, the platoons of vaguely menacing student protesters with impeccable placards angry at things that they can’t quite articulate. The US midterm elections have been another fantastic example of what you get when you put populism on steroids as an antidote to increasingly aggressive identity politics.