“since the 1980s the elites in rich countries have overplayed their hand, taking all the gains for themselves and just covering their ears when anyone else talks, and now they are watching in horror as voters revolt.”
This elite behavior is rampant on HN. The comments that I leave in favor of Brexit are labeled xenophobic, racist, simple-minded, etc without even thinking. When Obama wins the election, or "progressive" issue is advanced, the intellectual elite labels it as a genuine progress that's good for everyone. When Brexit or Trump happens, that's dumb masses that fail to comprehend the intellectual intricacies, hence that's bad, really bad. Never mind that people have real grievances, that Uber drivers barely make their ends meet, that societies been uprooted. That rampant immigration into countries that have never seen it before, from hostile lands, from illiterate masses, etc etc.
People have real grievances. We need to listen to them.