Historically, isolationism is just about uniformly disastrous, but it somehow remains attractive to many. Some see it as a legitimate geopolitical strategy (it isn't, but they genuinely believe otherwise), others have less noble motivations, like xenophobia or outright racism. But in a political atmosphere in which a message that foreign countries have "done us wrong" is pushed by various leaders and thought influencers, isolationism can resonate for lots of reasons.

The US is, at present, far too militarily powerful for an "Admiral Perry" solution to our diversion into isolationism. But potentially catastrophic economic consequences could perform a similar role (and would eventually erode any military advantage as America became less and less able to afford such an extravagance).