More Of The Same

[poliphilo]

Trump has all the characteristics of an over-indulged toddler- egomania, greed, spite. Thwart him and he sulks; try to reason with him and he spits. I picture him in a romper suit and soiled nappy, sitting on the floor, surrounded by his busted toys, yelling his little head off.

God knows what sort of president he'd make. He's firing off wild promises- all Muslims banned from entering the States, a wall between the States and Mexico, Isis defeated in one fell swoop- without any consideration of the cost, logistics and diplomatic and social repercussions.

But his followers aren't thinking ahead. They're enjoying the show. They want to see the political system smashed into little bits- and Trump is saying he'll do it for them.

Trump is vile, but his followers aren't. They're just folk. They're bored and dis-satisfied and they'll follow any flag they feel is going in vaguely the right direction. I'm not saying Trump is the new Hitler (Hitler was much smarter, understood politics and had a formidable organisation behind him) but there are parallels. People feel frustrated and angry. A leader appears who can command a podium and they fall in love with him. Once that connection has been made there's no reasoning with them. They're like people caught up in a fandom. Explain to a fan the multiple shortcomings of the thing they love- Star Wars, for instance, and they'll go, "Yes, we know all that- we don't like Ja-Ja either- but look, it's Star Wars!" And so with Trump. His fans aren't asking whether his policies make any sense or why his hair looks so weird- because they've surrendered themselves to the collective. I've often wondered what it was the German masses saw in Hitler- when he was obviously such a dick. But I'm watching Trump go from strength to strength and it's the same phenomenon. When a movement gathers a certain momentum the dickishness of the leader ceases to matter.

Comments

[matrixmann]

I always keep imagining it like Reagan the Second.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Reagan was an empty vessel. An actor mouthing someone else's script. I'm not sure about Trump yet. I think he's loud and stupid- but he may also be cunning. It's really too early to say.

[matrixmann]

That's why I come up with that imnpression. Trump's own position you cannot calculate until this point, but the impact may be the same. Lots of imperialistic shit and "America is the greatest"-propaganda.

[howlin-wolf-66.livejournal.com]

I'm not so willing to excuse his followers... If he does all this, then why can't THEY see what you [we] see? I'm not the smartest man in the world, but even *I* can see that Trump is going in totally the wrong direction - and I'm just as dissatisfied with the political landscape as anybody else is.

Disenfranchisement doesn't entitle anybody to seek joy in watching the world burn, and that must be the logical consequence, so don't go easy on people who were given minds to think, and aren't using them.

There were plenty of people who saw Hitler for what he was, and so it is the same with Trump... The deluded should not be excused or absolved.

Incivility and dickishness towards people will always matter to those who are already decent.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I don't know. It's easier to be objective if you're outside the culture. Trump is very, very American- and almost impossible to imagine in a European context. As a European- and already prejudiced against him on account of the shit he pulled in Scotland- I can't find anything in him that's attractive. But if I were an American and the choice was between business as usual and a wild card like Trump I might just be tempted to vote for him.

Actually, probably not- because Trump is very right wing and I'm a lefty, but if I try and imagine myself into the shoes of not very well educated, conservative American....

[kamomil.livejournal.com]

It reminds me of how Rob Ford got elected. He catered to the less informed conservatives. At least he could only affect the city, not the entire country.

I can't believe the Americans could laugh at Rob Ford and still think it's a good idea to elect Trump. Trump is smarter than Ford, but that makes him more dangerous.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Electorates across the Western world are favouring wild card candidates- people who don't play by the rules of politics as usual. Ford was a straw in the wind, Trump is another, in Britain the Labour party has just elected a far left outsider as its leader- and that's yet another straw. I don't think Trump will become president of the USA- he's too bizarre, too irresponsible- but sooner or later someone from left field will.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

It horrifies and terrifies me that Trump could even be president. And I think his followers are all too aware of what he is and isn't...and that's even more terrifying.

[glitzfrau.livejournal.com]

Agreed. I think his dickishness is exactly the point. It gives courage to his followers' inner dicks.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

Indeed!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I think what they mainly like about him is that he refuses to play by the rules.

But, yes, you could be right...

Toddlers

[qatsi.livejournal.com]

Don't forget Churchill was keen on wearing a onesie.

[idahoswede.livejournal.com]

Have you noticed how orange he's getting? This morning, he looked like a day-glo raccoon with all the orange and white circles around his eye. I don't know what he was saying because I hit the mute button.