I have been reading Peter Ackroyd's history of England/Britain (it is a decent and entertaining general treatment)--the part leading up to the English Civil War--and it is interesting to see the attitudes and beliefs of James I and Charles I--the belief in their semi-divine status and authority--wha…
I have been reading Peter Ackroyd's history of England/Britain (it is a decent and entertaining general treatment)--the part leading up to the English Civil War--and it is interesting to see the attitudes and beliefs of James I and Charles I--the belief in their semi-divine status and authority--what we would see as an extreme form of narcissism these days but was kind of par for the course for many of these royals at the time.
Trump is kind of a throwback to that. Entirely self-obsessed and caring only about what he wants and needs (and then a petulant child when he doesn't get it). Secure in his sense of entitlement and his belief that he deserves to have the power that he wishes to have.
He is no less a monster than Xi or Putin--they at least have the excuse of the system that they came up in. Trump? Spoiled rich boy.
Trump does what he does because it is what he thinks will get him what he wants--the adoration and obedience of the lesser people around him--except he doesn't know much about anything and is easily swayed by what he thinks will be popular or that will build his "strongman" image.
The Russians do not need to blackmail Trump or make him an agent--it is pretty simple to get him to do what they (the Russians) want him to do because of his adoration of people like Putin and his own UNenlightened self interest. he is the greyhound chasing the mechanical rabbit around the track.
This works because:
1) Other people to Trump aren't REALLY people, they are objects to be used/manipulated and thrown away when no longer useful --I am tempted to say that he is not just a narcissist but tends to solipsism;
2) As such he believes he is smarter and more capable than the objects that surround him (despite the fact that he is apparently largely uneducated and uninformed and apparently not exceptionally bright);
So he hears things from the people that surround him and grabs and runs with it--even if what he heard was badly misunderstood by him or just flat out obviously wrong. There is effectively no critical thought or strategy other than that which resembles something that flows from base animal cunning.
"Trump does what he does because it is what he thinks will get him what he wants--the adoration and obedience of the lesser people around him ..."
I'll be forever mystified that so many people, including some who aren't stupid, fail to acknowledge the most obvious facts about Trump: his extremely self-centered worldview and his insatiable demand for adulation. He realized that posing as a great patriot, hero of the little guy, defender of Christianity and foe of "the left" would win him a big fan base. All of that is merely instrumental to ego-gratification -- but people who should have better judgment tell themselves that he's the truest patriot in the land, and therefore anything that doesn't align with his wishes is anti-American and corrupt.
I know some of those people. It's befuddling and depressing.
Shawn pretty much nails it in his post.
I have been reading Peter Ackroyd's history of England/Britain (it is a decent and entertaining general treatment)--the part leading up to the English Civil War--and it is interesting to see the attitudes and beliefs of James I and Charles I--the belief in their semi-divine status and authority--what we would see as an extreme form of narcissism these days but was kind of par for the course for many of these royals at the time.
Trump is kind of a throwback to that. Entirely self-obsessed and caring only about what he wants and needs (and then a petulant child when he doesn't get it). Secure in his sense of entitlement and his belief that he deserves to have the power that he wishes to have.
He is no less a monster than Xi or Putin--they at least have the excuse of the system that they came up in. Trump? Spoiled rich boy.
Trump does what he does because it is what he thinks will get him what he wants--the adoration and obedience of the lesser people around him--except he doesn't know much about anything and is easily swayed by what he thinks will be popular or that will build his "strongman" image.
The Russians do not need to blackmail Trump or make him an agent--it is pretty simple to get him to do what they (the Russians) want him to do because of his adoration of people like Putin and his own UNenlightened self interest. he is the greyhound chasing the mechanical rabbit around the track.
This works because:
1) Other people to Trump aren't REALLY people, they are objects to be used/manipulated and thrown away when no longer useful --I am tempted to say that he is not just a narcissist but tends to solipsism;
2) As such he believes he is smarter and more capable than the objects that surround him (despite the fact that he is apparently largely uneducated and uninformed and apparently not exceptionally bright);
So he hears things from the people that surround him and grabs and runs with it--even if what he heard was badly misunderstood by him or just flat out obviously wrong. There is effectively no critical thought or strategy other than that which resembles something that flows from base animal cunning.
Stupid is as stupid does, as Forrest would say.
John Cleese has something to say about this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvVPdyYeaQU
Yep, that sums it up
"Trump does what he does because it is what he thinks will get him what he wants--the adoration and obedience of the lesser people around him ..."
I'll be forever mystified that so many people, including some who aren't stupid, fail to acknowledge the most obvious facts about Trump: his extremely self-centered worldview and his insatiable demand for adulation. He realized that posing as a great patriot, hero of the little guy, defender of Christianity and foe of "the left" would win him a big fan base. All of that is merely instrumental to ego-gratification -- but people who should have better judgment tell themselves that he's the truest patriot in the land, and therefore anything that doesn't align with his wishes is anti-American and corrupt.
I know some of those people. It's befuddling and depressing.
In a word, Trump is a barbarian. What we used to call the "higher things" play absolutely no part in his life.