The Dangerous Case Of Donald Trump

[Maou]

Do you think he effectively makes them look foolish though? I mean, to anyone with half a brain? It feels mean to say this (not about him, about his base), but I don't know how else to say it. He intimidates, and I mean this literally without exaggeration, like an emotionally stunted 12 year old. While it's possible there's more upstairs than meets the eye and this is actually some tactic to appeal to an emotionally stunted base, I haven't seen any indication of it bleed through. There doesn't seem to be any theory of mind happening in his head at all, which is necessary to be strategically manipulative. It's just pure dull steamroller + entitlement.

Trump has made them look foolish. How many times has he got what he wanted, with an entire establishment trying to stop him. You can excuse one or two instances for dumb luck. But after several, its intelligent and works.

 

[Jaguar]

Yes, but trolling them and making them look as fools

He's done that to an entire country. It's called the USA.

 

[Virtual ghost]

He's done that to an entire country. It's called the USA.

Sure, but that openly manifested itself only after 2016. Before election day he was just a "funny revolutionary".

 

[Jaguar]

Sure, but that openly manifested itself only after 2016. Before election day he was just a "funny revolutionary".

There's a difference between being a revolutionary and pretending to be one on TV. In reality, he's merely traditional mafia. Old school.

 

[Virtual ghost]

There's a difference between being a revolutionary and pretending to be one on TV. In reality, he's merely traditional mafia. Old school.

That is exactly why I placed "funny revolutionary" in quotation marks. What at least in my culture means that perhaps you shouldn't take the term too literally.


However if you remember I have said many times that he is "East-european school of politics", so you don't have to explain anything to me. I for the most part live under various Trump administrations my whole life. Supreme leader that will save us from everything ... seen way too many times in these parts.

 

[Jaguar]

I for the most part live under various Trump administrations my whole life. Supreme leader that will save us from everything ... seen way too many times in these parts.

But Trump doesn't throw chairs on camera. Yet.

 

[ceecee]

Trump has made them look foolish. How many times has he got what he wanted, with an entire establishment trying to stop him. You can excuse one or two instances for dumb luck. But after several, its intelligent and works.

The only reason he isn't stopped has nothing to do with Trump and everything to do with the GOP is on their knees sucking his dick and allowing all of his bullshit. But yanno, keep thinking Trump is some kind of Mensa member lol.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

I am/was talking about 2016 primaries and you still have plenty of those examples on youtube.
However today the picture is somewhat different, the playful part isn't present to such degree as in 2016.

I can't say I paid much attention to him before he was elected, but I do remember him coming across as a juvenile bully all along. The "birther" movement is coming to mind - before he even decided to run in 2016 - where he kept persistently pushing the crude and patently false narrative about Obama not being born in the United States. Or all the allegations about Hilary and the promises to send her to prison. I think all along he's just known how to tap into some existential fear en masse with ignorant declarations and exploit it, and I wouldn't call it "intelligence" because I don't think it happens consciously.

I think the *only* people he makes fools out of really are himself and those who follow/enable him.

(I don't mean to give you the bum rush here. I hope it doesn't feel like I'm jumping down your throat.)

 

[Virtual ghost]

I can't say I paid much attention to him before he was elected, but I do remember him coming across as a juvenile bully all along. The "birther" movement is coming to mind - before he even decided to run in 2016 - where he kept persistently pushing the crude and patently false narrative about Obama not being born in the United States. Or all the allegations about Hilary and the promises to send her to prison. I think all along he's just known how to tap into some existential fear en masse with ignorant declarations and exploit it, and I wouldn't call it "intelligence" because I don't think it happens consciously.

I think the *only* people he makes fools out of really are himself and those who follow/enable him.

(I don't mean to give you the bum rush here. I hope it doesn't feel like I'm jumping down your throat.)

There is no need to be super polite here, I am very thick skinned.


Regarding the bolded: he won the primaries exactly because he was publicly mocking his opponents and running circles around them. He did it in a way that is arrogant but his lines were very well placed in the moment. In my book it was anti-hero style but that was exactly the winning ticket, since everyone got bored with same old political faces that never really say anything. While Trump was something different in that moment. However since my part of the world likes populists and strongman already in the spring I was saying that he will probably take general elections. Because this is simply natural marriage between strongman and country in deep crisis. USA is the country that doesn't have a deep history of profound changes and crisis but when it happened in modern days the human nature did it's thing. The fact that someone here is embarrassed or embarrassing is irrelevant, people are annoyed and want someone that isn't sweet talking. If he brakes some laws to take shortcuts in getting stuff done or harm his opponents it doesn't matter. He and his base have deep emotional connection and that is it, logical arguments are basically useless here or perhaps even counter productive. Because the more you attack the more you enforce the emotional bond. Towards classic American philosophy it is impossible that the bad is attractive but the forbidden fruit was simply too tempting for many in 2016. Which is because in America nothing ever really changes, since the country is defined as perfect the way it is.



Take a look at this, officially Communism is gone for 30 years in these parts but those people still BELIEVE

Or if you want fascist side that is "gone" even longer

This is loyalty and what others think about this just doesn't really matter to these people. It doesn't even really matter for what those iconography really stands, but those people have their "tribe" where people think like them and that is all that really matters. Therefore the idea that you will wipe all of this with a simple impeachment is simply short sighted in my book. That way you only make a legend that will never die (because it was unfair). Therefore your only hope if you don't like Trump is pushing policy and arguments that will restore normal life. And then wait for the traumatized generation to get old, so that healthy one takes over. My country failed in providing truly normal life for the most and therefore we can't cut the past. Since legends live and they have become more eternal than they were in their time.

 

[Maou]

The only reason he isn't stopped has nothing to do with Trump and everything to do with the GOP is on their knees sucking his dick and allowing all of his bullshit. But yanno, keep thinking Trump is some kind of Mensa member lol.

I didn't vote for the GOP, nor do I care about them. They can suck Trump's dick all they want. But the GOP isn't the one making the changes, they are resisting Trump just like the Democrats are every other time Trump does anything. I do agree that Trump has made a lot of old Republicans obsolete and is changing the GOP on the inside though.

Trump literally personifies many aspects of the Art of war, like I said before. There is a clear method to his madness.

“If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected .”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

 

[Jaguar]

Trump is a pussy.

 

[Nicodemus]

I didn't vote for the GOP, nor do I care about them. They can suck Trump's dick all they want. But the GOP isn't the one making the changes, they are resisting Trump just like the Democrats are every other time Trump does anything. I do agree that Trump has made a lot of old Republicans obsolete and is changing the GOP on the inside though.

Without the GOP's slavish support Trump would now be out of office. Except for the crazy shit (like North Korea, Jerusalem, etc.), the policy changes he has presided over are almost all run-of-the-mill GOP stuff that any other GOP president would have signed as well. What will remain of the Trump presidency is McConnell's policies and judges, lasting damage to democracy in the US and around the world, and the ridicule of historians for centuries to come.

But yeah, think of him as a great general if that floats your boat.

 

[Virtual ghost]

Without the GOP's slavish support Trump would now be out of office. Except for the crazy shit (like North Korea, Jerusalem, etc.), the policy changes he has presided over are almost all run-of-the-mill GOP stuff that any other GOP president would have signed as well. What will remain of the Trump presidency is McConnell's policies and judges, lasting damage to democracy in the US and around the world, and the ridicule of historians for centuries to come.

But yeah, think of him as a great general if that floats your boat.

As my last post suggests that doesn't have to be the case at all. The guy can leave the office but his base will still be there, especially if he gets one term or he is thrown out. All his supporters don't even firmly believe in the Trump as a person but Trump as an idea. Which is exactly why the faults of the man in person do not resonate with them. Therefore my bet is that Trump will have quite a legacy after he leaves the office. As a matter of fact in 2024 or 2028 it is possible that his base will desire some kind of a copy to continue his work.


However all of this is the consequence of collective trauma and down right stupid policies. Therefore until this is fundamentally fixed this kind of populism isn't going anywhere. We in Europe built our "harmony state" exactly that we never again go through the horrors of 20th century as continent. What worked pretty well until "someone" started to openly remove these mechanism and jobs in the name of extra profit ... and now again questionable people are marching our streets. Reactive populism is simply natural human reaction to the situations when you are getting openly screwed.

 

[Jaguar]

"Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs on a great game, you represented the great state of Kansas so very well."

- Donald Trump

 

[Maou]

"Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs on a great game, you represented the great state of Kansas so very well."

- Donald Trump

You do know the city is practically in both states right? Even if its technically inaccurate, its also accurate.

Such news, very wow

 

[Jaguar]

You do know the city is practically in both states right? Even if its technically inaccurate, its also accurate.

Lookee! It's Kellyanne Conway!

Not written by Kellyanne Conway:

Those who live in either city generally excuse outsiders who confuse them, but not so much when that outsider is President Trump, and certainly not when making the mistake in front of 72 million followers on Twitter after a hard-won Super Bowl.

 

[Maou]

Lookee! It's Kellyanne Conway!

Omg, you are actually making an issue of a honest mistake that most people would do (which he corrected btw). "What do you mean Kansas city isn't in Kansas?!" Jesus christ, and you call me immature. When these fuckers always jump on any chance to nitpick anything Trump does.

 

[Jaguar]

Omg, you are actually making an issue of a honest mistake that most people would do (which he corrected btw). "What do you mean Kansas city isn't in Kansas?!" Jesus christ, and you call me immature. When these fuckers always jump on any chance to nitpick anything Trump does.

'Most' people? I've never even met anyone in my entire life who doesn't know Kansas City is in Missouri. But then I don't meet morons.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

You do know the city is practically in both states right? Even if its technically inaccurate, its also accurate.

Such news, very wow

The stadium is in Missouri. They're a Missouri team.

 

[Maou]

The stadium is in Missouri. They're a Missouri team.

Ive watched football for years, but even I wouldn't have known that. Its a common mistake. Many news articles even said so.

'Most' people? I've never even met anyone in my entire life who doesn't know Kansas City is in Missouri. But then I don't meet morons.

Maybe its because you never left your hometown? lol How many states have you lived in again? If at all...