Trumperica
Trumperica
I claim no originality in asserting Trump’s abysmal character; it stares us in the face every day. Nasty, stupid, witless, bigoted—you name it, he has it. But, as is also ruefully noted, at least a third of the country thinks he is just fine. The point that is not observed, however, is that it can hardly be an accident that he is so widely approved. He is the average American writ large and ugly. Can it be that the non-Trump supporters are totally different from him and his followers? He is an amoral idiot, but he is not alone in that distinction. I have to admit that since his improbable (?) ascent I have been assailed by the thought that he is America’s not-so-hidden id: there is a bit of Trump in a lot of people. I won’t venture a percentage, but I swear I have glimpsed it in many people, some working in universities. Nasty, stupid, vindictive, amoral, humorless, uncompassionate, unthinking—you know the type. It’s the combination of the puerile and the violent that really sticks out. Their idea of virtue is destroying the people deemed “bad”, without worrying too much about fairness, due process, careful evaluation. Shoot first and don’t ask any questions later. Trump embodies all the pathologies of the American psyche. It really isn’t all that surprising that he is not summarily dismissed from civilized society; he is that society as it has come to exist. Where did he come from, this monster of the deep? He came from these United States, of course. There is nothing singular about him.
In democratic politics people always consider the alternatives or lack of them. Many people feel that they simply don’t have any choice and choose the lesser evil — in their opinion of course.
True, but a great many people think that lesser evil is a great good.
I agree with you on that. And with a stereotypical “ugly American” set of attitudes and behaviours that Trump exhibits and many people in the US find acceptable and even attractive.
It’s the attraction that’s puzzling: is it some form of rejection of civilization?
In addition, some people have their pet issue, such as Biden’s insufficient condemnation of Israel’s current actions, and will not vote for a candidate who does not satisfy them on that issue, no matter how superior he is to the opposing candidate.
… and how much worse the opposing candidate would be on that same issue.
(There is no way to edit a comment after one posts it, is there?)
I believe not.