I've given up trying to understand what motivates Trump supporters. I also don't understand what motivates cultists, racists, misogynists, nationalist, religious fanatics, or bigots either. Trump's motivations, on the other hand, are pretty easy to figure. He must be the center of attention. Anyone who has parented a 2-year old has experienced this. Most people grow out of it. Trump hasn't.
Just like with a 2-year old, the challenge for the rest of us is how to deal with someone who is happy to behave badly.
It seems as though, as a country, we have settled into morbid curiosity. Every day has a new example of aberrant attention seeking behavior.
IMHO, it's time to focus our attention on good behavior and take the steps we need to take to make sure that bad behavior isn't rewarded with more attention.
In this case, good behavior is making the case for our family, friends, and neighbors to use their vote to reward good behavior. Ultimately democracy survives only if a majority of the country WANTS democracy to survive.
I agree with your perception of the former president. Fortunately, at least right now, the majority does want democracy to survive. At least part of the problem we face in turning out the vote is that, for a lot of people, it is inconceivable that the system we've grown up with could fail or that any group of Americans would encourage its failure. In their own way, these folks are just as blind and unthinking as the Trumpistas and possibly more dangerous because they're not perceived as malignant.
I agree. Democracy isn't a spectator sport. I have confidence that as we get closer to November, and the choices become clearer, that a majority of voters will do their duty.
Southern oligarchs figured that they would win the civil war because they had all the money and were fighting for their way of life. They didn't figure that the small northern farmers recognized that if the slave-based economy of the south was as much a threat to them as it was to those who were enslaved. That's also because by the time of civil war, international slave trade had been outlawed for 50 years. The vast majority of enslaved people by that time were born into slavery. So it wasn't a big leap to suspect that those who were willing to keep generations of people enslaved could easily decide to enslave those who were poor too.
Lincoln wisely leveraged that sense with the homestead act which he signed a year after the civil war started. It demonstrated that the lands west of the Appalachians could be claimed by small farmers willing to work the land themselves rather than bought up by wealthy southern plantation owners and farmed with slave labor.
Thank you for that letter. Very well written. When I read Mr. Hubbell's newsletter, early this morning, and got to TFG's "truth" social post, it was like having a gallon of cold water dumped on my head. I'm trying to have an actual day off, for the first time in ages, but needed to respond to this.
I have cousins in Cape May, NJ, but that's as close as I come to the best of my knowledge. Our common original ancestor (immigrant) was Roger Conant who was involved in founding a couple of colonies and has a statue in Plymouth, MA. I keep telling myself that I should spend some time on family history and genealogy but, to date, haven't done so.
When I lived in Boston, I knew Ricky Conant, and I think another Conant. They were heavily involved in the English traditional dance scene (as was I). Check them out!
I've given up trying to understand what motivates Trump supporters. I also don't understand what motivates cultists, racists, misogynists, nationalist, religious fanatics, or bigots either. Trump's motivations, on the other hand, are pretty easy to figure. He must be the center of attention. Anyone who has parented a 2-year old has experienced this. Most people grow out of it. Trump hasn't.
Just like with a 2-year old, the challenge for the rest of us is how to deal with someone who is happy to behave badly.
It seems as though, as a country, we have settled into morbid curiosity. Every day has a new example of aberrant attention seeking behavior.
IMHO, it's time to focus our attention on good behavior and take the steps we need to take to make sure that bad behavior isn't rewarded with more attention.
In this case, good behavior is making the case for our family, friends, and neighbors to use their vote to reward good behavior. Ultimately democracy survives only if a majority of the country WANTS democracy to survive.
I agree with your perception of the former president. Fortunately, at least right now, the majority does want democracy to survive. At least part of the problem we face in turning out the vote is that, for a lot of people, it is inconceivable that the system we've grown up with could fail or that any group of Americans would encourage its failure. In their own way, these folks are just as blind and unthinking as the Trumpistas and possibly more dangerous because they're not perceived as malignant.
I agree. Democracy isn't a spectator sport. I have confidence that as we get closer to November, and the choices become clearer, that a majority of voters will do their duty.
Southern oligarchs figured that they would win the civil war because they had all the money and were fighting for their way of life. They didn't figure that the small northern farmers recognized that if the slave-based economy of the south was as much a threat to them as it was to those who were enslaved. That's also because by the time of civil war, international slave trade had been outlawed for 50 years. The vast majority of enslaved people by that time were born into slavery. So it wasn't a big leap to suspect that those who were willing to keep generations of people enslaved could easily decide to enslave those who were poor too.
Lincoln wisely leveraged that sense with the homestead act which he signed a year after the civil war started. It demonstrated that the lands west of the Appalachians could be claimed by small farmers willing to work the land themselves rather than bought up by wealthy southern plantation owners and farmed with slave labor.
Exactly, Dave. It is more dangerous. It IS the malignancy.
Our true problem is not Trump and his supporters.
It is our passive surrender to them.
I have been studying malignancy all my life:
psychological, physical, spiritual and political.
It all works the same.
As Pasteur acknowledged on his deathbed:
"Ce n'est pas the germe, c'est le terrain."
"It's not the bacterium/bacteria, it's the host."
Masochistic passivity (the sleeping cynical current state of our citizenry)
is the true danger--
and ultimate cause of the development
of political malignancy.
Our self destructive passivity
is the pathological state of our nation
as we play host to fascism and allow it to rise.
This is what Lincoln was referring to
when he stated:
As a nation of freemen,
we must live through all time,
or die by suicide.
Thank you for that letter. Very well written. When I read Mr. Hubbell's newsletter, early this morning, and got to TFG's "truth" social post, it was like having a gallon of cold water dumped on my head. I'm trying to have an actual day off, for the first time in ages, but needed to respond to this.
Enjoy the rest of the day off. We all need those from time to time.
Yes; thank you, we sure do. Off topic, I have been wondering if you are related to the Conants of Boston/Cape Cod?
I have cousins in Cape May, NJ, but that's as close as I come to the best of my knowledge. Our common original ancestor (immigrant) was Roger Conant who was involved in founding a couple of colonies and has a statue in Plymouth, MA. I keep telling myself that I should spend some time on family history and genealogy but, to date, haven't done so.
When I lived in Boston, I knew Ricky Conant, and I think another Conant. They were heavily involved in the English traditional dance scene (as was I). Check them out!
I'll see what I can find out. Thanks Jocelyn.
If you wrote this scenario for a film it would have to have been a very dark and sick comedy. " Dr. Strangelove and How I learned to love hate?"
If you wrote this for a film, no one would buy it. Film noire is, for better or worse, gone. Godard might have done it.
or Resnais (Night and Fog)