Tuesday, February 2, 2016

The Donald Trump Cult



You get to the point where you think the whole electoral system is such a fucked up mess that you just want to take a leap into the abyss—meaning voting for Donald Trump. Why not do something really extreme, like Jim Jones’ followers? The worse that can happen is that the pied piper will lead his children into a figurative vat of cyanide characterized by even more destruction than we have already experienced. If you think ISIS is bad, then wait until the Donald takes over. But unless you’re an illegal immigrant you start to get taken in by the brashness of this pater familias you once rejected. It’s very enticing when someone comes along and seems to have all the answers. Isn’t this what we all want? The model for the dictator is a God who will fulfill all our wishes and dreams. No need for taxes, no problems with illegal immigrants (we’ll build the Great Wall of Trump), no problems with health care (who needs it?) and if you’re a bully in the schoolyard, ie Kim Jong-un or Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, watch out because Daddy’s coming. Remember those oft quoted Yeats lines “The best lack all conviction, while the worst/ Are filled with passionate intensity.” Well Mr. Trump may lack an exact plan when it comes to foreign policy, but he has no lack of conviction. If you're thinking about taking a leap and playing the Trump card, you’ll be in good company. One of his big fans is Vladimir Putin ("Vladimir Putin Chides Turkey, Praises Trump and Talks Up Russia's Economy," NYT, 12/17/15). Or you could bid no Trump.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.