I used to think Trump was a complete idiot. It seemed the proof was obvious. But a decade-plus into his political career, I believe his babbling speeches and incoherent interviews are features rather than bugs. He may not be the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but he’s an expert in his trade. How does the phrase go? Stupid like a fox.
People are easily swayed by the latest shiny thing, even if it’s wrapped in gold foil and lamé. The most unique and outrageous personalities tend to turn heads. Trump is mesmeric… like a train wreck; or one of those museums with human anomalies in jars.
Every day there’s some new, ghastly thing demanding our attention. If we dare look away, a third of the White House disappears, along with the financial and personal data of hundreds of millions of Americans, and a handful of children – all citizens – at least one of whom is seriously ill.
In an attention economy, this whirlwind is Trump’s greatest weapon and he uses it to exquisite effect.
Monkey see, monkey do
From infancy, we learn to communicate by echoing our parents’ body language and speech patterns. We imitate adults by playing soldier and dress-up and caring for dolls. We try on different personas to see how they fit, emulating heroes and superstars and mimicking favorite lines from TV and movies. I do it myself, quoting anything from The Simpsons and Seinfeld to obscure comedies (“Atta boy, Luther!”), because the reference might amuse a single friend.
We’re all familiar with pop culture memes recycled ad nauseam on social media, and at some point, everyone’s been Smalls, killing somebody, on both sides of The Sandlot.
Communication used to be viewed as a valuable skill. Joe Biden was praised by both Democrats and Republicans for his diplomacy and ability to compromise. People pointed to the Lincoln-Douglas debates as unequaled in their strength and significance. Though both parties were at odds on most of the issues, the arguments were articulate and rose above petty insults. Trump’s favorite way of handling challenges is by denigrating his opposition – women, most commonly – if he’s not dodging questions entirely.
This disrespect bleeds into our society at large. Common decency has been torn away like the East Wing, leaving civil discourse in shambles. How many comments in legitimate online discussions are regurgitated one-liners that truncate the conversation entirely? How many times have you tried to talk with someone about pressing social issues or updated pronouns and been dismissedby a gif of a woman mouthing “ain’t nobody got time” – for, presumably, your argument?
True, you can keep going… but they’re not listening. And you’re likely to receive dozens of comments mocking the fact that you’re now talking to a void.
It doesn’t take long before any kind of engagement, from social media threads to in-person conversations, dissolves into profanity-laced threats and declarations of “Nazi”, “groomer”, “fake news”, or “woke liberal snowflake”, shutting down discourse entirely.
Oxymoronic logic
Our attention spans have grown shorter thanks to the instant gratification of lightning-fast internet speeds. Time consuming logic and reason have been replaced by nonsensical conspiracy theories and convenient lies, such as how Biden was responsible for various failures that occurred in 2020, despite not taking office until January 2021.
Contradictory statements run rampant, like how Trump’s sexual assault charges don’t matter, when those same supporters still rail against Bill Clinton for his sexual conduct, or how Biden and his crime family needed to be removed from the White House while a man with 34 felony convictions needed to be voted back in.
When asked for the reasons behind their endorsement of a man who threatens to take away their livelihood, civil rights, and privileges, MAGA supporters provide vague or illogical responses, much in the way young children articulate their opinions. Much in the way their beloved leader speaks on a consistent basis. That they voted for Trump because he’s funny or because doing so would upset the liberals are stances I hear depressingly often.
Man of the people
George “Dubya” Bush was re-elected president in 2004, prompting one British paper to ask, rightly, “How can 59,054,087 people be so DUMB?”. Bush was considered a hero because you could have a beer with him. According to that same article, “Left-wing pundits who were baffled that Bush had been awarded a second term seized on this as the only possible explanation for his appeal”.
Everything old is new again. If Trump is dumb, he’s dumb on purpose.
I understand the aversion to the elitism displayed by many Democrats, but I want a president smarter than me. Preferably one who can balance plainspokenness and brevity with strength and competence; someone who commands respect from both the citizenry and foreign counterparts on merit rather than fear or force. Someone who demonstrates they can handle the rigors of running a country as large as the US, once so highly regarded and pointed to as an inspiration.
Instead, we’re shooting pastors in the face with pepper spray and jailing moms at sit-ins. Trump dismantled freedom of the press in the name of free speech, along with any remnants at integrity or credibility. A fellow guest at a wedding told me – accusingly, as though living in a blue state made me an enemy – about people at the airport who “looked illegal”. I probably failed to counter that with dignity.
How do you make conspiracy theorists believe in common sense when misinformation is rampant, and even librarians are vilified as paedophiles and criminals? It’s impossible to talk to anyone except those within our own silos.
The Christian vale
“Nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.” [Genesis 11:6]
Trump and his biggest fans claim to be Christian. Some – including Trump himself – have likened him to Jesus. Is this not the Tower of Babel?
If you want to create confusion, fear, and discord, tear down communication until no one understands a word anyone else is saying, and progress ceases. Better yet, show them how it’s done.
This isn’t folly; Trump isn’t a fool. This is a tactic. Creating an ‘other’ has kept humans fighting each other for centuries. Trump has watched the devolution of society right alongside us, and he was taking notes, biding his time, polishing his act. If we don’t reverse the deceit behind the curtain soon, we will only have ourselves to blame for our downfall.
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