Political Theatre category archive
The Rule of Lawless 0
Susan Estrich muses on the rule of law vs. the rule of Trump. A nugget (follow the link for the rest):
“The Content of His Character” 0
Field looks in vain for Donald Trump’s character. Here’s a snippet (emphasis added):
Most of the angry responses are rooted in the fact they do not wish to be reminded of this obvious truth. But others seem to have convinced themselves that Trump is a man of good character, and they take personal offense at the insult, even though I usually offer it as little more than an observation.
This latter group rushes to rebut the claim, citing banal or debatable propositions: He loves his children! He’s “loyal to a fault!” He’s authentic! Never mind that many bad men love their children, that loyalty to people or causes unworthy of loyalty is not admirable, and that authentic caddishness is not admirable. Never mind, too, that he is not remotely loyal, to his wives or the people who work for him.
A Symptom, Not a Cause 0
Experiments fail, even noble ones.
From Bad to Worse 0
Paul Waldman makes an assessment. A nugget:
That has not occurred. If anything, Trump has shown himself to be even more of a despicable human being than he appeared then, and utterly incapable of growing into the office.
Follow the link for the rest.
The Courage of Their Conniptions, Reprise 0
Bobby Azarian attempts to understand the unwavering loyalty of Trump’s base, suggesting 14 reasons to account for it. Here’s one of the less disturbing ones; follow the link for the others.
3. America’s Obsession with Entertainment and Celebrities
Essentially, the loyalty of Trump supporters may in part be explained by America’s addiction with entertainment and reality TV. To some, it doesn’t matter what Trump actually says because he’s so amusing to watch. With the Donald, you are always left wondering what outrageous thing he is going to say or do next. He keeps us on the edge of our seat, and for that reason, some Trump supporters will forgive anything he says. They are happy as long as they are kept entertained.
How Stuff Works, Truth Overwhelmed Dept. 0
David A. Asch and Raina Merchant detail the erosion of truth as a result of the explosion of “social” media; they identify three factors. An excerpt (emphasis added):
Second is selective deafness. When Walter Cronkite was the “Most Trusted Man in America,” many received their news from that single source. Now, Americans can select news feeds from thinly parsed media channels. It’s only human to want to hear what you want to hear. But what is a good strategy for music is not a good strategy for news. The problem is less that those into homeopathy can subscribe to homeopathy-favorable channels — it’s that they can do so to the exclusion of everything else. Selective deafness creates the “echo chamber” people decry.
Third is that lies are chameleons. Truth comes in only one form, but lies can be shaped to match any taste. The suffering want hope, and those unencumbered by the truth have an easier time giving it to them.
The Courage of Their Conniptions 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Clifford N. Lazarus explore how persons continue to cling to beliefs even when they had been proven wrong. Here’s a nugget:
Follow the link for his suggestions as to how these folks keep their faith, baby.
