Actually we are saying the same thing. The people who are sociopaths and psychopaths are usually 'normal' in the sense that they learn what they can get away with by way of getting themselves in power positions by hurting other people. Trump fueled it but only because the system demonstrated no consequences to him. And, if our understanding of sociopathy is correct (which it is believed it is by most experts), then you still will only see about 30% of people a sociopaths and 10% (1/3 of the sociopaths) as psychopaths. In other words, most people have empathy for other people and act that way. Trump needed to be stopped, and needs to be stopped, but it is others including many other sociopaths, that note the authorities with power are stopping him.
Most sociopaths, like most bullies, are actually scared, at least at the start. Sociopathy is incurable because, precisely, the people who fall into it find it incredibly rewarding...and never forget.
What is it that has changed in our culture that allows for lying and dishonesty? Is it the fear by many of being ostracized for enforcing a “norm” that some find objectionable? It seems that we cannot enforce any standards any longer, and there are more and more who are ok with that and use it to their advantage. Shame on us.
“I can’t wait for the day when it’s no longer necessary to pay attention to this man …”. The day can’t come soon enough. Thanks for your thoughts on this sad situation in which we all find ourselves.
You expressed my feelings more eloquently than I ever could: At the risk of repetition, allow me to conclude with this: I don’t like liars. I really don’t like liars who are more than willing to bring down the whole country in order to avoid the truth that they lost. And I really really don’t like those who know better but who are too cowardly, ambitious or both and will continue spreading the toxic culture of lying long after the former White House occupant has left this earth.
A very well written out outlining everything that makes me so stressed, depressed, frustrated and angry about the state of our country today. Oh, and I can add Trump's anti-semitic comments which hit the new last night.
I thank you for this detailed account of what is so wrong with our world. And I thank you for this forum, because, as they say, Misery loves company.
Oct 29, 2022·edited Oct 29, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss
I'm reading Suetonius at the moment. While I am by no means an historian, I am intrigued constantly by history's echoes. Suetonius with his breezy style does a very good job of reminding me that liars have always been with us in politics. However, in our moment in time, the frame of reference for evaluating lies seems to have shifted into something I hardly recognize as conscience or good faith or any other metric that is meaningful to me.
The thing that scares me the most is that there are people out there who believe this firehose of lies. And the Democrats don't have the ability or tools to discount each and every lie. I'm hoping that enough Americans can see through these lies and vote on November 8th like their lives and our Democracy are on the line. Because it is.
The dog ate my homework. If only all lies could be as harmless as this one. The fact is every president from Washington to trump has told lies to the American people. (Perhaps with the exception of Jimmy Carter.) They can be divided into two groups-those which are necessary to protect and sustain our country and its government and those which are used to sustain the greed and power of the teller.Among the former -"Honest Abe" who really did engage in talks with Confederates to maintain unity of American people and Franklin Roosevelt who promised to keep the boys home while conferring with Churchill and knowing Hitler's plans for south America. Among the latter are Richard Nixon, always a jealous self promoter, Lyndon Johnson with lies about the Gulf of Tonkin, Bill Clinton's "sexcapades," even John Kennedy's partial PT 109 truth, and the king of them all, donald trump, said to tell over 6 lies a day, now probably 6 lies every paragraph spoken.
It is said many children are born without a conscience due to their mothers' alcoholism. William Shakespeare said the sins of the father are to be laid upon the children. Fred Trump was a psychopath, his actions resulting in one son's suicide, the other, our subject of a witch hunt. The favored one, the one who learned at his father's knee , discrimination, greed, and how not to be held responsible for trouble making . The man has no charisma, it's like he has some power to put people in a trance, even those who could but don't hold him accountable.
John Bolton, former trump advisor says it is time for Putin to go if he keeps up his disastrous Ukraine (and thus, world) policy. He reminds us of what happened to General Suleimani and says if Putin doesn't back down, we will get him. I ask, is Putin more dangerous than trump?
Actually we are saying the same thing. The people who are sociopaths and psychopaths are usually 'normal' in the sense that they learn what they can get away with by way of getting themselves in power positions by hurting other people. Trump fueled it but only because the system demonstrated no consequences to him. And, if our understanding of sociopathy is correct (which it is believed it is by most experts), then you still will only see about 30% of people a sociopaths and 10% (1/3 of the sociopaths) as psychopaths. In other words, most people have empathy for other people and act that way. Trump needed to be stopped, and needs to be stopped, but it is others including many other sociopaths, that note the authorities with power are stopping him.
Most sociopaths, like most bullies, are actually scared, at least at the start. Sociopathy is incurable because, precisely, the people who fall into it find it incredibly rewarding...and never forget.
What is it that has changed in our culture that allows for lying and dishonesty? Is it the fear by many of being ostracized for enforcing a “norm” that some find objectionable? It seems that we cannot enforce any standards any longer, and there are more and more who are ok with that and use it to their advantage. Shame on us.
“I can’t wait for the day when it’s no longer necessary to pay attention to this man …”. The day can’t come soon enough. Thanks for your thoughts on this sad situation in which we all find ourselves.
The Imperialist imperative for prevarication. Based on greed, fed on fear.
You expressed my feelings more eloquently than I ever could: At the risk of repetition, allow me to conclude with this: I don’t like liars. I really don’t like liars who are more than willing to bring down the whole country in order to avoid the truth that they lost. And I really really don’t like those who know better but who are too cowardly, ambitious or both and will continue spreading the toxic culture of lying long after the former White House occupant has left this earth.
A very well written out outlining everything that makes me so stressed, depressed, frustrated and angry about the state of our country today. Oh, and I can add Trump's anti-semitic comments which hit the new last night.
I thank you for this detailed account of what is so wrong with our world. And I thank you for this forum, because, as they say, Misery loves company.
I'm reading Suetonius at the moment. While I am by no means an historian, I am intrigued constantly by history's echoes. Suetonius with his breezy style does a very good job of reminding me that liars have always been with us in politics. However, in our moment in time, the frame of reference for evaluating lies seems to have shifted into something I hardly recognize as conscience or good faith or any other metric that is meaningful to me.
The thing that scares me the most is that there are people out there who believe this firehose of lies. And the Democrats don't have the ability or tools to discount each and every lie. I'm hoping that enough Americans can see through these lies and vote on November 8th like their lives and our Democracy are on the line. Because it is.
The dog ate my homework. If only all lies could be as harmless as this one. The fact is every president from Washington to trump has told lies to the American people. (Perhaps with the exception of Jimmy Carter.) They can be divided into two groups-those which are necessary to protect and sustain our country and its government and those which are used to sustain the greed and power of the teller.Among the former -"Honest Abe" who really did engage in talks with Confederates to maintain unity of American people and Franklin Roosevelt who promised to keep the boys home while conferring with Churchill and knowing Hitler's plans for south America. Among the latter are Richard Nixon, always a jealous self promoter, Lyndon Johnson with lies about the Gulf of Tonkin, Bill Clinton's "sexcapades," even John Kennedy's partial PT 109 truth, and the king of them all, donald trump, said to tell over 6 lies a day, now probably 6 lies every paragraph spoken.
It is said many children are born without a conscience due to their mothers' alcoholism. William Shakespeare said the sins of the father are to be laid upon the children. Fred Trump was a psychopath, his actions resulting in one son's suicide, the other, our subject of a witch hunt. The favored one, the one who learned at his father's knee , discrimination, greed, and how not to be held responsible for trouble making . The man has no charisma, it's like he has some power to put people in a trance, even those who could but don't hold him accountable.
John Bolton, former trump advisor says it is time for Putin to go if he keeps up his disastrous Ukraine (and thus, world) policy. He reminds us of what happened to General Suleimani and says if Putin doesn't back down, we will get him. I ask, is Putin more dangerous than trump?