I really have never understood why there are people who think of him as "strong". He's always come off as a weak person, and more so as he's aged.
bell-cot•22h ago
Sociologically, from the PoV of millions of angry & frustrated Americans, Trump looks like an extremely successful practitioner of "Hulk SMASH!". And he's certainly done* far more in the past 6 months than any President in recent history.
*Opinions do vary on the wisdom and longer-term consequences of those actions.
bediger4000•22h ago
I was told that checks and balances were of utmost importance. I'm waiting for letters of apology from all my history and civics teachers.
bell-cot•21h ago
Similar to "Santa brings no toys to naughty girls and boys", the truths which adults teach to children (and repeat among themselves) are often optimistic and simplistic.
Back in cold reality - words can be aspirational, inspirational, or describe a social consensus. But words-on-paper have no actual power over human actions.
bediger4000•13h ago
I can't be the only one that feels lied to on a host of issues, checks and balances, free market, personal responsibility, small government, law and order onf them. I feel like virtually all conservative politicians have done a 180 on their sacred principles. Why should I believe them on any remaining issues?
thesuperbigfrog•20h ago
The rule of law is only a concept and depends on most people following it for it to work.
In a polite and mannered society, those who refuse to follow the rule of law are deemed "criminals" and locked up so they cannot ruin things for everyone else who choose to follow the rule of law social contract.
When the rule of law breaks down, people will do whatever they want or whatever they believe they can get away with.
JohnFen•21h ago
Destroying things is easy and is a common go-to behavior of weak people who want to prove they aren't weak.
bell-cot•21h ago
Perhaps. But if you have substantial skin in the game, then calling destructive people "weak" is of limited operational utility.
krapp•22h ago
Because he's rich, confident, belligerent and "grabs them by the pussy." That's been the working definition of "strong man" in Western society for thousands of years.
The only thing he lacks, that actual strong men don't, is the willingness to follow through. He's too much of a narcissist to deal with criticism and he crumbles and gives in too easily. Putin - who is the kind of sadistic authoritarian Trump wishes he was - would already have suspended habeus corpus, had the Democratic Party shot as communists and sent tanks into Mexico to force them to build the wall.
techpineapple•21h ago
“Because he's rich, confident, belligerent and "grabs them by the pussy." That's been the working definition of "strong man" in Western society for thousands of years.“
Is this true? I mean loosely speaking yes, but I feel like Trump, at least in demeanor is quite a change from the short spoken western men of the past ala John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, and certainly I think lacks the optimistic patriotism of a Reagan.
I may not wholeheartedly agree with that sort of traditional masculinity, but I get it. Trump is the opposite of old school hold your emotions close, protect the weak masculinity.
krapp•21h ago
That's fair, the parameters for masculinity do seem to have drifted somewhat. I'd still argue his appeal is that he conforms to that archetype for a lot of Americans.
busyant•21h ago
I have a maga friend. he's the sweetest guy ever, but doesn't stand up for himself.
I asked him why he's a supporter and he said it's because Trump will stop other countries from pushing us around.
I imagine his support is related to him needing people in his personal life to protect him since he can't seem to do it on his own.
and if he doesn't think hard about it, my friend can't see through the strongman theater.
jmho
JohnFen•20h ago
> it's because Trump will stop other countries from pushing us around.
That's an argument I just don't understand. I don't see where other countries were "pushing us around" in the first place.
busyant•20h ago
I agree. But this is a common refrain from Trump ('other countries are taking advantage of us ...').
So, if it gets said frequently enough, it takes on an appearance of truth.
JohnFen•22h ago
bell-cot•22h ago
*Opinions do vary on the wisdom and longer-term consequences of those actions.
bediger4000•22h ago
bell-cot•21h ago
Back in cold reality - words can be aspirational, inspirational, or describe a social consensus. But words-on-paper have no actual power over human actions.
bediger4000•13h ago
thesuperbigfrog•20h ago
In a polite and mannered society, those who refuse to follow the rule of law are deemed "criminals" and locked up so they cannot ruin things for everyone else who choose to follow the rule of law social contract.
When the rule of law breaks down, people will do whatever they want or whatever they believe they can get away with.
JohnFen•21h ago
bell-cot•21h ago
krapp•22h ago
The only thing he lacks, that actual strong men don't, is the willingness to follow through. He's too much of a narcissist to deal with criticism and he crumbles and gives in too easily. Putin - who is the kind of sadistic authoritarian Trump wishes he was - would already have suspended habeus corpus, had the Democratic Party shot as communists and sent tanks into Mexico to force them to build the wall.
techpineapple•21h ago
Is this true? I mean loosely speaking yes, but I feel like Trump, at least in demeanor is quite a change from the short spoken western men of the past ala John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, and certainly I think lacks the optimistic patriotism of a Reagan.
I may not wholeheartedly agree with that sort of traditional masculinity, but I get it. Trump is the opposite of old school hold your emotions close, protect the weak masculinity.
krapp•21h ago
busyant•21h ago
I asked him why he's a supporter and he said it's because Trump will stop other countries from pushing us around.
I imagine his support is related to him needing people in his personal life to protect him since he can't seem to do it on his own.
and if he doesn't think hard about it, my friend can't see through the strongman theater.
jmho
JohnFen•20h ago
That's an argument I just don't understand. I don't see where other countries were "pushing us around" in the first place.
busyant•20h ago
So, if it gets said frequently enough, it takes on an appearance of truth.