The absurdity of Donald Trump

[henry quirk]

.

[Undertoad]

It is so sad to see the "standard Trump voter" and "standard D voter" personified, stereotyped and caricatured here, when they are here on the Cellar, and have been here amongst us all along, and don't fit any caricature except their own.

[henry quirk]

...for a number of disparate reasons voted for Trump.

Now, me: I voted for Trump cuz, even if he does nuthin' else, there's a better than fair chance he'll leave me (and you and him and her) be and -- to the degree possible -- make it so Congress leaves me (and you and him and her) be.

Trump's no minarchist but he's a damn-sight closer than Clinton.

Sure as shit: Clinton was not gonna leave me (and you and him and her) be.

I have little in common with the 'Trump voter' certain folks in-forum promote, and no matter how many times I state my view one fuck or another (hi, tw!) tries to box me and shelve me.

Fuck that, fuck them (hi, griff!).

If it's my lot to play 'Trump voter' then -- fine -- I'll play 'Trump voter'.

Like so: you're all commie pussies and you all deserve helicopter rides.

[Undertoad]

I don't think a response of caricaturing the other will help, especially if you don't make it clear beforehand.

[Happy Monkey]

Note for those not up on the latest in right-wing 'humor': 'Helicopter rides' are referencing Pinochet dropping prisoners out of helicopters.

[henry quirk]

"I don't think a response of caricaturing the other will help, especially if you don't make it clear beforehand."

Gimme a break, toad.

I've played it straight, over the years, many times, but the bulk here aren't interested.

[Glinda]

Originally Posted by Griff

^this

It is only a tool. I used to imagine our government like a pendulum sensible voters pulling us back from too far left or too far right. Now a shit-ton of sensible people are on the sidelines and main street goes unrepresented while banking and other corporate interests have their way with the lawmaking and public purse.

Just like the government, the Internet is also a (potentially destructive) tool.

For most of my career, I've concerned myself with intense historical research. Pre-Internet, life was hell. There were libraries of course, but not every library had every book, so accurate and thorough research was a bitch. Post-Internet, I'm astounded every day by the incredible wealth of information and data I'm able to access, study, and put to use in the furtherance of my career (and my global awareness).

Unfortunately, it seems like 97% of our populace has become hopelessly addicted to using the incredible power of the Internet (and its enormous banks of information and documentation) to notify the planet that the guy in line in front of them at Starbucks this morning just farted.

As a nation, it feels like we've abdicated ourselves to the *ooh, sparkly!* no attention span, hive-mind, brain-numbing, ego-boosting properties of social media. This "Twitter-hypnosis" (so to speak) leads the mindless and easily led to accepting/believing the blasé lies shouted by a con-man president, and ignoring the unrestrained grab/break-it-while-you-can greed running rampant throughout our government and its institutions. In short, I feel like our supposedly educated and independent first-world populace has willingly embraced the insanely politicised Internet zombification, because thinking for oneself is too fuckin' hard.

I despair that there's any return from this. Realistically, I have about 10 years left on this earth. I'm glad I'm old, FFS.

Jesus.

[DanaC]

Quick side step: what's your area of research and scholarship Glinda?

I toyed with being an academic historian - bachelors, masters and doctorate - but in the end it required way too much of a commitment to pursue as a serious career option (not many jobs come up in universities annually and those that do are rarely within a commutable distance so would mean relocation) and wasn't great for my mental health - I need way more externally imposed structure in my working day or I'll do fuck all and end up desperately chasing deadlines.

The research though was really good fun.

Connecting back to your point about the internet: I went back into education in 2005/6 and the internet was really starting to make itself felt as a study and research tool. But it was still second place to physical books in studying. By the time I exited academia in 2015 online study and research had hit about 50/50 and for some of the students I taught, it was probably 60/40 in favour of online sources.

The information I had easily available to me for my dissertation in 2008/9 was great, but the information available for my thesis in 2014/15 was staggering. Still a lot of tramping about in archives, but the digital versions of 19th century soldiers' journals, for example, or contemporary legal studies and medical reviews made for a vast and searchable resource. Curated collections like the Old Bailey trial records, or early women's writings, all fully searchable, are a major boon to researchers and bring proper historical research fully within reach at even the early stages of study, back in high school.

[Griff]

Originally Posted by henry quirk

Fuck that, fuck them (hi, griff!).

I guess its my turn to play a Clinton voter. I voted Johnson / Weld because those other two are really awful, but it turns out Trump was much worse than anticipated.

[Griff]

Look Henry, I'm glad you finally outed yourself as a voter and as someone who voted their perceived best interest. You wish to be left alone as do we all. The Mexican immigrant would love to be left alone. The girl seeking an abortion wants to be left alone. A gay kid walking home wants to be left alone. Sometimes the government intrudes and sometimes it steps in so that people are left alone. It is a conversation we need to be having with each other and our government.

I admit shitty behavior on this thread.

[henry quirk]

"I'm glad you finally outed yourself as a voter and as someone who voted their perceived best interest."

What shit you spew. My agenda, and my voting, is no secret. I made no admission in this thread that I hsven't already made elsewhere, in-forum.

"finally outed yourself": up yours, griff.

#

"You wish to be left alone as do we all."

Yep.

#

"The Mexican immigrant would love to be left alone."

The legal immigrants should be; the illegal types need to go.

#

"The girl seeking an abortion wants to be left alone."

As long as I ain't payin' for it: abort away!

#

"A gay kid walking home wants to be left alone."

Yep.

#

"Sometimes the government intrudes and sometimes it steps in so that people are left alone."

I favor small, neutral, castrated gov (sensible police, courts of last resort, border-securing millitary).

#

"It is a conversation we need to be having with each other and our government."

Talk, talk, talk...how ' about we take pliers to the gov's testes then put it out to pasture to get fat eatin' grass?

#

"I admit shitty behavior on this thread."

I admit to nuthin'...I'm a fuckin' angel.

[tw]

Originally Posted by henry quirk

What shit you spew.

Why is your reasoning always infused with insults? Insults are why Trump is so popular. And why he also attracts Nazis, KKK, White Supremacists, and others who also both love and spout hate and insults.

Did you even once post something without hate and other disparaging comments? I never saw it. Show me. Or simply demonstrate. It should not be hard.

Maybe reply to Griff this time without acting like an 'adult who is a child'. Reply honestly and logically; not emotionally.

[henry quirk]

'nuff said.

[Glinda]

Originally Posted by DanaC

Quick side step: what's your area of research and scholarship Glinda?

I toyed with being an academic historian - bachelors, masters and doctorate - but in the end it required way too much of a commitment to pursue as a serious career option (not many jobs come up in universities annually and those that do are rarely within a commutable distance so would mean relocation) and wasn't great for my mental health - I need way more externally imposed structure in my working day or I'll do fuck all and end up desperately chasing deadlines.

The research though was really good fun.

I've always been something of a research nut.

Years ago, I worked at a Beverly Hills auction company, researching the items that were consigned and writing scholarly descriptions of the pieces (following The Manuscript Society's guidelines) for auction catalogs. I worked primarily on presidential autographs and letters, but we also did air and space auctions, sports, Hollywood memorabilia, Western Americana, rock and roll, and so on. One high point of that job was working on one of the world's most expensive/rarest autographs.

After about four years of that, I hooked up with Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas. For the next four years, they flew me out to Dallas to work on their catalogs two weeks a month. While there, I worked primarily on collectible books, air and space, presidential, Texiana, and Western Americana.

Since that time, I've worked on catalogs for private dealers and have put together a few archives for small museums. I also edit/proofread things - for eight or nine years, I proofread foreign language election materials for six Southern CA counties. Right now I'm editing a huge med school book for people who want to become maternity nurses. I really miss the historical research, but editing and proofreading has its own rewards (if you're a geek like me!).

[DanaC]

Oh that sounds like it would have been really interesting.

I also miss the historical research - though am loving what I do now.