• jjjalljs@ttrpg.network
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    1 month ago

    Trump is enough of a cult of personality that I think if he died (either through violence or natural causes), it would limit the effectiveness of the right wing. You are correct that it wouldn’t stop the problem. Project2025 wasn’t written by just him. There’s whole buildings full of assholes.

    You may also be correct that this will motivate his fans, and that’s a net negative.

    Also, I think the genie’s out of the bottle on political violence. There was already a coup attempt. If trump loses, I would be extremely surprised if there wasn’t violence. If he wins, people will suffer and die through policy. We’re not in a good spot.

    Unfortunately, I cannot thanos snap away the far right.

    • grrgyle@slrpnk.net
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      1 month ago

      Trump did kind of show Republicans that if you lean into your bullshit without flinching that no one will stop you. I think it’s hard to pull off for non-narcissists, though.

      Remember “grab them by the pussy?” We all thought he was done after that, the media started circling for the inevitable play of contrition, which… never came. He just kept spouting bullshit, and it worked

      That and voter suppression and probably foreign interference to destabilise the US

      • MindTraveller@lemmy.ca
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        1 month ago

        I think it’s hard to pull off for non-narcissists, though.

        No, being visibly neurodivergent is terrible for your chances in politics unless you can lean in to the ND image. Look at how many people call Zuckerberg a robot or a lizard because he has visible autism. Elon kinda got away with leaning into the autism ND image for a while, but it didn’t do anything for him after he started openly being a Nazi, because the people who admire an openly autistic person aren’t Nazis. As a right wing political figure, being openly neurodivergent is terrible for your image, and that’s why Trump presents himself as a neurotypical. And while nobody can say for sure without actually evaluating him clinically, I think it’s fair to say his neurotypical straight cis male persona is genuine. Trump is not a member of a socially disabled vulnerable minority.

    • SirDerpy@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      You’re not thinking evil and intelligent enough.

      That cult propaganda is running full force. As a martyr Trump would shut the fuck up, making him much more useful, beginning with Republican reunification and spin at the convention next week.

      • ZoopZeZoop@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        The masses don’t like anyone near as much as they like Trump. I’m not saying they couldn’t find someone to rally behind, but there’s no one that stands out yet. This would hurt them in the general election, because there would be in-fighting and competing, and some general disarray. It is possible someone could emerge before the next election. Maybe they’d give Pudding Fingers another chance.

        • SirDerpy@lemmy.world
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          1 month ago

          If Trump were dead then the big money would choose the next candidate behind closed doors next week at the convention. It would reunite the current polarization of the Republican party. The “masses” that were so easily co-opted will be more easily misled with the symbol than the fallible man.

          You’re making the same mistake as the user above. Evil isn’t stupid. You underestimate them even as they’re nearing a milestone victory.

          • ZoopZeZoop@lemmy.world
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            1 month ago

            Evil isn’t stupid, but no one else has been successful in wielding Trump’s base like Trump. Yes, they will coalesce around some other turd, but that might not occur before the election. The organizers will be going full tilt, but just because they choose someone doesn’t mean the herd will flock. The organizers tried to prevent Trump from winning the nomination during his first election. Their influence is great, but not as great as his. Who knows. Another attempt is unlikely at this point. So, it’s all speculation.

            • SirDerpy@lemmy.world
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              1 month ago

              no one else has been successful in wielding Trump’s base

              No one else has done so in a shallow enough manner for you to care to notice. Start with Reagan.

              • ZoopZeZoop@lemmy.world
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                1 month ago

                Trump doesn’t only wield them in a subtle way, he wields like a mallet. Yes, there are successful patterns of manipulation probably going back to ape days or before, but those are not what you need for a candidate NOW. They need a whack-a-mole player. They just don’t have one lined up.

                • SirDerpy@lemmy.world
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                  1 month ago

                  Look up to meta tactics instead of down at muddy short term details. In this way we can vaguely understand and predict without specific facts and as things happen.

                  The apparatus of manipulation specific to Trump’s cult will continue to exist, and in fact be amplified, by martyrdom of the fallible man. He didn’t create it. He doesn’t maintain it. He doesn’t even benefit from it anymore beyond propping up his ego. A symbol is whatever you make it, eternal.

                  Many of his contrarian actions were and continue to be the input for exercises is doublethink: a useful tool. But, he’d make a shitty puppet dictator because he simply can’t follow the script. Even an intelligent fascist wants literally anyone else, just as everyone left of them except the accelerationists.

                  I’m applying the basics of Bernays, Herman, and Chomsky. I’m not an expert. But, this isn’t rocket science, either.

                  • ZoopZeZoop@lemmy.world
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                    1 month ago

                    Nothing you are saying suggests that the manipulation you are loosely referencing would actually create the lightning rod they need in such a short period of time. Maybe they can find that person, but it would need to happen quickly–very quickly. They usually require a lot of trial and error, which they don’t have time for. That’s the problem the Dems are having with whether to replace Biden. Will Kamala be able to rally folks to the polls? It’s all manipulation. The speed is the key here with such short timeframes.