The horror of being Trump

[Cyrano]

I don’t have Donald Trump’s (supposed) wealth.

I don’t have his fame (or infamy).

I don’t have his possessions.

I don’t have the freedom to do what I want to do, whenever I want to do it.

But there is nothing, absolutely nothing in the world that could make me want to exchange my life for his. (This would be true even if he were not under suspicion of, -- and under investigation for, -- being one of the most corrupt people on the planet.)

Think about it. This is a man who does not enjoy the everyday pleasures of life. He spent his life living in New York City, but do you think he ever went to:

A Broadway play (and stayed awake)?

Lincoln Center?

The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)?

A peaceful walk in Central Park?

The Statue of Liberty?

The 9/11 Memorial?

And before he was ever president, do you suppose he ever wanted to see:

The Lincoln Memorial?

The Smithsonian?

The Vietnam Memorial – The Wall?

The Library of Congress? (Or any library? Anywhere? Ever?)

Enjoying just sitting on the Washington Mall.

And aside from all the tourist attractions of both cities, do you think this is a man who ever sat around listening to his favorite music album? Does he like music? Is this a man who would hike? Or go bird watching? Or ride a bike? Or gaze in wonder at the Grand Canyon? Or even just enjoy watching kittens play?

Somehow, I don’t think so.

I don’t think he enjoys any of the normal pleasures the world has to offer. I believe that his pleasures are accumulating wealth. Bullying others. Being the center of attention – always. Being adored by everyone. Having total control.

I believe he wishes he were an all-powerful king of old, -- A Pharaoh, -- A Caesar, -- A loved and feared “God on Earth.”

From everything I can see of this man who is currently occupying and despoiling the Oval Office, he cares about nothing in the world except for his own immediate gratification. This is a man who, perhaps, lives in constant anxiety and/or fear that he will be “found out.” A man who is terrified that people will see through him. A man whom everyone will recognize to be empty, hollow, small.

He is a man who has a talent for destroying rather than creating. And he will leave the world a far worse place than he found it.

This is a man who no normal human being would want to be.

This is the horror of being Donald Trump.

[onethatcares]

1. I would not want to be him at all

I don't think he's ever sat down with a fiction book that took his imagination somewhere except his bank account. He's never just sat and thought about going fishing.

I think his main concern is money and now it's what's going to happen to his money.

Sad existence for sure.

[kag]

14. Except, perhaps, for his...

fictional bank account.

[John Fante]

2. Trump is a joyless, humorless psychopath. Always has been.

Hell no, I wouldn't want to be him.

Something else I find amazing about this POS - for all his successes, history will remember him as maybe the biggest laughingstock in American history. There's nothing enviable about the man. He's a complete joke, the Tonya Harding/Vanilla Ice of politics.

[Volaris]

21. The Vanilla Ice of politics. Damn that's harsh lol...

[enough]

3. Agrees, and his life got FAR worse after becoming President. NT

[Cyrano]

4. You almost have to pity those who

don't see him for what he is.

Almost.

[UTUSN]

5. K&R

[UTUSN]

28. & kick again, for the o.p. that is fairly much *poetry*!1

[smirkymonkey]

6. I don't think that man has ever had a moment of true joy in his life.

He is completely incapable of experiencing happiness because he is so filled with hatred and fear. I must admit, I take some pleasure in knowing that he is an absolutely miserable human being.

[lunatica]

7. Very good points

The only thing he enjoys is winning, whatever that means. He’s hollow. Nothing fills him, so he forever elbows his way through life looking to fill that void.

[Cyrano]

9. "... elbows his way through life ..."

This calls to mind that meeting in Europe with world leaders where Trump literally elbowed a man (a world leader) out of the way, pushed in front of him, and then raised his chin, stood up straight, and thrust out his chest.

It was perhaps his most "Mussolini-like" moment and it was captured on video for all the world to see.

Maybe that single clip will be his legacy and how he will always be remembered.

[volstork]

33. Agreed, but

I don’t think he even really enjoys winning or accumulating wealth. I think it is a base need of his, to try to fill the awful void where his soul should be.

[Generic Brad]

8. He seems to enjoy his crappy hair

So there's that.

[marieo1]

10. cyranno

I have never read a better post. I totally agree with you. He is a shallow, boastful, mean, hateful man. The only things he enjoys and respects are the things money can buy and that is not real happiness.

[onecent]

11. Cyrano, you get 5 stars for this....Wonderful......and thank you!

[TNNurse]

12. I am not happy with him in any way.

But if he is truly a miserable unhappy person, I am fine with that. He does seem to only enjoy adulation and has never known the joy of being a good and decent person.

[CaptainTruth]

13. Well said.

[longship]

15. This needs to go to the top of the DU Greatest page.

Thank you very much Cyrano!

[NJCher]

16. actually, I never thought about this

Just like his nonexistent sense of humor, I have never seen any evidence that the man enjoys any of the pleasures in life.

What a weird, sick world that must be: as you say, the "horror of being Trump."

[mtnsnake]

17. Awesome!!

I really enjoyed reading that. Thanks for posting!

[trickyguy]

18. Children or pets?

I've never seen a picture of HIM playing with children.

Obama loves kids and they love him. A lot.

I've never seen a picture of HIM throwing a ball for a dog
or even owning a dog.

Obama loves pets and his family has two adorable dogs.

I've never seen HIM enjoying a good laugh or smiling at his wife.

Obama was always flashing that beautiful, welcoming smile
for all of us to relish in. And he loved Michelle for all it was worth.
And his girls are precious to him.

HE is missing some of the true pleasures of life.

Obama takes it all in and gives it back in abundance. A life well lived.

[jimmy the one]

19. Bravo Cyrano

Can't top your OP, only addendum:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210483839

[BigOleDummy]

20. Very good

The last line or two sort of reminded me of the Red Dwarf episode "Justice". Where Kryten is summing up Rimmers defense : This man is only guilty of being Arnold J Rimmer, THAT is his crime and THAT is his punishment.

While our chump in chief is certainly guilty of serious crimes against the United States, and I sincerely HOPE he pays for them, in the end his main punishment is being himself. A sad , small minded little man.

[IrishEyes]

22. I think he is very unhappy.

He has always been a very unhappy, stupid, unattractive person. He has spent his life trying to prove that he was smart, talented, attractive, popular, etc. I feel sorry for him because he is such pathetic person. He has no joy or love in his life. Also, if there is an afterlife, it will not go well for him.

[SammyWinstonJack]

25. I don't feel sorry for him and even less so for his rotten deplorable base.

[Progressive dog]

23. Trump is a psychopath,

the things that matter to him are not the things that appeal to normal people. I will enjoy every aspect of my life more when Trump is in jail.

[coeur_de_lion]

24. He's deeply unhappy

but I sort of doubt he even knows it. He knows no different than what he's doing right now.

No, has never had a moment of true joy in his life. But what's worse than that, he has no idea what he is missing out on.

No one in their right mind would want to be him.

[Demovictory9]

26. And he choses to spend his later years on earth

Trying to turn back the country to the 1950s, raging against people of color and trying to undermine women's rights (like Denis prager who is the same age).. so unhappy the women, African am, gays have equal rights

[Blue Owl]

27. Too self-important to enjoy the simple pleasures of life

Nope, he's above it all in his gold tower...

[thucythucy]

29. I would want (temporarily) to wield control of his mouth and body, so that I

could then force him to make a televised speech, in prime time, during which I'd:

1.) confess to conspiring to hack the election and thus help the Russians assault the very heart of our democracy;

2.) confess to passing highly classified information to Putin, including lists of our covert agents in place in Russia;

3.) admit that 99% of what I say is cynical bullshit designed to fool my supporters, whom I hold in absolute contempt;

4.) make public my tax returns, this proving my entanglement with Putin and the Russian mob;

5.) admit that I truly do admire Adolf Hitler and his "superior genes";

6,) turn over dossiers on Pence, Ryan, McConnell and every other GOP in Congress with all the incrimination I could muster or invent;
'
7). admit to paying for dozens of abortions -- "And I'd do it all again, and fuck all you idiot born-again rubes who voted for me!"

8.) undo every executive order I've signed;

9.) and finally, strongly imply that I have made a bargain with Satan himself, whom I worship and will continue to worship as long as I'm president. "I know Satan exists, because I hear his voice in my head every morning, telling me, 'This is the day you're going to nuke Topeka, Kansas. Or maybe El Paso, Texas!' Satan commands it!"

Then, for the remainder of the broadcast, I'd return control of his mouth and body to the lizard brain that resides in his skull, and watch him desperately try to weasel his way out of THAT one.

In summary, I'd want to be him just long enough to put his presidency and the GOP in general on the endangered species list.

Then I'd sit back and watch the fun.

[Doodley]

31. I like it!

[NotASurfer]

34. I'd watch that episode of Quantum Leap

And with the pace at which series are being rebooted, it could happen

[thucythucy]

35. I'd forgotten all about that show!

Really brilliant sci fi concept. I DO hope it gets a reboot.

Best wishes.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

30. I'd rather live life as a potted plant.

[Upthevibe]

32. I completely agree. How horrible to be such a person...

Trump family breaks with presidential pet tradition

By Betsy Klein, CNN
Sat October 21, 2017

Trump lived with a poodle, Chappy, with his first wife, Ivana, who wrote in her memoir, "Raising Trump," that "Donald was not a dog fan."
"When I told him I was bringing Chappy with me to New York, he said, 'No,' " she wrote. "'It's me and Chappy or no one!' I insisted, and that was that."
Chappy, she later said, "had an equal dislike of Donald."