A common theme in Mary Trump's book is ...

[Snake Plissken]

Trump always finds people he can suck in as unwilling accomplices to his behavior and then banks of them sitting idly and doing nothing as he works his con ... If by chance they do not sit idly by, he then attacks them by any means possible.

He did it with everyone from his family members, to the banks which were foolish enough to lend him money, to his various employees, to the media, and now with everyone in the White House and to all the Republicans in Congress.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. Fauci is not sitting idly by and is being attacked viciously by WH and trumpanzees. . . . nt

[SallyHemmings]

6. Every day Fauci speaks

He finds a forum to get his message out.

[NewJeffCT]

21. except the House

I think he declined because Team Trump blocked him without merit.

[samnsara]

2. hea a Psychic Vampire...

[forgotmylogin]

23. I used to call people "energy vampires" until I learned the real term:

Narcissists.

[canetoad]

31. I've used the term 'energy vampires' for years

To describe people who take and take; your time, your money, your goodwill, and leave you exhausted when dealing with them. I don't think all of them are narcissists, but selfish and disorganised.

[CaptYossarian]

3. We're having a difficult time getting his tax returns, but

if you "claim" to be a billionaire (without any proof), do the banks waive the Equifax check done on normal people?

(Yes, I could've said ordinary people, but normal fits in this case.)

[3Hotdogs]

8. I recall it was something ike,

If you don't pass the loan, I go to XXz bank and when your boss finds out you let this one go, you're gonna be selling peanuts in Central Park.

[agingdem]

4. The Trump suck-ups are dregs...not the best and the brightest

remember the supposed distinguished adults in the room (General This/General That) were "attracted' not to the glitter but to the isolationist America First crap and so smug in their own gravitas they assumed they could "control him" .. career toppers...corralling a depraved sociopathic man-child..

[Hortensis]

5. Once he became president, willing accomplices swarmed to him.

Small, D-level swarms at best, of course. The smart rats said hell no to ruining their successful ratfucking careers for a temporary (usually very) job in the White House.

[sop]

7. Does Mary adequately explain her uncle's power over other people?

Besides describing her family's pathologies and why Trump turned out so badly, does Mary have any theories why others are taken in by Trump? What is it about Trump that causes so many people to so readily surrender to his con?

I must confess, I just don't get Trump's appeal. He's physically repulsive, intellectually limited, demonstrably dishonest, morally bankrupt, a true vulgarian in every sense of the word. He's not even a good con man; if the man tried to sell me a dollar bill for fifty cents on a street corner, I'd walk away with my hand on my wallet.

[Roy Rolling]

9. Trump's Appeal

People are infatuated with TV Trump, not the real Donald.

What they follow is an empty suit playing a role written by oligarchs to rob them of their country and wealth.

Donald is an asshole, TV Trump plays the role of hero to deplorables, therefore they love an asshole. He’s a mean asshole to the same people they hate. His assholery is his brand.

[MontanaMama]

16. Yes. And,

the joke is on his rubes because unbeknownst to them, he hates them too.

[moose65]

10. That's always been my question, too

I don't think I'll ever understand his "appeal."

He is one of the most repulsive human beings I've ever seen. Even before he decided to run for president, I considered him a grade-A asshole and con man who tried to cover himself in tacky gold veneer.

I don't understand how he inspires such loyalty from all of these people.

[bamagal62]

19. My theory is that he promises stuff.

Then gets Kompromat on them. There has to be something to keep them there or keep them quiet.

[certainot]

14. it's his royal i'm-never-wrong certitude. authoritarianism is measured w/ the uncertainty avoidance

index or UAI.

authoritarians need certainty more than liberals. since there is none they get stressed and scared and that motivates them to create it or accept it from others. simplification to absolutes helps them create it - they can judge the world in black/white, good/evil, etc. order and conformity reduce uncertainty and increase predictability, for instance

trump got sex on the wrong brain really bad (like a lot of authoritarian leaders) and he simplifies the world for his followers, like limbaugh does - turns uncertainty into certainty

the irrational need for certainty has been explained in terms of "sex on the wrong brain"

COMMON SYMPTOMS

Certainty Deficit Disorder (CDD)

Impatient satisfaction-demanding reproductive impulses create a need for certainty that can supersede fact or reality. Certainty ends thinking and brings ‘satisfaction’ through closure, finality, and premature conclusion. The irrational need for non-existent certainty requires avoidance of natural ever-present uncertainty which increases stress and fear and motivates a wide range of short and long-term coping strategies, such as denial and authoritarianism (see below).

Humans may cultivate thought patterns that reward lying and denial in order to create certainty and reduce uncertainty. Certainty can become more important than truth.

xxxxxxx

SOWB


Sex on the wrong brain, or sowb, is what happens when impatient satisfaction-demanding sex energy fuels brain functions that require patience and objectivity.

Sowb is caused by masturbation with the right hand, which is connected to the left brain hemisphere. Motion of the right hand is controlled by and can stimulate activity in the left hemisphere. By default, most humans in modern developed societies have their first sexual experiences with the wrong hand. Continued sex with the right hand can program long lasting neural pathways that may continue to divert sex energy to the left brain long after real sex.

Sowb stimulates neural circuitry that increases fear, rewards conformity, and inhibits creativity. It has been normalized in most modern human societies and is often wrongly referred to as ‘human nature’.

The most important factor increasing individual levels of sowb may be left brain dominance and lack of right brain use.


Democratic forms of organization can counter authoritarianism and other negative symptoms of sowb but are often thwarted before large scale implementation of the simple sex education lesson that can end large scale sex on the wrong brain.

Sex on the wrong brain offered survival benefits in times of scarcity and conflict and may explain right handed dominance in humans. Now, however, it threatens the planet with greed and authoritarianism.

[CTyankee]

25. Sounds about right to me!

That's great! I love it!

[mercuryblues]

15. it basically boils down to this

trump throws out the bait, they get hooked. Once they realize the scam they are too proud to admit they were wrong and double down in their support.

If they do run, trump makes up lies about them and ruins their reputation. People are in a no win situation once they take a bite of the bait.

trump knows his mark, like any good con-man.

[flibbitygiblets]

20. Also he's adept at charming people

often using flattery. I recall lots of people saying that. He senses what appeals to people, then charms them, makes them feel important and special. Then exploits them. Once they realize they've been had, he threatens them. If they still speak out, he attacks and trues to ruin them.

The flattery part is telling because he craves appreciation so much himself. He only does it to reel them in. Smart people see that he's lazy and unintelligent, so they think "he likes me, I can control him". But he doesn't really like anyone, and he's impetuous and vindictive, as his victims eventually learn.

[misanthrope]

30. I've never emotionally related to that technique

I understand it intellectually, but don't connect with it otherwise. My cynicism make me cautious about those who offer me compliments or flattery. I try not to show it in case they are sincere; I don't want to insult them. But my instinct is to wonder what they are trying to coerce me into doing.

[Lonestarblue]

18. Trump is physically, mentally, and morally disgusting, but he understands cults.

He has created a cult by lying and pandering to their biases. I remember reading that he sent staffers and spoke himself with people like Alex Jones and Rush Limbaugh to learn how to appeal to the people who now love him. He knew they were susceptible. I think there’s always been a certain segment of our population that is susceptible to charlatans like Trump.

Trump is no different than Sun Myung Moon or Jim Jones with their ability to convince people to follow them, with Jones literally to their mass suicides. Think about the personality type of someone so enthralled by a cult leader that they would murder their own children. I don’t think anyone can reach people like this.

[olegramps]

22. Simple: He is a master demagogue who appeals to ignorant people's prejudices.

At top of his scale are those whose greed can never be satisfied who are joined by ill-informed nincompoops, religious radicals and white nationalists. Basically the dregs of society. The same caliber of people who propelled Hitler and Mussolini into power.

[smirkymonkey]

24. +1000

This is what I would like to know. I agree with you 100% here. For the life of me, I cannot understand the man's appeal as I find him repulsive in every way. I wouldn't get near him for any amount of money, he is just that repellant.

People speak of him being charismatic and I just can't see it. He is such a vile, odious excuse of a human being. What is this "special quality" that some people see in him, while others of us can see him for who he really is?

[QED]

11. #ETTD

[Johnny2X2X]

12. Trump uses his hangers on too

The only people he has some loyalty to are his family, and even them he'd betray in a second.

He has hangers on who he promises riches to, but never delivers. Trump is the only one who gets to make real money in his world.

Mark Cuban had a good quote about him that went something like this, "You know how I know he's not a good businessman? He doesn't mentor anyone successful. All good businessmen are strong leaders who teach others around them to be successful too." Not Trump, the only people he's mentored are con artists and thieves in his own family.

[abqtommy]

13. tRUMP and the reTHUGS were made for each other. They've welcomed each other with open arms

and worked hard to con everyone else and now it's apparent that it almost worked for them. But not quite.

[Dreampuff]

17. My theory is this

A certain segment of humanity loves the power and riches he seems to possess. They love how he destroys people and puts them in their place and many of his worshippers would love to have that kind of power over others. They are the same people who watch Judge Judy and cheer when she belittles and berates someone in her Court. Many of them are on the lower social scale and just once want to be on the winning and Powerful side. They don't seem to understand that it is a hateful and destructive side to be on. Just my two cents.

[dalton99a]

26. Kick

[world wide wally]

27. I would say he has completely blocked out his conscience.

His only thoughts about lying are hat it works and he has absolutely no empathy or shame.

[H2O Man]

28. He doesn't have one.

He is a sociopath.

[alittlelark]

29. Those of us that have spent our lives in a 'narcisisst apocalypse'

In our families and those that are attracted to our 'red light' of 'understanding and wanting to help' vibe - unfortunately we 'get it'.

We also know that 'grey rock' is the best way to deal with them.

It works in the Micro - but the OrangeAnus is the Macro.

I have no knowledge of how to work in the Macro w/ narcs, but I do know that ridicule will destroy the false front they present to the world.