403 Forbidden
www.theatlantic.com
  • dactylotheca@suppo.fiEnglish
    851·
    3 months ago

    Trump is much better equipped psychologically to withstand ferocious criticisms than he is equipped to withstand mockery. Malignant narcissists go to great lengths to hide their fears and display a false or idealized self. Criticism targets the persona. Mockery, by contrast, can tap very deep fears of being exposed as flawed or weak. When the mask is the target, people with Trump’s psychological profile know how to fight back. Mockery, though, can cause them to unravel.

    This seems to be very common with conservatives more generally. Criticizing them does nothing, but turns out that mocking their absolutely fucking bizarre beliefs drives them up the wall

    • geekwithsoul@lemm.eeEnglish
      14·
      3 months ago

      Reminds me of Mel Brooks’ reaction to criticism of The Producers from fellow Jews.

      “I didn’t think I was sinful in any way,” he says. “I thought it was making a point: You get up on a soapbox and you argue with a Nazi, you’re going to lose. But if you can ridicule him and make people laugh, then you win. It’s as simple as that.”

  • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
    60·
    3 months ago

    ”Biden’s impairments also masked the extent of Trump’s flaws as a candidate.”

    Bullshit. His flaws were obvious, but ignored or glossed over by the media.

    • Buffalox@lemmy.world
      23·
      3 months ago

      true, but the contrast is bigger to someone younger like Harris. With Biden he was the old guy, now it’s Trump who is very visibly the old guy compared to Harris.

      • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
        121·
        3 months ago

        There was no question he was a weak candidate before he rode down the esedcalator. Perhaps people started to release Bidens age recently, but the media supportèd Trump for a long time for ratings. Don’t tell me that all of a sudden reality prevailed.

        • qprimed@lemmy.mlEnglish
          9·
          3 months ago

          the fact that trump tried to highlight harris’ age is pretty telling - even he thinks the contrast between candidates is now sharp and stark and is trying to smear age “sameness” across harris.

          the dynamic shifted in a second, and he is flailing - perhaps reality is slowly prevailing.

  • Tylerdurdon@lemmy.world
    40·
    3 months ago

    The rise of Harris instantly cast Trump in a new light. He formerly seemed more ominous and threatening, which, whatever its political drawbacks, signaled strength; now he seems not just old but low-energy, stale, even pathetic. He has become the political version of Fat Elvis.

    Haha, that’s a pretty apt comparison. It’s going to be interesting if his antics after being called weird lead him to even crazier antics, leading to new mockery, spiraling uncontrollably. It would be a fitting end. We can only be so lucky…

  • don@lemm.ee
    24·
    3 months ago

    Produced by ElevenLabs and News Over Audio (NOA) using AI narration.

    Goodbye humans narrating things, it was fun while it lasted.

  • TheReturnOfPEB@reddthat.comEnglish
    20·
    3 months ago

    Trump does not recognize, and I am guilty of this, too; but Trump does not recognize that her power comes from her working as a community member and not being a total piece of shit.

    Trump does not value these things so he doesn’t understand VP Harris’ success.