(Thread) The Uses of Outrage
Dear Democrats and other Trump Critics: Trump is trying to outrage you. It's a deliberate ploy, and creates what we might call the Outrage Dilemma.
Let's consider what Trump accomplishes when he does something deliberately horrifying . . .
Dear Democrats and other Trump Critics: Trump is trying to outrage you. It's a deliberate ploy, and creates what we might call the Outrage Dilemma.
Let's consider what Trump accomplishes when he does something deliberately horrifying . . .
1/ Each time Trump does something outrageous, he accomplishes 4 things:
🔹He keeps his base excited.
🔹He enrages his critics.
🔹He batters democratic institutions, and
🔹He fulfills his campaign promise, which was to “protect” his followers from their “enemies.”
🔹He keeps his base excited.
🔹He enrages his critics.
🔹He batters democratic institutions, and
🔹He fulfills his campaign promise, which was to “protect” his followers from their “enemies.”
2/ "Enemy" is defined as anyone who opposes Trump.
He also engages in what @TimothyDSnyder calls governing by crisis and spectacle. (Yes, it's a deliberate tactic.)
In an ordinary democracy, a normal leader like Obama tries to make life better for the citizens.
He also engages in what @TimothyDSnyder calls governing by crisis and spectacle. (Yes, it's a deliberate tactic.)
In an ordinary democracy, a normal leader like Obama tries to make life better for the citizens.
3/ A would-be oligarch can't do that. He's too busy enriching himself and his pals to create an oligarchy.
So what does a would-be oligarch do instead of trying to improve life for the citizens?
He creates crisis and spectacle. . .
So what does a would-be oligarch do instead of trying to improve life for the citizens?
He creates crisis and spectacle. . .
4/ He does outrageous things to keep everyone spinning with outrage. He lurches from one drama to another. He controls the narrative.
A propaganda technique called "noise" is very effective. The propagandist crowd the truth with so much noise that nobody can focus.
A propaganda technique called "noise" is very effective. The propagandist crowd the truth with so much noise that nobody can focus.
5/ The facts don't sink in because nobody has time to focus before their attention is grabbed by the next outrage.
The opposite of noise would be consistent hammering, like with "her emails." If you hammer a lie, and then crowd the waves with spectacle, you can erase truth.
The opposite of noise would be consistent hammering, like with "her emails." If you hammer a lie, and then crowd the waves with spectacle, you can erase truth.
6/ From @selectedwisdom , former U.S. government intelligence analysts: The point of Russian active measures wasn’t just to get Trump elected, it was to “undermine democracy, to make Americans lose confidence in our democratic institutions . . . “
pbs.org/newshour/show/…
pbs.org/newshour/show/…
7/ The more outraged his critics feel, the more they wear out and lose confidence in democracy.
Another win for Trump.
Another use of outrage.
This brings us to the Outrage Dilemma: How do we respond?
Another win for Trump.
Another use of outrage.
This brings us to the Outrage Dilemma: How do we respond?
8/ Outrage is appropriate. Not showing outrage implies complicity.
But constant outrage is also destructive. It feeds the monster.
While we’re spinning with outrage, we can’t plan and move forward.
If Trump can keep all of his critics spinning with outrage, he wins.
But constant outrage is also destructive. It feeds the monster.
While we’re spinning with outrage, we can’t plan and move forward.
If Trump can keep all of his critics spinning with outrage, he wins.
9/ He knows. Stop underestimating him.
Consider this: These tactics are not hard, and he's a natural.
If you measure Trump to a normal president, he's an abysmal failure.
But if you consider him as a fascist and would-be oligarch, he's quite talented.
Consider this: These tactics are not hard, and he's a natural.
If you measure Trump to a normal president, he's an abysmal failure.
But if you consider him as a fascist and would-be oligarch, he's quite talented.
10/ Being a talented fascist and would-be oligarch requires a narrow skill set.
You must be a good liar.
You must be willing to pivot from one lie to another.
You must always know how to make the story about yourself.
You must be greedy.
You must possess the ability to be cruel.
You must be a good liar.
You must be willing to pivot from one lie to another.
You must always know how to make the story about yourself.
You must be greedy.
You must possess the ability to be cruel.
11/
You must be able to manipulate and bully people.
You must be able to corrupt people.
@Comey said, “Trump eats your soul in pieces.”
Yale Prof. @jasonintrator: "Trump is cynically using a set of fascist tactics to gain and maintain power."
You must be able to manipulate and bully people.
You must be able to corrupt people.
@Comey said, “Trump eats your soul in pieces.”
Yale Prof. @jasonintrator: "Trump is cynically using a set of fascist tactics to gain and maintain power."
12/ Trump wants to create crises and spectacle, and keep you in an endless spin of outrage.
Please, take care of yourselves. Save your energy.
If it's too much, get away from the screen.
We have the election of our lives ahead of us, and it will fall in a global pandemic.
Please, take care of yourselves. Save your energy.
If it's too much, get away from the screen.
We have the election of our lives ahead of us, and it will fall in a global pandemic.
13/ I am so glad you asked!
I have not updated this since the virus outbreak, but I have a to do list here: terikanefield-blog.com/things-to-do/
I have not updated this since the virus outbreak, but I have a to do list here: terikanefield-blog.com/things-to-do/
14/ Turn your outrage to constructive action. terikanefield-blog.com/things-to-do/
High on the list right now is to make sure we have mail-in voting in place for November.
A lot of states already have it. I retweeted earlier instructions on calling Senators.
High on the list right now is to make sure we have mail-in voting in place for November.
A lot of states already have it. I retweeted earlier instructions on calling Senators.
15/ I think the question is about Sen. Burr warning investors about the virus and unloading a bunch of stock while Trump was telling people it was a hoax.
I don't think Sen. Burr was trying to outrage us because probably didn't think he'd get caught. . .
I don't think Sen. Burr was trying to outrage us because probably didn't think he'd get caught. . .
16/ Burr was doing the would-be oligarch thing: Enriching himself and his buddies while Trump distracted everyone in the center ring.
Trump distracts us while his friends rob us blind.
And that, my dearies, is the Trump presidency in a nutshell.
Trump distracts us while his friends rob us blind.
And that, my dearies, is the Trump presidency in a nutshell.
Yup. Here's the thing: Trump has only a few tricks in his bag. They work really well, and he's a master at using them.
But be pulls out the exact same tricks, no matter the circumstances.
But be pulls out the exact same tricks, no matter the circumstances.
