Trump is not driven by principle/morality, his only sense of historical significance is to keep score against those who have wronged him, and his sole driving force is his own self-interest/preservation.....1/
This moral/psychological "deformity" results in contradictory, if not mutually exclusive comments/actions. This has occurred during the Covid pandemic as Trump repeatedly gives “mixed messages” that have caused avoidable death and economic destruction. 2/
During the "Great day/Looking down" speech, Trump not self-gratuitously talks about equality during a press conference where it is pointed out that black/Asian unemployment is increasing even against a backdrop of decreasing overall (white) employment rates…3/
….but Trump uses the word “equality” against the backdrop of a conference call with governors where he “weakness-shamed” any governor who wasn’t “strong” enough to “dominate” the protestors.....4/
Trump’s “dominate” comments were a narcissistic reaction to Trump taking criticism for appearing weak after retreating to his bunker. These accusations triggered Trump’s sense of inadequacy, impotence, and…..weakness. 5/
Trump’s immediate response was to overcompensate by violently clearing (dominate) non-violent, peaceful/legal protesters so he could prove that he wasn’t a coward to his blood-sport loving base. 6/
The subsequent photo-op in front of the church implicitly attempted to attach a, the ends-justifies-the-means”, “moral authority” justification that has defined Trump’s support, especially with Evangelicals. 7/
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Basically, the implicit message is that Trump is not only doing this for them (the base/evangelicals), but that he’s doing it with God’s “blessing”….as analyzed in this thread about the dangerousness of the "God chooses flawed leaders” narrative: 9/
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This “morally-authorized” violent “domination” not only satiates the binary punitive orientation of religious extremism’s reward/punishment frame work (Heaven/Hell)...13/
….which can be better understood when viewed through the lens of the gravitational pull that religion has on some narcissists, as analyzed in this thread…..: 14/
....but by "dominating" the protesters (minorities/liberals/ "others"/ "them"), Trump has an opportunity to purchase narcissistic supply from his base.
The currency exchanged in the transaction? Inhumanity and racism:
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The currency exchanged in the transaction? Inhumanity and racism:
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As for Trump’s comments about it being a great day for George Floyd…..it’s another example of the symptomatic “pathological subjectivity” of Trump’s narcissism, where if it’s good for Trump, it’s good for everyone else…even those who were murdered. 16/
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Trump’s pathologicial subjectivity has been a key factor in his rise, and in the sustainability in his cult of personality: 19/
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There could be another factor in Trump invoking George Floyd. Similar to Trump becoming irritated and jealous over the attention given to considerably more honorable men…..even when it occurs at their funeral….23/
Trump not only is jealous of George Floyd’s adulation….but Trump’s sociopathy may be projecting his own pathologically subjective “satisfaction” of the civil unrest that is occurring in George Floyd’s honor. Hence, the “looking down” comment…
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