The British on Trump
I’m simply going to republish this without comment, other than to say that it’s extremely worthwhile. – ed
Someone asked, “Why do some British people not like Donald Trump?” Nate White, an articulate and witty writer from England, wrote this magnificent response:
A few things spring to mind…
Trump lacks certain qualities which the British traditionally esteem.
For instance, he has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace – all qualities, funnily enough, with which his predecessor Mr. Obama was generously blessed.
So for us, the stark contrast does rather throw Trump’s limitations into embarrassingly sharp relief.
Plus, we like a laugh. And while Trump may be laughable, he has never once said anything wry, witty or even faintly amusing – not once, ever.
I don’t say that rhetorically, I mean it quite literally: not once, not ever. And that fact is particularly disturbing to the British sensibility – for us, to lack humour is almost inhuman.
But with Trump, it’s a fact. He doesn’t even seem to understand what a joke is – his idea of a joke is a crass comment, an illiterate insult, a casual act of cruelty.
Trump is a troll.
And like all trolls, he is never funny and he never laughs; he only crows or jeers.
And scarily, he doesn’t just talk in crude, witless insults – he actually thinks in them. His mind is a simple bot-like algorithm of petty prejudices and knee-jerk nastiness.
There is never any under-layer of irony, complexity, nuance or depth. It’s all surface.
Some Americans might see this as refreshingly upfront.
Well, we don’t. We see it as having no inner world, no soul.
And in Britain we traditionally side with David, not Goliath. All our heroes are plucky underdogs: Robin Hood, Dick Whittington, Oliver Twist.
Trump is neither plucky, nor an underdog. He is the exact opposite of that.
He’s not even a spoiled rich-boy, or a greedy fat-cat.
He’s more a fat white slug. A Jabba the Hutt of privilege.
And worse, he is that most unforgivable of all things to the British: a bully.
That is, except when he is among bullies; then he suddenly transforms into a snivelling sidekick instead.
There are unspoken rules to this stuff – the Queensberry rules of basic decency – and he breaks them all. He punches downwards – which a gentleman should, would, could never do – and every blow he aims is below the belt. He particularly likes to kick the vulnerable or voiceless – and he kicks them when they are down.
So the fact that a significant minority – perhaps a third – of Americans look at what he does, listen to what he says, and then think
‘Yeah, he seems like my kind of guy’
is a matter of some confusion and no little distress to British people, given that:
Americans are supposed to be nicer than us, and mostly are.
You don’t need a particularly keen eye for detail to spot a few flaws in the man.
This last point is what especially confuses and dismays British people, and many other people too; his faults seem pretty bloody hard to miss.
After all, it’s impossible to read a single tweet, or hear him speak a sentence or two, without staring deep into the abyss. He turns being artless into an art form;
He is a Picasso of pettiness; a Shakespeare of shit.
His faults are fractal: even his flaws have flaws, and so on ad infinitum.
God knows there have always been stupid people in the world, and plenty of nasty people too. But rarely has stupidity been so nasty, or nastiness so stupid.
He makes Nixon look trustworthy and George W look smart.
In fact, if Frankenstein decided to make a monster assembled entirely from human flaws – he would make a Trump.
And a remorseful Doctor Frankenstein would clutch out big clumpfuls of hair and scream in anguish:
‘My God… what… have… I… created?’
If being a twat was a TV show, Trump would be the boxed set.
Craig,
Very sad. Usually, you compose your own, if somewhat repetitious, rants.
Today, you eagerly support abusive rants by an internet pest whom you wrongly link to a Canadian sports journalist.
No one in Britain has ever heard of ‘Nate White’! Britain abounds with leftist comedians, journalists, politicians etc, all of whom hate America and Americans.
Screeching a torrent of unoriginal adolescent abuse is neither “witty” nor “articulate” ! At best, it’s merely tedious and unproductive.
There are writer’s opposing Mr Trump who nevertheless provide genuinely perceptive insights into the President and his significance, but ‘Nate White’ is not among their company.
Like you, he simply repeats superficial slogans and abusive rantings. Like a ‘new wave’ comedian employing obscene epithets in the desperate hope an audience will forget his lack of original or funny material, Nate White hopes for acceptance among ardent “never Trumpers” by repeating a mantra.
He, and the others like him, are just gnats infesting the body politic. They are the price we all have to pay for freedom of speech. Those who never tire of repeating hackneyed catch phrases in the forlorn hope repetition will provide acceptance for a lack of originality or relevance.
Such creatures create nothing worthwhile.
We live in turbulent times of great change. The visit of the US President to the UK at this time is of great significance. The entire future of the “Special Alliance” between the UK and USA is under strain.
The US President is quite rightly wishing to reinforce a real, rather than politely ‘symbolic’, alliance between the two largest English speaking powers.
Like the US, the UK is undergoing a period of profound change in direction. This change will naturally affect the future strategy of how the US and Western World cope with the rise of China and India as economic, social and military challengers.
Events occurring over the next two years will determine the shape of the next hundred. At stake is the ability of our fragile ‘liberal democratic values’ and social institutions to withstand an onslaught of totalitarianism and invasive technologies.
The sort of society which values the freedom of the individual over the needs of the State, has always been fragile and precious. Can such principles survive in a world where those principles are continually eroded from without and lately, within?
The Western World defeated the first challenge from nationalistic fascism, and more narrowly beat the brutal march of Communist totalitarianism by a combination of greater economic wealth and military might.
This time things are different. The threat is far more insidious and our defenses weaker. The West is no longer overwhelmingly superior and the population has grown complacent.
The rise of technology along with the rise of Asia, has eroded much of the evangelical spirit which once imbued the West to spread enlightenment.
Today, the “enemies within” do more damage than the barbarians at the gate ! Brexit is important for the UK. An independent UK is important if Western values are to survive.
Those who feel it personally advantageous, or just snigger at the unique and special sort of society that evolved in the UK, and would be content to merge with the ill-defined “European values”, don’t realize the precious, fragile, unique treasure they’re abandoning.
Brexit is essential to the survival of the UK. The UK is important to the US, and the US is important to the whole concept of what Western values really mean.
President Trump may have his faults, all men do, especially leaders. Boris Johnson is another eccentric, much flawed human being, but both have an instinctive vision of what is required to preserve our way of life and our unique heritage.
Brexit was never about “racism” or “trade” or any other such superficial assertions.
Brexit is about British survival as a unique and independent society. It’s about our national identity and values. Our institutions, history and unique legal system,…I guess Bresit is about preserving all that which distinguishes us “British”.
The best of these values we share with the rest of the English speaking world (and to a greater extent than most realize) the Commonwealth of Nations.
The 53 members of the oft neglected Commonwealth of Nations has long been overlooked as a viable association. Yet, for all it’s ramshackle appearance, it’s survived and is even prospering.
In part because of the tireless efforts of Queen Elisabeth, but mostly because it symbolizes the practical, legal and aspirations of member states.
The huge diversity and imperfections of the member states make the amazing cooperation and respect for one another as members of the same family, unique and astonishing.
The Commonwealth of Nations remains an important legacy of British culture which could become more important and better developed with post-exit Britain involement.
Next month the Commonwealth will play host to a year long study into the positive and negative aspects of AI and technology on values in developing nations.
The concept and possibility of a government(s) backed Commonwealth blockchain crypto-currency will be explored as a defense against Sino- “Belt and Road” initiatives. High on the agenda will be the role of Clean Energy technology among the 53 member states.
With all these important changes and events occurring, what value can you possibly find in repeating the rantings of such pathetic pests like Nate White?
Can you point out one single “insight” or original observation in his entire tirade?
Do you really believe the toilet wall graffiti of time-wasters like Nate White will influence President Trump, or the leaders of Great Britain?
Why waste your voice with the pathetic ravings of an ignoramus, when there are so many far more interesting challenges to pursue?