Keyword: Trumped Up

In a consumer targeted, money-centric world where the population is conditioned to a constant demagoguery which preys on its fears, popular desires, prejudices, and unconscious motivations in the service of promoting the consumption of all kinds of trumped up passing sensory distractions and useless manufactured wants and ego fulfillments, where the so-called telegenic successful person is revered ...

Should it come as a surprise that at some point in such a culture it is inevitable that an actual personified demagogue would come forward to lead the hypnotized eager masses? A sociopath whose own aims justify whatever action or position furthers them, and too cynical about the intelligence the electorate to bother to be consistent.

Of, course, Donald Trump comes to mind. It's right there in the quote. Hard to miss. Even if his name wasn't mentioned. He'd come to mind.

In a very incisive article in the New York Magazine Andrew Sullivan writes on how America is a breeding ground for tyranny offers some understanding on the current state of American politics. Striking to me how he makes Sarah Palin out to be a kind of John the Baptist to the coming of messiah Trump.

Recent liberal commentators speak of how Donald Trump is not the problem, but it's the educational system which produces idiots not keen enough to see through his demagoguery. As if an education is some guarantee that you'll see things clearly. I don't think so. Smart, maybe. Ignorance. That's not something you can educate away. For that fix you need exemplars. They are there. And, many. But the assholes are very noisy. And, get the press.

My point is that if it's not Trump, it'll be someone else. Maybe not now, but it'll keep coming up. It's a systemic manifestation of the culture we live in. Reread the above quote now.

Now, how to change the culture. Let's be realistic and plan for a miracle.

I am hopeful. Trump or no Trump. There are also angels among us. God's hand is in things. Like Mr. Dylan said, "The times they are a'changin'".

Not to put too much of the fear of God into you, here's a prophecy from a more cosmic perspective about things to come:

Men do not suspect to what dangers they are menaced by. They continue to pursue futile objectives and to seek pleasure. Sins accumulated for thousands of years must be redeemed.