The other day, somebody wrote to me that “Trump supporters all have an IQ or either 50 or 150.” The statement struck me as fundamentally correct; Dems may be loathe to admit it, but there are many fantastically smart people who support with full-throat a man whose own IQ is probably closer to the lower end of that spectrum than the higher.
Turning this around, there's a great lesson for comedians embedded in this piece...Balance any onstage attacks by also trying to do the following: 1) rethink old positions, 2) see blind spots, and 3) recognize you have your own work to do. Can go a long way toward keeping a crowd on your side even if they don't agree 100% with your positions. Burr is a master at that.
"For Vance, it means embracing somebody who doesn’t give a shit about the people Vance claims to care the most about."
That he claims to care about working class folks is the most telling part of this. Those claims are belied by who Vance is - an Ivy League educated lawyer and former venture (read vulture) capitalist, the kind of person who is usually the bane of working class folks. Since he's lockstep with the GOP (and trump in particular), I think it's fair to say that description is fitting for Vance.
If there is one trait truly intelligent people have, it's kindness. Neither of those two men seem to exhibit that trait. Their brand of humor punches down. Never funny and always cruel. You are giving them way too much credit, me thinks.
It occurred to me in reading your piece...for many of these people (idiots and geniuses), Donald Trump is nothing more than a stick of dynamite. For if there's one guarantee in electing him, it's that he'll blow up the current system, which - to all of them - is an acceptable first step in the destruction (and perhaps rebuilding) of the current shit-ass, capitalist oligarch system we've built up to this unfortunate inflection point.
The problem comes in when both of them are required to state WHY they prefer to use a fucking stick of dynamite as their 'tool', over something more 'precise' or 'productive'. Both sides grasp at emotional straws to justify their "reasons" for such a barbaric method...and unfortunately cannot make sense of it themselves. So to me, that's what we get when we hear them speak, justify, and grapple with their logic.
It's kind of sad to watch. In essence they ask, "how can you 'destroy' something that - to me - was destroyed long ago?". Good question.
So, although I don't agree with their method, I understand from where their underlying nihilism is derived.
I think this sort of rationale is what was missed by all the people who were absolutely flummoxed by trump's presidency following on the heels of Obama's. They don't seem to recognize that, despite the "hope" and "change" nonsense from the campaign, Obama's tenure didn't really change much, nor inspire much hope. I think a lot of people saw him as the last best hope for change within the system, and, when that failed, they moved on to destroying the system instead.
i like this a lot: "The problem with very smart people is that, because they often really are the smartest people in the room, they’re able to marshal arguments that wind up disguising emotional turmoil as principled positioning"
and this: "(I will take a moment to jokingly recognize the exclusionary term 'bogeymen.' It really should be 'bogeypeople.')"
Why is it that people with no “skin in the game” and finding it creates quite a ruckus, continue down a path? (No one is saying you have to have an abortion or marry a same sex partner or take hormones and have surgery to transition!) So why is it any personal concern of yours if these things occur in the privacy of other people’s lives? You can have your opinion about it, but is it necessary broadcast it?
Vicki, I must inform you, children and mentally unstable people are being fed hormones and given irreversible surgical procedures by the “smart adults” in the room. This should be Everyone’s concern.
Thoughtful piece. Lovely
Turning this around, there's a great lesson for comedians embedded in this piece...Balance any onstage attacks by also trying to do the following: 1) rethink old positions, 2) see blind spots, and 3) recognize you have your own work to do. Can go a long way toward keeping a crowd on your side even if they don't agree 100% with your positions. Burr is a master at that.
"For Vance, it means embracing somebody who doesn’t give a shit about the people Vance claims to care the most about."
That he claims to care about working class folks is the most telling part of this. Those claims are belied by who Vance is - an Ivy League educated lawyer and former venture (read vulture) capitalist, the kind of person who is usually the bane of working class folks. Since he's lockstep with the GOP (and trump in particular), I think it's fair to say that description is fitting for Vance.
If there is one trait truly intelligent people have, it's kindness. Neither of those two men seem to exhibit that trait. Their brand of humor punches down. Never funny and always cruel. You are giving them way too much credit, me thinks.
Why is a raven like a writing desk? Because it can produce a few notes, though they are very flat, and it is nevar put with the wrong end in front
Your writing is fantastic. And I am very smart.
I, too, am very smart. Guess we're Trump supporters now.
You've become more insightful and persuasive with each Substack piece you've written. This medium has expanded your (checks notes) smartness.
Great points.
It occurred to me in reading your piece...for many of these people (idiots and geniuses), Donald Trump is nothing more than a stick of dynamite. For if there's one guarantee in electing him, it's that he'll blow up the current system, which - to all of them - is an acceptable first step in the destruction (and perhaps rebuilding) of the current shit-ass, capitalist oligarch system we've built up to this unfortunate inflection point.
The problem comes in when both of them are required to state WHY they prefer to use a fucking stick of dynamite as their 'tool', over something more 'precise' or 'productive'. Both sides grasp at emotional straws to justify their "reasons" for such a barbaric method...and unfortunately cannot make sense of it themselves. So to me, that's what we get when we hear them speak, justify, and grapple with their logic.
It's kind of sad to watch. In essence they ask, "how can you 'destroy' something that - to me - was destroyed long ago?". Good question.
So, although I don't agree with their method, I understand from where their underlying nihilism is derived.
I think this sort of rationale is what was missed by all the people who were absolutely flummoxed by trump's presidency following on the heels of Obama's. They don't seem to recognize that, despite the "hope" and "change" nonsense from the campaign, Obama's tenure didn't really change much, nor inspire much hope. I think a lot of people saw him as the last best hope for change within the system, and, when that failed, they moved on to destroying the system instead.
Makes a lot of sense!
dear michael,
beautiful piece!
i like this a lot: "The problem with very smart people is that, because they often really are the smartest people in the room, they’re able to marshal arguments that wind up disguising emotional turmoil as principled positioning"
and this: "(I will take a moment to jokingly recognize the exclusionary term 'bogeymen.' It really should be 'bogeypeople.')"
thank you for sharing as always!
love
myq
And thank YOU for the continued support, my friend and bogeyperson.
At all costs can be very painful and why it rarely happens...
Why is it that people with no “skin in the game” and finding it creates quite a ruckus, continue down a path? (No one is saying you have to have an abortion or marry a same sex partner or take hormones and have surgery to transition!) So why is it any personal concern of yours if these things occur in the privacy of other people’s lives? You can have your opinion about it, but is it necessary broadcast it?
Vicki, I must inform you, children and mentally unstable people are being fed hormones and given irreversible surgical procedures by the “smart adults” in the room. This should be Everyone’s concern.
And believe me, I do have “skin in the game”.
Grandma knew.