DL, do you agree that prolific readers develop the ability to tap into the psychological bent of a person by reading the things they write? I do believe that because I find that I am able to get the “core” of a person by reading the things they have written (if indeed they have written anything).
For me beginning this election cycle began with a high opinion of Cruz due to his reported accomplishments and his filibuster against obamacare. So I bought his book, “A Time for Truth” (a telling title considering his current nickname). Reading his story about himself I found that he is self-consumed, a trait that is often attached more to Trump. His tome was boring to the point of tears. I gave up on page 205. I couldn’t read another report of how he “rescued” some very important person.
Then Trump came along with a book that he had recently written, “Crippled America”. So I bought it. I couldn’t put it down and there were very few first person sentences in that book. It is simply an outline of what is wrong with our country and what he proposes to do to fix it. He uses the word “We” a lot. I was hearing that Trump used to be a liberal Democrat, and I heard him talking about his best seller, “The Art of the Deal”, so I sent for that book too. He wrote it in 1987. Reading it you would think he wrote it last month. He does have a section about his early life, but strangely the focus was on what he did with his father, where he worked, etc. His later chapters cover his ability to get things done and how he used that ability to build his “business”. I don’t see a self-possessed person in his books. I see a man who loves his work and the country that provided him with the opportunity to accomplish his goals. Yes, he has a LOT of pride in his ability and he is prone to braggadocio, but not narcissistic. That is my take on both men who aspire to the presidency if it’s worth anything JMHO.
A lot of folks including a lot of Freepers have been seduced by the debilitating fruit of the Tree of Politically Correctness and, thus, can’t tell the difference between pride and satisfaction in a job well done versus “narcissism”, similar to their inability to tell the difference between personal and economic self interest versus “greed.”
To the degree they align with this and other PC thinking, the Left’s got ‘em.
As much as anything else, I cheer for Trump because of his high degree of anti-PC.
I don't really know, but i'll admit that you likely gain some insight on the writer.
For me beginning this election cycle began with a high opinion of Cruz due to his reported accomplishments and his filibuster against obamacare. So I bought his book, “A Time for Truth” (a telling title considering his current nickname).
Same here, except I haven't even started reading it. I assumed it would be a series of logical arguments regarding why we need to do this or that, but I have long since been convinced of what needs to be done, and I no longer feel the need to be persuaded on direction.
As for his "nickname" that Trump tagged him with, I reject the premise until evidence of it is produced. So far I haven't seen any I regard as reasonable.
Reading his story about himself I found that he is self-consumed, a trait that is often attached more to Trump. His tome was boring to the point of tears. I gave up on page 205. I couldn’t read another report of how he “rescued” some very important person.
Some people can write, and some people can't. It's a gift. Apparently Ted doesn't have it.
Then Trump came along with a book that he had recently written, “Crippled America”. So I bought it. I couldn’t put it down and there were very few first person sentences in that book. It is simply an outline of what is wrong with our country and what he proposes to do to fix it. He uses the word “We” a lot. I was hearing that Trump used to be a liberal Democrat, and I heard him talking about his best seller, “The Art of the Deal”, so I sent for that book too. He wrote it in 1987. Reading it you would think he wrote it last month. He does have a section about his early life, but strangely the focus was on what he did with his father, where he worked, etc. His later chapters cover his ability to get things done and how he used that ability to build his “business”.
And apparently Trump can. Are we certain he wrote it himself? A lot of people don't.
I don’t see a self-possessed person in his books. I see a man who loves his work and the country that provided him with the opportunity to accomplish his goals. Yes, he has a LOT of pride in his ability and he is prone to braggadocio, but not narcissistic. That is my take on both men who aspire to the presidency if it’s worth anything JMHO.
There are a lot of things I like about Donald Trump. He may be exactly what he is presenting himself as currently. But as i've noticed with others, they get in office claiming they will behave one way, and then the next thing you know they are going along with the Democrats.
Trump is obviously a more likeable person than is Cruz. Apparently most people haven't liked Cruz since at least college where he was very unpopular.
But something i've noticed over my years of life is that when you are standing up for something, you tend to be unpopular. Nobody likes a party pooper.
I empathize with this position because I have "been there" so many times in my own life.
The nation has gotten itself into a lot of trouble by continuously electing "likable" guys like Clinton and Obama. Yeah people liked them, but the direction they wanted to take us was always the wrong direction. I am reminded of what P.J. Rourke said about the difference between Republicans And Democrats.
I have only one firm belief about the American political system, and that is this: God is a Republican and Santa Claus is a Democrat.God is an elderly or, at any rate, middle aged male, a stern fellow, patriarchal rather than paternal and a great believer in rules and regulations. He holds men accountable for their actions. He has little apparent concern for the material well being of the disadvantaged. He is politically connected, socially powerful and holds the mortgage on literally everything in the world. God is difficult. God is unsentimental. It is very hard to get into God's heavenly country club.
Santa Claus is another matter. He's cute. He's nonthreatening. He's always cheerful. And he loves animals. He may know who's been naughty and who's been nice, but he never does anything about it. He gives everyone everything they want without the thought of quid pro quo. He works hard for charities, and he's famously generous to the poor. Santa Claus is preferable to God in every way but one: There is no such thing as Santa Claus.
It looks like Trump is going to win, and I just hope he isn't too worried about being popular with all the wrong people.