About Harris’ loss to Trump on Nov. 5th, I’d shakily chosen to be optimistic. Vice Pres. Harris declared “I know I’m gonna win. But it’s gonna be close”!
This suited me.
To ponder during the campaigns the terror, wrath and anxiety of Trump returning to the White House, being that he is vice-ridden, giddily ignorant and thin-skinned demanded too much energy.
On Wednesday when I saw the blunt /curt news, before I’d even begun to shave, it gut punched me. I couldn’t swallow it.
Terror and melancholy over that person returning crept up within my psyche, from my feet to and through my] head. What’s more, I began to wonder about Nicola Machievelli and his book “The Prince, which is an ancient primer on politics. How similarly toxic is Trump to Machievelli’s titular and notorious ”Prince”?
According toresearch via Perplexity about Trump, resembling “The Prince,” Manipulation and Deception: Trump has demonstrated a propensity for manipulating information and using deception as political tools. This aligns with Machiavelli’s advice that a ruler should ‘learn how not to be good’ and make effective use of deception when necessary.”
Instilling Fear: Machiavelli famously stated that it is better for a ruler to be feared than loved if he cannot be both. Trump’s confrontational style and aggressive rhetoric towards opponents could be seen as attempts to instill fear and assert dominance, which aligns with this Machiavellian concept
Divisiveness: Machiavelli stressed the importance of civic unity and cautioned against fomenting division among the people. Trump’s polarizing rhetoric and apparent willingness to exploit societal divisions run counter to this Machiavellian principle.
However fascinating the Machievelli may be, I found the assessment of Trump’s dark triad psyche more on-point: Researching the book, “The Prince” on Perplexity AI , the result referred to malformed personae:
What is The Dark Triad? It is the combination of three distinct and malformed personalities types: narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism. Just one of these personality types can damage just about anything with which they come in contact …
To cite Jill Cody’s website, bidding wariness of Trump “Americans now have had plenty of time to observe their President’s behaviors. Actions speak louder than words, but in “The Donald’s” case, words speak loudly too. To quote Maya Angelou, “When someone tells you who they are … believe them.”
SEGU To have had a Pres. Harris would have been a continuation of competence, maturity, public-service orientation…
Alas, the voters, not just bitter rural white Americans, but brown and Black Americans chose Trump. This, Despite blatant evidence of Trump’s villainy even with the legion of epithets, and vibrant vices. Voters chose to look past, not believe the vileness…
The American Electoral College chose this person, still.
After the crazy-making 2017-2020 Trump tenure, America had been “back” with and according to Pres. Biden.
As a one-time independent reporter who abides himself to the American journalism society’s Code of Ethics, admitting to no biases, this will be as test! With Democracy “working” in this way, as designed for citizens choosing their preferences, I worry and despair for Democracy.
It’ll be a long four years.
Will Wright: Award-Winning Independent Journalism, Exec Oratory and More... 
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