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Gaugamela

(2,886 posts)
9. We make the mistaken assumption that there is a
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 04:23 PM
Saturday

coherent plan or ideology that drives what they do, because we understand rational policy and long term planning. We have formed a mental model of the world, however imperfect, that seeks to be informed by fact and aims for the general well-being of society. They do not have that capacity or share that perspective.

They are an excrescence of the worst aspects of modern culture, which is in turn an excrescence of the worst aspects of capitalism. The right is a symptom of the impending collapse of civilization. They are instinctively accelerating that collapse because they know they can profit off it in the near term. Some of them, like the tech bros and the billionaires know this, and rationalize it with absurd pipe dreams about transhumanism. But in the end they just don't care. Entitlement provides an illusory defense against the inevitability of death, and they're addicted to that illusion. For them giving up that entitlement, which is what it would take to save civilization, is tantamount to suicide. I have no doubt they would rather incinerate the world with nuclear weapons than concede their power and privilege.

Anyway, that's my opinion.

Recommendations

4 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

2025? 1WorldHope Saturday #1
Project 2025, specifically electron_blue 23 hrs ago #81
White Conservstives think democracy doesn't work for them SARose Saturday #2
They think Democracy doesn't work for them because BaronChocula Saturday #17
Conservatives & democracy: Dulcinea Saturday #25
A good articulated insight Gum Logger 23 hrs ago #82
K&R markie Saturday #3
It's the Republican dystopian view of America. J_William_Ryan Saturday #4
This. And they want to go WAY back... ananda Saturday #23
Agreed on the underestimating of climate change misanthrope Saturday #50
It's hard to see how it could not. ananda Saturday #52
What you have described is the antebellum South misanthrope Saturday #54
Money, power, cruelty. Irish_Dem Saturday #5
they know they can manipulate cowards. SleeplessinSoCal Saturday #6
Don't know why but... moondust Saturday #7
sounds right. Evolve Dammit Saturday #14
Egoism Ping Tung Saturday #8
We make the mistaken assumption that there is a Gaugamela Saturday #9
if you are accustomed to privelege MadameButterfly Saturday #33
works for me! Native 22 hrs ago #84
Because Trump works for Russia, the Fossil Fuel Industries, Saudi Arabia, and he is deeply mentally ill. Botany Saturday #10
Christo Fascist agenda, as you said Alice Kramden Saturday #21
In my humble opinion OddMom20 Saturday #11
Moral collapse of society, engendered by the right wing dedl67 Saturday #12
DAMN good question. Evolve Dammit Saturday #13
Money:More is never enough. multigraincracker Saturday #15
Because they saw this election as their last chance for complete and total control, which they believe now they have, Karasu Saturday #16
I've been puzzling over this for awhile... jmbar2 Saturday #18
They want to collapse all government protections and functions to take over and rule us like peasants kimbutgar Saturday #19
Turning America into a shithole country poli-junkie Saturday #20
it's not just trump kbowman Saturday #22
Chaos - they need chaos to fully loot the country alittlelark Saturday #24
Re-arranging the deck chairs as humanity faces a cascade of environmental and social calamities PufPuf23 Saturday #26
Putin gave them a deadline. blm Saturday #27
Short answer: They're working for our enemies. Iggo Saturday #28
Anyone know when they will raise the Russian flag over the WH?? vapor2 Saturday #53
All of the above, Mr. Hartmann, and as usual, B.See Saturday #29
Most likely the second one. Dulcinea Saturday #30
"And of course this is just a partial list......."!!! I was exhausted by the time I got to this line, thinking to..... FadedMullet Saturday #31
6th grade teacher Blue Full Moon Saturday #32
I'm amazed people are still confused - Nigrum Cattus Saturday #34
You don't think that whathehell Saturday #48
It's simple, greed and power with no consequences. Until there are consequences for their actions and we as a people Cheezoholic Saturday #35
Trump is a malignant narcissist MadameButterfly Saturday #36
Trump is somewhat similar to 'The Mule' in Asimov's "Second Foundation" dedl67 Saturday #39
He will eventually alienate everyone MadameButterfly Saturday #44
Everything has always been about him malaise Saturday #37
They and the 1% will gain even more money and power. That's all they care about. It's an illness. Fil1957 Saturday #38
When they have to spend all their money on security MadameButterfly Saturday #45
I've struggled with this question too.... Bread and Circuses Saturday #40
I think it has to do with Trump's desire to control everything, and his decisions Ocelot II Saturday #41
Trump's desire to control comes from MadameButterfly Saturday #46
The perfect storm seabiscuit5920 Saturday #42
They want to make their current control permanent MadameButterfly Saturday #47
Hollywood bmichaelh Saturday #43
Trump realizes very little MadameButterfly Saturday #49
Had to laugh at the 1939 cinema reference misanthrope Saturday #56
Short answer: Money and Power. emulatorloo Saturday #51
My amateur theory is they're destroying the middle class because they don't need it anymore FullySupportDems Saturday #55
On some various levels his reasons are likely of all of the above. Bev54 Saturday #57
The usual "rational" explainations are no longer "rational" as the actions you describe will only create devastation and LT Barclay Saturday #58
Authoritarianism pervades American society iemanja Saturday #59
"The rich hate us" blubunyip Yesterday #66
And why did millions of people vote for this? Oh yeah...because the FUCKING CORPORATE MEDIA enabled progressoid Yesterday #60
Hatred and greed. niyad Yesterday #61
i'm currently going for "private equity hostile takeover" rampartd Yesterday #62
Putin told Trump... GiqueCee Yesterday #63
This!!! Excellent & a must read Joinfortmill Yesterday #70
Because they're not running a government, they're running a chop shop hatrack Yesterday #64
the killing of the American dream..... Historic NY Yesterday #65
My first thought was this is the making of feudalism Joinfortmill Yesterday #67
re: "Why would Trump and the GOP..." - I think it is important to distinguish the two... thesquanderer Yesterday #68
Serfs and barons is the social order they are intent on establishing. lark Yesterday #69
Must destroy democracy to roll out the New Feudalism Kid Berwyn Yesterday #71
At the pinnacle of wealth and power The Blue Flower Yesterday #72
K&R spanone Yesterday #73
It's natural to want to want to find out one big reason that explains it all jgmiller Yesterday #74
Their corporate owners devoutly believe in this: TygrBright Yesterday #75
Don't forget to include the MAGA voters. They started this mess. nt Hotler Yesterday #76
They are not working hard at all. Raven123 Yesterday #77
I have come to believe that many of that group WANT people to DIE RandomNumbers Yesterday #78
They are in it for themselves. They care not for our country. Norrrm Yesterday #79
Democracy has to fail badly enough so that an autocrat/fixer is a plausible solution. nt hay rick Yesterday #80
Putin paid good money for this relayerbob 22 hrs ago #83
Speaking strictly about trump, I believe he's addicted to revenge, Native 22 hrs ago #85
Kleptocracy, plain and simple orangecrush 21 hrs ago #86
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