But while she politely phrases as a conditional statement Trump's indifference to the health of this nation, I'm fine with asserting that Trump never cared about this nation. I won't even argue that point. Video and reams of tweets confirm his contempt and indifference.
Del Percio writes:
For all practical purposes, Trump has already given up on his responsibility to the country — if he ever felt any to begin with. He doesn't care that he is putting our national security at risk by refusing to allow Biden access to the Presidential Daily Brief. The spikes in coronavirus infections and deaths also mean nothing. And Trump and his allies in Congress have signaled that the millions of unemployed and businesses that are failing are basically on their own.
We will live with the damage. Still, what is it about this nation that makes it susceptible to elevating people like him?
Others have already examined the political and socioeconomic factors that may push U.S. democracy toward its demise. For instance, Jill Lepore at the New Yorker compares how this Trumpian era is similar to the era of democracy in peril during the 1930s. She discusses the issue in the New Yorker Radio Hour as well, embedded below.
Aside from the U.S.A. being founded on practices of inequality and justifications for cruelty, I surmise that the USA is particularly susceptible to empowering pathological narcissists because its culture exalts individualism to the point of applauding self-obsession. This nation has made being selfish and vain a virtuous asset. See selfies and FB likes, reality TV, and even old-school facets of the cult of celebrity.
In Trump's case, his commitment to himself and extensions of himself (his family and money) is the trait that draws some people to him. Perhaps, deep down, some admire him wishing they could be equally self-absorbed and crass. But how can a nation be "of the people, by the people and for the people" survive if each of its people is out for herself or, in lame duck's case, himself?
I don't claim to have answers, but I will own my observations. The phrase "for the common good" has nearly vanished from our political conversation as well as the understanding that "your rights end where the next person nose begins." (Yes, you anti-mask folk, I'm thinking of you.) And is there anything about Trump's behavior that indicates he follows the golden rule? Yet, nearly half of voters think he should stay at the helm. Would a healthy democracy love a Trump or see him as a dangerous aberration?
What makes democracy work?
American educators and leaders used to reference ancient Greek philosophers and ancient Greek government as influencing this nation's principles. However, it seems that the only ancient Greek practice that stuck is hierarchal citizenship. We shun their emphases on ethics, justice, rigorous debate, intellectual growth, and creativity for the benefit of the polis (the city-state that functions best with collaboration and community).
The ancient Greeks exalted self-development, as do Americans, but the goal of self-development in ancient Greek culture was not the right to say "I'm number one" or to gain power to rule others. The goal was to gain control of oneself so one could wisely practice fairness and deference to others. Accountability to other members of the polis was a big deal with them. Commitment to building benevolent character was virtuous.
No, they did not advocate the absolute subjugation of the self to the community. The Greeks did not aspire to a hive mind. They practiced moderation in all things.
I do not advocate absolute imitation of Greek governance and culture. It's not as though they didn't justify levels of oppression, but certainly we can dump the bath water only. What are we missing today about maintaining a healthy democracy? Wise people learn from the past.
This I know for sure: The farther we drift from thinking ethically, thinking about the good of the whole, of valuing critical thinking, equity and justice, the closer we get to the fall of this democracy.
We are far from thinking ethically--far from considering how outrageous self-indulgence damages us and has far-reaching effects. We are far from considering how the ethics of the leaders we empower will influence our children and grand children.
I did not say the lives of our children and grandchildren. I said our children and grandchildren, their character, their values. The quality of their lives depends on the quality of their character.
Too many of us no longer think at all. Trump has lost the election, but what remains in his wake? He has fired up a contingent of folk who don't seem to empathize with anyone outside their families or social group. Many appear to be fine with the suffering, even the death, of others. What is their version of the common good?
Equitable justice, agreement to work toward the American ideal, a more perfect union, took quite a few steps backward in the last four years. What can we do to recoup our losses? How will we move ahead?
