This was written during Trump's previous period as POTUS, and I think it sums up, eloquently, just what it is that Brits ( and presumably other nationalities) dislike about him. It is worth a read.
Nate White
“Why do some British people not like Donald Trump?” Nate White, an articulate and witty writer from England wrote the following response:
A few things spring to mind. Trump lacks certain qualities which the British traditionally esteem. For instance, he has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace – all qualities, funnily enough, with which his predecessor Mr. Obama was generously blessed. So for us, the stark contrast does rather throw Trump’s limitations into embarrassingly sharp relief.
Plus, we like a laugh. And while Trump may be laughable, he has never once said anything wry, witty or even faintly amusing – not once, ever. I don’t say that rhetorically, I mean it quite literally: not once, not ever. And that fact is particularly disturbing to the British sensibility – for us, to lack humour is almost inhuman. But with Trump, it’s a fact. He doesn’t even seem to understand what a joke is – his idea of a joke is a crass comment, an illiterate insult, a casual act of cruelty.
Trump is a troll. And like all trolls, he is never funny and he never laughs; he only crows or jeers. And scarily, he doesn’t just talk in crude, witless insults – he actually thinks in them. His mind is a simple bot-like algorithm of petty prejudices and knee-jerk nastiness.
There is never any under-layer of irony, complexity, nuance or depth. It’s all surface. Some Americans might see this as refreshingly upfront. Well, we don’t. We see it as having no inner world, no soul. And in Britain we traditionally side with David, not Goliath. All our heroes are plucky underdogs: Robin Hood, Dick Whittington, Oliver Twist. Trump is neither plucky, nor an underdog. He is the exact opposite of that. He’s not even a spoiled rich-boy, or a greedy fat-cat. He’s more a fat white slug. A Jabba the Hutt of privilege.
And worse, he is that most unforgivable of all things to the British: a bully. That is, except when he is among bullies; then he suddenly transforms into a snivelling sidekick instead. There are unspoken rules to this stuff – the Queensberry rules of basic decency – and he breaks them all. He punches downwards – which a gentleman should, would, could never do – and every blow he aims is below the belt. He particularly likes to kick the vulnerable or voiceless – and he kicks them when they are down.
So the fact that a significant minority – perhaps a third – of Americans look at what he does, listen to what he says, and then think ‘Yeah, he seems like my kind of guy’ is a matter of some confusion and no little distress to British people, given that:
• Americans are supposed to be nicer than us, and mostly are.
• You don’t need a particularly keen eye for detail to spot a few flaws in the man.
This last point is what especially confuses and dismays British people, and many other people too; his faults seem pretty bloody hard to miss. After all, it’s impossible to read a single tweet, or hear him speak a sentence or two, without staring deep into the abyss. He turns being artless into an art form; he is a Picasso of pettiness; a Shakespeare of shit. His faults are fractal: even his flaws have flaws, and so on ad infinitum. God knows there have always been stupid people in the world, and plenty of nasty people too. But rarely has stupidity been so nasty, or nastiness so stupid. He makes Nixon look trustworthy and George W look smart. In fact, if Frankenstein decided to make a monster assembled entirely from human flaws – he would make a Trump.
And a remorseful Doctor Frankenstein would clutch out big clumpfuls of hair and scream in anguish: ‘My God… what… have… I… created?' If being a twat was a TV show, Trump would be the boxed set.
#Donald Trump
Galaxy
Because whenever anyone tries to talk about Male violence everyone goes but what about the violent women. Or dont you have sons, brothers, think how they must feel when people keep talking about how bad men are. It happens on every single thread about Male violence without fail.
Surely we all know statistically there are far far more violent criminals who are male?
That doesn’t make all men violent monsters, but it does potentially make men a danger to women!
imaround
Women need to take over the world.
They certainly do!
I find most women highly capable and able to endure emotional pressure far better than most men!!
Because whenever anyone tries to talk about Male violence everyone goes but what about the violent women. Or dont you have sons, brothers, think how they must feel when people keep talking about how bad men are. It happens on every single thread about Male violence without fail.
Churchview
DEI initiatives benefited women more than any other group. You can see why Trump wanted that particular door closed.
When there's a mass shooting I always wonder why the focus is on the race or religion of the offender when clearly the most obvious thing the vast majority of them share is that they are men.
Well said
If you look at the two parties in this country, the Tories have had three female prime ministers and one female leader, the labour party has had zero. I cant tell you how many labour party meetings I have been in with people trying themselves in knots about quotas. The results of the two parties certainly in regard to the top job are interesting.
DEI initiatives benefited women more than any other group. You can see why Trump wanted that particular door closed.
When there's a mass shooting I always wonder why the focus is on the race or religion of the offender when clearly the most obvious thing the vast majority of them share is that they are men.
Yep there are women who are rubbish as political leaders and in business, the same as men. But there are also women who would make very good leaders politically and be good in business, same as some men. Trouble is the opportunity isn’t there so we are stuck with a stagnant pool of alpha males.
In business not so sure either.
Currently watching a documentary about Michelle Mone.
imaround
Women need to take over the world.
Well in politics, on the whole, I personally cannot say they are better.
imaround
Women need to take over the world.
My OH said to me not long ago that 50% of the population on earth are women, yet it is a barely utilised resource. Just think how much further we could progress as a species if women the world over were running things alongside men, and most importantly having an equal say in how things are run. Even in western countries lauded for equal rights women are still fighting to be heard, but in many other parts of the world they have very few or no rights.
We really haven’t progressed much.
Sorry- you don't need two " certains"!
I agree Babs . The problem is, in certain certain quarters ,hormonal matters relating to women are used in negative ways, whereas excessive testosterone is lauded as being part of the makeup of "alpha males".
Women need to take over the world.
The point which needs to be made is that women manage superbly well with periods and the menopause. They are able to cope, and with childbirth as well.
To those men who harp on about hormonal women on their periods acting crazy I would like to refer to the fact that many hormonal men governed by high testosterone can be pretty damned unpredictable and crazy in a violent/aggressive way.
I agree.
If the Democrats spend their time going oh he is so mean rather than addressing what errors led to this they will remain out of power for longer than this term.
Yes misogyny on the left and right, it's a pain in the neck for women.
And mocking women for being 'less than' when they are having periods.
The irony is he is sort of mocking the misogyny of the Democrats.
He didn't have to use the 'gift' to mock women though.
Half the audience were women and his wife was sitting there.
The measure of the man and his opinion of women.
Yes so as I say an absolute gift for him.
Both I think.
Did you. I thought it was taking the p.. about the idea that men can have periods.
Galaxy
Yeah the Democrats handed that gift to him.
I saw in his joke a dig at women i.e. they're all a bit useless and crazy when they have their period.
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