I think Ted makes a great point - it's a refreshing snap out of a preframed narrative angle that happens to be expedient for the hegemony. I fully agree.
I do think (at the risk of pulling the camera, as it were, ever so slightly back to the angle we agreed is not worth discussing), however, that one other possibility is missing from David's list: that of leverage, whether through direct funding of the presidential campaign, or whatever other reason we may never know. And i humbly submit that in spite of everything it is worth considering that angle, because from the point of view of a potential resistance, it is quite pragmatic to consider your opponent's weak spot(s). It is also worth considering who pulls which strings, because that is quite obfuscated, i think. I think this question stands in isolation and regardless of the despot's inner state, which i agree is moot. I might be off base though. Best, p. > On 27 Feb 2025, at 20:09, Ted Byfield via nettime-l > <[email protected]> wrote: > > My rule these days is simple: Don’t speculate about a fascist’s inner life. > Don’t do it, don’t distract others with it, and ignore or challenge others > when they do it. It’s a waste of time and, worse, it helps fascists by > imposing their thoughts and feelings on the public sphere. And it’s also how > authorities give them a pass: “he was just joking” or “she didn’t know” or > any one of a long list of liberal-denialist negations — they’re UNcultured, > INsane, UNeducated, DEprived, it’s “really” about this not that, they don’t > “really” mean what they say, “if only they knew,” “those who forget history,” > etc, etc. It’s all bullshit. Those things don’t matter. The ONLY things that > matter are the concrete consequences of what fascists say and do. > > Here’s an example: > > Q: What was Musk thinking when he did that salute?! > > A: I don’t care. > > > Here’s another one: > > Q: Do you think Trump is really a fascist? > > A: Are you more interested in Trump’s thoughts and feelings than the lives > and institutions he’s destroying? > > > And here’s another one: > > Q: Why do you think officials are so obsessed with trans people's genitalia? > > A: Why are you so obsessed with officials’ obsessions? > > > Try it! When someone starts a discussion about what some fascist is “really” > thinking or feeling, just say no. > > Cheers, > Ted >> On Feb 27, 2025 at 4:50 AM -0500, David Garcia via nettime-l >> <[email protected]>, wrote: >> >> Possible scenarios: >> 1. Trump’s dominance and the "opposition's" (ha!) shock induced passivity >> meant he is less insecure than first time around. >> 2. He’s fallen in love with the son he wished he’d had >> 3. he so awestruck by dark lord MAGA’s X-elerationist blitzkrieg that he is >> as bewildered and paralyzed as the rest of the US? >> 4. Musk is providing the useful cover as a “fall guy” to be dispensed with >> when the consequences of Trump 2.0 hit the fan. > > -- > # distributed via <nettime>: no commercial use without permission > # <nettime> is a moderated mailing list for net criticism, > # collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets > # more info: https://www.nettime.org > # contact: [email protected] -- # distributed via <nettime>: no commercial use without permission # <nettime> is a moderated mailing list for net criticism, # collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets # more info: https://www.nettime.org # contact: [email protected]
