[Now That Trump's President... (not any more!)]

Basically, what I am saying is that if you have a bunch of people like Spencer and Bannon who have more or less openly and for a long time said that they wish to burn down the existing social order, then by definition they have decided not to play by any rules of "goodwill" and "rational discourse".

I think that ship has now sailed. I would put more faith in the words "nonviolent" and "resistance".

I think it was someone here on WATMM who said it's a waste of energy to try and convert diehard nazis, because they're so deep lost in their make-believe world of hate that they would rather die than admit their error. The humanist in me says that there's always hope, but the realist in me thinks something should be done before we get to concentration camp stage.

 

Edit: sorry I don't actually want to talk politics so much it's just that this stuff has me really concerned.

[Now That Trump's President... (not any more!)]

@thawkins

1) So in short:

we should (as we always do) forgo long-term solutions for short-term solutions?

And then in 4-8 years scramble for some new short-term solutions?

And then...

 

Maybe one day we can entertain some more broad-scale 'macro' ideas

But since our current problems are immediate 'micro' problems

We need immediate 'micro' solutions...

Sorry if I sound like I am telling you how to solve your problems. I am not. I'm not american, I don't know

what's the best solution. I am just worried about all this shit, and I hope it doesn't end too violently.

 

2) I mean, you don't need to deceive/manipulate people into buying iPhones

(IPhones are--by design--inherently useful to humans; we don't buy them merely because we're sheeple)

And you don't need to deceive/manipulate people into acting to protect their body

(which is what fascism boils down to: remove all the things in the environment that might damage my body, regardless the cost to others)

Ok, ignore the iPhone, my point is that advertising works because of behavioral psychology. Now the same methods are

increasingly being used to mold people's thinking and turn off the rational mind. There's horrible stuff in that article I linked.

 

3) re: conceding flaws and good faith

 

I must be overly optimistic about humanity

Because my thinking is that sincerity and good faith are good strategies regardless of what your opponent thinks of them

If you think Trump's "concede no weakness whatsoever" is a better strategy

Then well yes I disagree with you

Ever seen that strange-ass film "Bullworth"?

Well, how do you beat/undermine a politician who is literally upfront about everything?

Who isn't hiding skeletons and insecurities and vulnerabilities?

Who volunteers the unsavory aspects of his past (that most politicians would scramble to hide)?

 

Well, to me that looks exactly like a stable long-term strategy/solution

Instead of this "hey, we should out-Machiavelli Machiavelli" game that people really like to play when the stakes are high-ish

 

But again, we can have this conversation again in 4-8 years or whenever

And we can decide on these same short-term solutions then too

(And who knows: maybe this time they'll work...)

My optimism in humanity took a big hit with Trump getting elected. I agree that sincerity and good faith are good strategies,

but I also feel that what has been going on has has emotionally charged people on both sides up to a level where tribalistic base instincts are taking over. And

those instincts do not produce rational responses with regard to modern society, but rather have evolved to preserve

the individual and their closer community (family, tribe, etc.).

 

I'm not saying Trump's strategy is better, I am just saying that currently, it's winning. And it's winning because he's switched off sincerity

and good faith in a lot of people by making them believe they're under attack, be it by muslim terrorists or the liberal left. On a micro/personal level you can

indeed change this by engaging with people and being nice, but you're up against an advanced hate propaganda machine.

 

 

[Now That Trump's President... (not any more!)]

 

 

 

 

Maybe calling the right a bunch of idiots isn't actually a good strategy

Maybe we should treat them like actual human beings

And try to actually understand their thoughts and decisions

Instead of writing them off as irredeemable sub-human scum

 

 

Because honestly, it doesn't look like the "ur dumb lol" strategy is working

One guy who is much older and about to retire likes Trumps ideas but doesn't like the way they are presented.

I've said this to people I know before. It's a matter of tact. Sometimes it's not what you're saying or doing so much as how you're saying or doing it.

 

Trump has the tact of an angry 10 year old who has just been told he's not getting ice cream or something.

His temperament and apologists for it baffle me the most. I know people who readily excuse or even like his faults yet spent 8 years cynically scoffing and critiquing Obama on every little thing. It really makes you wonder if racist and sexist undertones are behind such attitudes.

I don't think it's all that baffling

Trump is a fragile narcissist

Whom this world has repeatedly rewarded

To the tune of millions of dollars and a U.S. Presidency

(So why the fuck would he act any different?!?)

The problem isn't Donald Trump

The problem is that the world rewards people like Donald Trump

 

 

His apologists are happy to overlook his flaws

So long as they're protected from the things they want to be protected from

 

We've set up a political climate such that

Conceding flaws on *our* side

necessarily means giving ammunition to *their* side

So yes, people are slow to concede points

When they think their life/livelihood is at stake

 

 

Here's the thing though (and I seriously hope someone's going to convince me I'm wrong): I don't think conceding flaws and acting in good faith will help anymore, because it assumes that the other side will not see goodwill as a weakness. I think what Trump and his people have done (click here for a chilling read) is systematically and nihilistically pushing people's buttons to scare them and make them afraid in order for them not to be thinking straight and relying on quick instinctive emotional reflexes. What's going on now is the application of cutting edge behavioral psychology applied to not only selling you the latest iPhone but to get you terrified enough to *not* think calmly and rationally but to trigger survival instincts. The load of online data people voluntarily and unknowingly leave lying around makes this just seriously effective.

So, the first rational step here would be for everybody to calm the fuck down, but I don't really see that happening with the Trump administration so far, because they seem to be obsessed with doing as many radical changes as fast as they can, which keeps everyone emotionally charged and not thinking. And that Bannon guy has outright said he wants to burn the establishment.. I don't believe that this bunch is going to play by this rulebook of conceding flaws and acting in good faith. The best way I see out of this is nonviolent protests 10-20x the size of the women's march.

I'm not american, but the way things are going, it seems I might end up digging trenches somewhere in a couple of years. It seems that while the world is looking at the US, fighting in Ukraine has already gotten more intensive. You probably know the saying that for evil to triumph, the good men only need to do nothing. I hope there are good men in the US and I hope you get your administration under control soon.

[the watmm GAS thread]

I wanted to (and still want to) buy the Modulör114 desktop eurorack thing, however with Italy being struck with earthquakes, the local importer here has said that it might take a while for them to accept orders. I am using this time to reflect on whether I really do need a modular and what fun could I achieve with my current setup already. It doesn't help though that for the past few weeks I have rarely had the chance to sit down and do music.. instead I've been lurking here and Muffwiggler and all kinds of new hardware seem so exciting!

[Studio Pics]

This thread has been a great inspiration and now I finally have something to post in it.