Great piece, excellent proof points throughout. I see how his acolytes idolize him as an alpha male - but find it staggering given what a blubbering crybaby he is - not to mention the girdle, lifts, ladies’ watch, makeup, hair etc. as you and Noel point out!!!
But we do see him continually try to assert his dominance in his bizarro body language - that weird handshake war with Macron (and others), continually dusting Melania, circling Hillary like a shark in that debate, shoving the PM of Montenegro out of the way to have more room to puff his chest out at NATO…. Ugh I’m creeped out just thinking about all of it.
OMG, Greg, the hits just keep coming. I'm going to have to come down...and finish reading your piece...and do some thinking before I can comment. Incoming!
Ironically, Mussolini’s and Petacci’s bodies were strung up from girders of an under-construction ESSO service station. WWII began the global petrochemical industry, and its genesis might be symbolized in Mussolini’s death.
From Julius Caesar to Mu’ammar Gaddafi, it’s always the same. The “alpha male” isn’t, eventually. We see it in all primate societies, except possibly the bonobos. Certainly it’s that way among baboons—the Mitch McConnells of putrid reactionaries.
Jan 14, 2022·edited Jan 14, 2022Liked by Greg Olear
"...liberal men, progressive men, feminist men, bisexual men, gender-fluid men, trans men, gay men..." all friends and defenders of women. What a coinkydink!
Jan 14, 2022·edited Jan 14, 2022Liked by Greg Olear
Women fall into the strongman trap pretty regularly themselves. After all, we need protection for ourselves and our children. In the modern world, women and children seem to be more victimized than sheltered. I was lucky growing up. My Daddy was only 5'6", but he was an authentic strong man. Wrestling champion of Pennsylvania in his youth. A trained fighter. As my brother used to say, "The difference between a trained fighter and a street brawler is all the difference in the world." When Daddy landed in Cajun Dogpatch (south Louisiana), he didn't put up with no hillbilly shit. I had a menacing, titty-grabbing "uncle". (We called every adult male "uncle".) That stopped abruptly and (to me) mysteriously. Said brother recently explained why. Daddy went to this pedo and said, "If you ever touch one of my girls again, I'll cut your dick off." He meant it. And it wasn't the first time he'd had to do it. Cajun Dogpatch was a cesspool of sex pests. Cousins by the dozens. My humble daddy, son of a coal miner, was a real strong man. Downside is I wasn't asked on a single date all through high school. LOL
I don't imagine they have any idea that all this posturing is not only silly or "creepy", as Erin noted, but for many women, it is absolutely hilarious. When a strange wimp like Hawley pumps his fist, or a smarmy wimp like Gaetz swaggers into the SCIS, or a dimwitted Boebert poses in front of her guns, it comes across as pitiful attempts at play-acting, much like teenagers do when they are "trying on" various personas during their growing up years. If only these machismos and machismas realized what fools they make of themselves...but whatever they "see" reflected back from their audiences apparently is enough to persuade them to continue parading around naked.
There's an old saying that floated around when I was a youth - I can't remember the exact wording, but it went something like "those who have real wealth, do not flaunt it." It was used in those days to distinguish between what was called "old money" and the nouveau riche, who wore their money like a banner. I think that applies equally well here: those who are REAL men or REAL women (whatever that means - virility?) do not need to flaunt it. The person who comes to mind is the bike riding Biden whose respect for women is visible in his every interaction with Jill. I'd put Joe up any day against a diaper wearing dude with lifts who cannot even hold a glass of water with one of his tiny hands.
Ohhh…this was so great! I love Ben-Ghiat because she is so straightforward and her definitions of these “strongmen” is perfect. Thanks, Greg for doing the podcast with her and then transcribing it here.
Dictators are grown-up babies, grown-up toddlers. Crybabies in uniforms and suits. Dictators like Hitler (and the Hitler-wannabe Trump) usually have very permissive mothers, mothers who are doormats. So from early childhood they are used to getting away with everything. They carry that into public life.
My take on stereotypically male gender-identity imaging: they are stuck in the past. These people have invested their hearts and souls in maintaining the society of the past, which here has been males superior, whites superior, straights superior.
They will do anything to control society, including lie cheat and steal. Democracy, the law, and the rules of society and social behavior do not matter, especially if they can bend and coerce those rules into changing society to conform their way. Hence the culture wars, and controlling judicial placements, and controlling elections, and voter suppression to enhance the white vote, etc. etc.
The virility factor looks to me like the old male + straight stereotype. The Cowboys in old Westerns, for example. Straight males are the social paradigm of the past. The past, the Stone Age, is where these fossils are still imagining they are living. They are unable or unwilling to make the switch to an egalitarian society, whose hallmark is diversity and power sharing and equal voices for all racial, ethnic, and gender identities.
A dictator is generally an insecure, immature man trying to use force to maintain the old social order. They are weak. They rely on a society which favors them to prop themselves up. A society that puts males ahead of females gives a weak man something to lean on, because you have to be a strong man, a man with maturity and character, to succeed in a society where (straight) men do not have the advantage anymore.
Great piece, excellent proof points throughout. I see how his acolytes idolize him as an alpha male - but find it staggering given what a blubbering crybaby he is - not to mention the girdle, lifts, ladies’ watch, makeup, hair etc. as you and Noel point out!!!
But we do see him continually try to assert his dominance in his bizarro body language - that weird handshake war with Macron (and others), continually dusting Melania, circling Hillary like a shark in that debate, shoving the PM of Montenegro out of the way to have more room to puff his chest out at NATO…. Ugh I’m creeped out just thinking about all of it.
As MTG and Boebert illustrate, bullies can be either macho or not - there is a distinction between virility and bullying.
Great piece. Thank you both. And she's right. I can barely contain my lust when Trump is out there on stage dancing to YMCA ..jk... fascinating read.
OMG, Greg, the hits just keep coming. I'm going to have to come down...and finish reading your piece...and do some thinking before I can comment. Incoming!
I recommend castration . . .
Tyrants end the same.
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dc2l5R34V5k/Wr6FrzTAv8I/AAAAAAADEeI/rAdYmVCxjHYhIbJOO12-p5lzEXCE2D9AwCEwYBhgL/s1600/the-death-of-mussolini-and-clara-petacci-2.jpg
Ironically, Mussolini’s and Petacci’s bodies were strung up from girders of an under-construction ESSO service station. WWII began the global petrochemical industry, and its genesis might be symbolized in Mussolini’s death.
From Julius Caesar to Mu’ammar Gaddafi, it’s always the same. The “alpha male” isn’t, eventually. We see it in all primate societies, except possibly the bonobos. Certainly it’s that way among baboons—the Mitch McConnells of putrid reactionaries.
Provocative column. Thanks, Bud.
Good stuff here, tysm The name u searched for of the SEAL pardoned by djt is Chief Gallagher, a disgrace & dirty bastard
This is an old post on a related theme: http://algonquinonthebayou.blogspot.com/2013/03/girls-are-smarter-than-boys.html
"...liberal men, progressive men, feminist men, bisexual men, gender-fluid men, trans men, gay men..." all friends and defenders of women. What a coinkydink!
Ruth is teaching class at noon Central Time. Go to her Substack to register while you can.
Women fall into the strongman trap pretty regularly themselves. After all, we need protection for ourselves and our children. In the modern world, women and children seem to be more victimized than sheltered. I was lucky growing up. My Daddy was only 5'6", but he was an authentic strong man. Wrestling champion of Pennsylvania in his youth. A trained fighter. As my brother used to say, "The difference between a trained fighter and a street brawler is all the difference in the world." When Daddy landed in Cajun Dogpatch (south Louisiana), he didn't put up with no hillbilly shit. I had a menacing, titty-grabbing "uncle". (We called every adult male "uncle".) That stopped abruptly and (to me) mysteriously. Said brother recently explained why. Daddy went to this pedo and said, "If you ever touch one of my girls again, I'll cut your dick off." He meant it. And it wasn't the first time he'd had to do it. Cajun Dogpatch was a cesspool of sex pests. Cousins by the dozens. My humble daddy, son of a coal miner, was a real strong man. Downside is I wasn't asked on a single date all through high school. LOL
I don't imagine they have any idea that all this posturing is not only silly or "creepy", as Erin noted, but for many women, it is absolutely hilarious. When a strange wimp like Hawley pumps his fist, or a smarmy wimp like Gaetz swaggers into the SCIS, or a dimwitted Boebert poses in front of her guns, it comes across as pitiful attempts at play-acting, much like teenagers do when they are "trying on" various personas during their growing up years. If only these machismos and machismas realized what fools they make of themselves...but whatever they "see" reflected back from their audiences apparently is enough to persuade them to continue parading around naked.
There's an old saying that floated around when I was a youth - I can't remember the exact wording, but it went something like "those who have real wealth, do not flaunt it." It was used in those days to distinguish between what was called "old money" and the nouveau riche, who wore their money like a banner. I think that applies equally well here: those who are REAL men or REAL women (whatever that means - virility?) do not need to flaunt it. The person who comes to mind is the bike riding Biden whose respect for women is visible in his every interaction with Jill. I'd put Joe up any day against a diaper wearing dude with lifts who cannot even hold a glass of water with one of his tiny hands.
Trumpturd fits in as a cheap imitation "strong" man -
#MangoWanker #Turdking Mobster
#GOPtraitors against humanity
#MurdochWanker
#PutinIsDancing
Ohhh…this was so great! I love Ben-Ghiat because she is so straightforward and her definitions of these “strongmen” is perfect. Thanks, Greg for doing the podcast with her and then transcribing it here.
Dictators are grown-up babies, grown-up toddlers. Crybabies in uniforms and suits. Dictators like Hitler (and the Hitler-wannabe Trump) usually have very permissive mothers, mothers who are doormats. So from early childhood they are used to getting away with everything. They carry that into public life.
My take on stereotypically male gender-identity imaging: they are stuck in the past. These people have invested their hearts and souls in maintaining the society of the past, which here has been males superior, whites superior, straights superior.
They will do anything to control society, including lie cheat and steal. Democracy, the law, and the rules of society and social behavior do not matter, especially if they can bend and coerce those rules into changing society to conform their way. Hence the culture wars, and controlling judicial placements, and controlling elections, and voter suppression to enhance the white vote, etc. etc.
The virility factor looks to me like the old male + straight stereotype. The Cowboys in old Westerns, for example. Straight males are the social paradigm of the past. The past, the Stone Age, is where these fossils are still imagining they are living. They are unable or unwilling to make the switch to an egalitarian society, whose hallmark is diversity and power sharing and equal voices for all racial, ethnic, and gender identities.
A dictator is generally an insecure, immature man trying to use force to maintain the old social order. They are weak. They rely on a society which favors them to prop themselves up. A society that puts males ahead of females gives a weak man something to lean on, because you have to be a strong man, a man with maturity and character, to succeed in a society where (straight) men do not have the advantage anymore.
Chump as a virile man is the biggest joke on America. I laughed but the fools voted. How sad and pathetic we are