For eight years now, Trump has promised to either make America great again (MAGA) or keep America great (KAG). But how does he, and how do we, define greatness?
Given Trump's latest series of brain farts about tariffs and deportations alongside his Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, it looks like making us great again means plunging the country, and likely the world, into a dystopian economic disaster benefitting, at least temporarily, the billionaire class, the world's despots, and Trump personally. Will he successfully blame Obama when his MAGA horde finds themselves penniless, homeless sick and starving because Trump's policies have put inflation on overdrive and caused food shortages?
One major aspect of Trump's variety of "great" appeared yesterday in the news. Apparently believing it now has a mandate from Trump voters, courtesy of a shove from loud, crass, white-male activist Robby Starbuck, one of our country's largest employers, Walmart, has proudly ended its DEI efforts. To do my part, I email, letting Walmart know that I'll shop elsewhere and sell my WMT shares. Of course, Trump does surround himself with women, apparently as long as he deems them sufficiently butt-kissing, compliant, and attractive to populate his harem. The rest of womenkind -- MAGA voters included -- can just bleed to death waiting for medical care.
But protesting misogyny can be seen clearly here as a lost cause when in all of today's review of great Americans, from a college president to dignified occupations--carpenter (he), mason (his), boatman, shoemaker (he), and more--to great writers--Wadsworth, Longfellow, Emerson, Poe, etc.--and great statesmen--Lincoln, Franklin, and all U.S. Presidents, et al--other than a "girl" and two faceless possessions--wife and mother--only one woman--Emily Dickinson--is named among our nation's greats. To that proud history and MAGA-renewed promise of U.S. male supremacy, Trump and the Walmarts would surely raise their super-sized, ketchup-stained, American Cokes and cheer!
I am also a lover of words. It was brought to my attention recently that if you add the word “red” to the word “hat”, you get “hatred”. That’s what the “great” in make America great again means to me.
MAGA is the great con. All of us may struggle with meaning but Trump exploits the discomfort of "not knowing" and convinces the gullible that only he can provide relief.
It's easy to tell people what they want to hear and not challenge them to look inside themselves.
Also, "greatness" without humility is no greatness at all.
I may be missing the point, but it's my understanding that Trump copied Hitler's promise to make Germany great again by substituting "Germany" for "America." Mussolini also promised that Italy would be great under his regime. The majority of voters bought the line and voted in Nazism and fascism...just like that. Voters in America followed suit on November 5, 2024. Great, as in "You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain...You broke my will but what a thrill; goodness gracious, Great Balls of Fire!"
There’s a certain evil genius in attaching a political movement to a concept so subjective and emotionally charged as greatness. From our childish need to idolize to our aging memories’ nostalgia for a past that feels better than it actually did at the time, greatness, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Greatness is always just out of reach, but MAGA has managed to hitch its wagon to a star that all of our aspirations resonate with.
How brave of you, Paul Zolbrod, to respond to chump’s trite and pathetically obvious blather with soaring words of learned men. All of his blather is directed toward those who have zero interest in libraries, humanities, soaring prose/poetry, or even reason. The amygdala is the target, fear and hate are the emotions triggered, as well as the greed and power inclinations of others. Seems that libraries and education are to be targets of P2025. Better hurry folks.
When a great (quantitative) number of people do great (qualitative) things meaning helpful, honest things to improve the less fortunate's lot in life, then America becomes great. Otherwise as is today, we are minor in stature and simply a modest, at best, country with no leadership whatsoever and great is a euphemism for something much less so
It’s TUESDAY🎉
Given Trump's latest series of brain farts about tariffs and deportations alongside his Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, it looks like making us great again means plunging the country, and likely the world, into a dystopian economic disaster benefitting, at least temporarily, the billionaire class, the world's despots, and Trump personally. Will he successfully blame Obama when his MAGA horde finds themselves penniless, homeless sick and starving because Trump's policies have put inflation on overdrive and caused food shortages?
One major aspect of Trump's variety of "great" appeared yesterday in the news. Apparently believing it now has a mandate from Trump voters, courtesy of a shove from loud, crass, white-male activist Robby Starbuck, one of our country's largest employers, Walmart, has proudly ended its DEI efforts. To do my part, I email, letting Walmart know that I'll shop elsewhere and sell my WMT shares. Of course, Trump does surround himself with women, apparently as long as he deems them sufficiently butt-kissing, compliant, and attractive to populate his harem. The rest of womenkind -- MAGA voters included -- can just bleed to death waiting for medical care.
But protesting misogyny can be seen clearly here as a lost cause when in all of today's review of great Americans, from a college president to dignified occupations--carpenter (he), mason (his), boatman, shoemaker (he), and more--to great writers--Wadsworth, Longfellow, Emerson, Poe, etc.--and great statesmen--Lincoln, Franklin, and all U.S. Presidents, et al--other than a "girl" and two faceless possessions--wife and mother--only one woman--Emily Dickinson--is named among our nation's greats. To that proud history and MAGA-renewed promise of U.S. male supremacy, Trump and the Walmarts would surely raise their super-sized, ketchup-stained, American Cokes and cheer!
I am also a lover of words. It was brought to my attention recently that if you add the word “red” to the word “hat”, you get “hatred”. That’s what the “great” in make America great again means to me.
The root of all evil, me thinks
MAGA is the great con. All of us may struggle with meaning but Trump exploits the discomfort of "not knowing" and convinces the gullible that only he can provide relief.
It's easy to tell people what they want to hear and not challenge them to look inside themselves.
Also, "greatness" without humility is no greatness at all.
Also, great post!
I may be missing the point, but it's my understanding that Trump copied Hitler's promise to make Germany great again by substituting "Germany" for "America." Mussolini also promised that Italy would be great under his regime. The majority of voters bought the line and voted in Nazism and fascism...just like that. Voters in America followed suit on November 5, 2024. Great, as in "You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain...You broke my will but what a thrill; goodness gracious, Great Balls of Fire!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMwq_D-DWsU&t=31s
There’s a certain evil genius in attaching a political movement to a concept so subjective and emotionally charged as greatness. From our childish need to idolize to our aging memories’ nostalgia for a past that feels better than it actually did at the time, greatness, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Greatness is always just out of reach, but MAGA has managed to hitch its wagon to a star that all of our aspirations resonate with.
His blather is on a grade school level, well, maybe jr high bully. I kept thinking that we weren’t that stupid, wish I had been right…
There is no better way to bastardize a word than to have it come from D. Trump’s pie hole.
How brave of you, Paul Zolbrod, to respond to chump’s trite and pathetically obvious blather with soaring words of learned men. All of his blather is directed toward those who have zero interest in libraries, humanities, soaring prose/poetry, or even reason. The amygdala is the target, fear and hate are the emotions triggered, as well as the greed and power inclinations of others. Seems that libraries and education are to be targets of P2025. Better hurry folks.
When a great (quantitative) number of people do great (qualitative) things meaning helpful, honest things to improve the less fortunate's lot in life, then America becomes great. Otherwise as is today, we are minor in stature and simply a modest, at best, country with no leadership whatsoever and great is a euphemism for something much less so