12 August 2026

What is Particularly Intoxicating About Trump

Trump is racist and xenophobic. Why is that an intoxicating blend for so many Americans?

He was born a white American and that not only makes him superior but ... it is something that his supporters can identify with. And what makes it intoxicating is that he did absolutely nothing to accomplish either of those great accomplishments (being white and being born in the US). By extension, if you, too, managed to live through birth in these United States and you discovered that you, too, were White, you, too, have accomplished something great. And all before you even put forth any concerted effort. No weird math problems to solve. No poems or historical facts to memorize. No track and field medals to train and strain for. No foreign language to learn.

Now Trump has pulled off one more accomplishment that only a minority of his supporters have managed. He was born rich. So, he's even better than them and thus a worthy leader.

"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them," in the words of Shakespeare. Trump assures his supporters that they were born great. That's a hard idea to resist. 


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