Thursday, October 1, 2020

The Pathology of Privilege: Trump as Once or Future King - Brenda Peterson in Tikkun

This election is about what we will make of ourselves - and for our children. How will growing up in this amoral universe of the pathologically privileged Trump continue to shape them?

For now, our country has a boy-king of inherited wealth who was not raised to care about others, unless they serve his needs. A pathologically privileged president who recognizes no laws or boundaries to his will or wants. A man who sees the presidency as a brand and government as a family franchise. 

Trump’s obsequious high court in the Senate continues to co-enable the ruthless, rich-kid king.

Ridicule, racism, denial, high-handed indifference to any suffering but one’s own — these are the now very visible scars of privilege.

Wealth is not health. It is a great illusion. Wealth, like power and fame, is transitory. It is a momentary buffer against the ultimate limit—mortality. 

Every day our country is recognizing this as the tragic pandemic death toll rises - and we discover that our president has long publicly denied this “plague” was upon us. Because of his denial and disbelief, we are now a privileged nation that leads the world in pandemic deaths.

This election is about what we will make of ourselves - and for our children. How will growing up in this amoral universeof the pathologically privileged Trump continue to shape them?

The full article is available here