'He will forgive the crook...but he will not forgive the people who made him feel dumb'

[kpete]

[Kid Berwyn]

1. Feeeeeeeelings.

Nothing more than… feeeeeeeelings.

[Tickle]

3. Trying to forget my... nt

[wryter2000]

23. As a Trump supporter once said

"F your feelings."

[COL Mustard]

45. Ever notice how they like to say that?

But if you say it back to them, they all of a sudden don’t like it anymore?

[wryter2000]

52. Yup

Snowflakes

[calimary]

56. I'm sorry, I couldn't help laughing!

And I can just visualize the croonmanship!

[Hortensis]

2. He knows his fellow conservatives. Not that we all aren't somewhat like that, but!

Bill Kristol quoted this prescient one from Frum: "If conservatives become convinced that they cannot win democratically, they will not abandon conservatism. They will reject democracy."

Unfortunately, on the whole RW voters have become convinced they must win all the time. An existential thing.

[SharonClark]

4. That's why the GQP tells its followers that the Libs/Dems/Elites/Cityfolk look down on them

and think they're dumb. The politics of resentment works for them.

[hadEnuf]

16. But they are dumb

and it's not our fault, so too effing bad. Let them stew in their own juices and treat them like the soiled little bastards they are.

[JHB]

5. The Bulwark: Where conservatives recycle what liberals have been saying for 15-30 years...

...and are applauded for their "sharp takes".

[spooky3]

11. Good one! Nt

[Hortensis]

17. :) True, but it's a return to what most had always been saying before

the right went extremist and they tried to retain influence by employing extremist tropes to keep at least relative moderation in the conversation. Didn't work.

There always has been a great deal of overlap between liberal and moderate conservative views in western society. Well before the last century "traditional" conservatism already deeply absorbed a great deal of what had once been considered new liberal ideas, beginning with outrageous ideas about individual rights and equality of all men, a natural evolution in a changing world.

And what do "Keep your damned gummint hands off my Social Security" and tRump's campaign promise to provide a national healthcare system cheaper and better than the ACA signify except deep RW commitment to the progressivism in government that hard-core conservative leaders always passionately opposed?

"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history.” — Dwight D. Eisenhower, avowed progressive conservative

We're in the "should" part of Eisenhower's prediction right now, of course.

[czarjak]

33. 40+ years! IT WAS ALL A LIE

[Farmer-Rick]

6. That's such a capitalist thing to think

You got conned. It is the person who conned you that is at fault. Not the victims fault. And yet we all think the victim is to blame for allowing it and being too stupid to identify the con.

But all of capitalism is one big con. The filthy rich cultivate this misplaced sense of responsibility. Without it, we would hold capitalist accountable for what they do, how they conned us and used our government to gain them wealth.

This misplaced anger at the person who warns them of the con feeds right into their manipulative ideology. Blaming the victim is the backbone of capitalism. Without it, the filthy rich would be held accountable for inflation, economic crashes, stock market fails and bubbles and not our federal government.

[paleotn]

12. It's common human behavior....

no matter what economic system you live in. Humans are not logical creatures much of the time. Thus....advertising!!!

Reminds me of a chat I had with a car salesman years ago when I was in a particularly snarky mood. "What will it take to get you in this new car?" Keys, title and I drive off for free? He was not amused.

[Farmer-Rick]

18. It's common human behavior to blame the victim?

To feel responsible for being conned? For hating the person who tells you, you are being conned? To forgive the criminal who conned you?


I think all those attitudes are carefully cultivated to allow the filthy rich to plunder our nation. There maybe a germ of those feelings already in us, once we develop socially awareness. But like the feeling to punch out an obnoxious person, it can be manipulated and controlled.

[soldierant]

42. Absolutely. And not just with regard to being conned.

Any time you correct someone's misinformation, on any subject, they will not be angry with their original source. They will be angry with you.

Far from being carefully cultivated, it reauires careful consideration and cultivation to take oneself out of that loop.

I have no idea what it could have been, but at some time, in some way, it must have had survival value.

[Farmer-Rick]

47. Hmm, do you have some links on this?

I wonder if it happens in more primitive societies too?

[soldierant]

53. I didn't, but they're easy to find -

https://www.nature.com/articles/s44159-021-00006-y
https://www.healing-with-eft.com/corrected.html
https://www.emersonhc.com/change-management/people-hard-wired-resist-change
https://www.entrepreneurshipinabox.com/223/factors-that-causes-resistance-to-organizational-change/
https://www.vedantu.com/commerce/resistance-to-change

That's from a cursory search on "resistance to change." As you can see, many are in the field of business organizations (money talks). But psychology has looked at it too. And it does appear to be hard wired. So yes, it occurs in "primitive" societies as well. But if this conflicts with existing beliefs, feel free to reject it. That's normal.

[Farmer-Rick]

54. Hehe ...I see what you did there.

Thanks for the links.

[soldierant]

55. -YVW. Glad it gave you a chiuckle.

[Ferrets are Cool]

7. Me: Oh well.

You can't fix stupid.

[paleotn]

9. So true. Ugh.

[TheBlackAdder]

30. And to get back at the people who made them feel dumb, they'll continue to support the crooks.

[Karadeniz]

10. So true !!!

[PatSeg]

13. Yep, sadly he is spot on

People really hate being a fool, but even more, they hate the person who tried to warn them. It is like rubbing salt in the wound. That is why close friends or relatives are often reluctant to tell someone that their spouse/partner is cheating on them. It can sever a relationship permanently.

[colorado_ufo]

20. Shooting the messenger.

It's an old, old story.

[PatSeg]

27. They are in shock and feel betrayed

It takes awhile before they can accept the fact that they were gullible. Sadly, they are bound to lash out in anger at someone, but unfortunately it often isn't at the person(s) responsible - the deceiver and themselves.

[mobeau69]

21. True, my maga daughter doesn't try to defend the proven crimes but is now in

the bothsiderism phase. Recently, she has been finding fault with me over trivial things from the past. Still, not once has she ever conceded that TFG did anything wrong.

I thought the truth being out would be a turning point to healing. Boy, was I wrong.

[wryter2000]

24. People like her cannot be reached

Sorry to say.

The hearings are to wake the rest of us up and get us all to vote.

[PatSeg]

25. In many instances, it actually makes it worse

Now they are verified fools and sadly you are a witness, hence a constant reminder of their embarrassment.

My father was very active in republican politics and was a huge Nixon supporter. He was crushed by Watergate and felt betrayed, but he rarely ever discussed politics after that and I didn't bring it up.

Often over time, the wounds will heal, but we can't expect it to happen quickly. Your daughter is getting used to the idea that she was used and deceived by someone she admired and trusted. I suppose it is lot like a divorce from a lying, cheating spouse.

[mobeau69]

31. The fact that there's 3 little grandchildren involved makes it especially difficult.

For the life of me, I cannot see how so many people can support such a vile person.

Oh well, such is life.

[PatSeg]

32. I can't either

In my mind very successful con artists were articulate, charismatic, and often good looking, plus they were convincing liars. I picture an Elmer Gantry or Harold Hill, NEVER a Donald Trump. I really try to see and hear what his supporters do and I still don't get it. That is really terrifying.

The young grandchildren really does make it difficult. Hopefully, you still get to see them.

[Wounded Bear]

14. That is why it is easier to fool someone than to convince them they have been fooled...

[Scrivener7]

15. A good PR company could figure out how to pound it into MAGA heads

how they have been conned so that the hatred hits the one who conned them.

Think Huey Long.

[patphil]

19. He didn't make him feel dumb!

He just pointed out that he was indeed quite dumb. Self awareness doesn't come easy to Trump Humpers.
It doesn't happen very often, but it's quite a shock when one of the Trump sheep look up.

[onecaliberal]

22. They're not just dumb, they're breathtakingly stupid.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

26. trump's attack on Pence & Pence's rejection of the "Con"

will be very influential to some in the radical "Christian" right. Pence (and his allies) speak their language, has shared experience, and is one of them. Cult members will listen to people they respect within their cult, and it may move many of them.

This morning at the Faith & Freedom conference in Nashville, trump verbally bashed Pence and was meet with tepid applause. Pence usually attends these conferences to great fanfare, but skipped it this year.

[Novara]

28. It's human nature ...

... and humans are egotistical motherfuckers.

People hate to be embarrassed and realizing they've been conned is embarrassing. And who taught them since 2016 to NEVER EVER admit they are wrong, but to double down instead? Yep, the same motherfucker who fooled them.

There's a virulent belligerence with these people and they can't be reached.

The idiot on the other side of the cubicle from me at work has been trying to bait me. She's got the idiotic Brandon bumpersticker on her car and computer screen wallpaper of George Washington giving Biden the middle finger, among other things. It all started when someone at work informed her I'm a rabid lefty. So, I've been watching the daytime hearings at work on my phone. Thursday I got the video up and the volume was turned up before I could get my headphones attached. She heard some of the hearing that was pretty damning (well, all of it is damning, TBH). She's been cold to me ever since. I just want to say, "fuck your feelings."

[SergeStorms]

29. We didn't MAKE them feel anything.

They ARE dumb.

If they can't admit that they were taken in by a con-man and thank us for TRYING to open their eyes, it's not our fault.

Blaming us for their rank stupidity is like blaming your car for crashing into a tree. You were the idiot that steered the car into the tree, but you're going to blame the car for not avoiding it?

Like Forrest Gump said, "stupid is as stupid does ".

[Wild blueberry]

40. Thank you. Was trying to say it and saw your post. Got it in one.

[sop]

34. Republicans have been forced to come to terms with their dumbness many times.

They're usually twenty to thirty years behind the curve on many important issues, it typically takes them years to catch up and move on. In ten years I suspect it will be difficult to find any Trump supporters.

[BWdem4life]

35. Firsthand experience with this...

Didn't exactly turn out that way. Instead, he adamantly refused to believe he had been conned. The deal had just "fallen through". He wouldn't believe me beforehand, and wouldn't believe me after the fact.

[Peregrine Took]

38. Me, too. A guy has work had fallen head over heels for some hot internet lover

who was dying to come to the states if only he'd send her the money. I warned him that it was a set up and he never spoke to me again.

[cloudboy07]

36. TDFG -----

TDFG--- 1/4 of billlion $$ ahead ! maga- felony charges , no bail for some, big fines , loss employment , no money , court, prison time , no more truck's , loss of gun's to play with ! what more could you ask for from a dictator ?

[Martin68]

37. Absolutely true. People do not want to believe they have fallen head over heels for a con. And then

they blame the messenger. One reason that it's so easy for a skilled swindler to keep people on the hook even after they should have seen the warning signs.

[enid602]

39. Christian Nationalists

That’s the way Christian Nationalists will feel after they’ve lost Medicare and Social Security.

[Skittles]

41. sadly correct

much like an addiction, there has to be a self-admission before any real awareness takes place

[BigmanPigman]

43. Is this sort of like, "don't shoot the messenger"?

[uponit7771]

49. yes but its a suggest pathological reason why humans might want to shoot the messenger vs...

... their adversary

[NCLefty]

44. Trump is the crook here, right? 🤪

[randr]

46. This is the dilemma we are facing

It is important to message that tfg has conned the nation.
He is still grifting.
People need to know that they were conned and their Emperor is now bare.
That is the message whether or not they blame us for their folly.

[uponit7771]

48. ummmmmmmm, something to ponder.

[ck4829]

50. K&R

[KY_EnviroGuy]

51. Where the fellow in Frum's example failed was in not forgiving him/herself.

After our pride and hubris finally collapse, forgiving ourself is far easier....

For far too many, that collapse never comes. An unfortunate byproduct of our survival instincts, I suppose.

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