“My achievement is to have taken an issue that was considered to be completely wrong, perhaps even immoral, and help to turn it into a mainstream view in British politics.” (Nigel Farage)
I read this today. And re-read it. And then I read it again.
That sentence really stopped me in my tracks.
He can say that. During a public event. And we don’t hear it? I mean, HEAR it?
“My achievement“…
But no. We see Farage happen. And we see Trump happen. And we see thousands and thousands of people choosing to cast their votes for these two men, for their lack of morals and for the absence of conscience. And whether or not Trump wins, and God help us if he does, how did he get to where he is?
“A psychopath doesn’t have a conscience. If he lies to you so he can steal your money, he won’t feel any moral qualms, though he may pretend to. He may observe others and then act the way they do so he’s not “found out” […].
A sociopath typically has a conscience, but it’s weak. He may know that taking your money is wrong, and he might feel some guilt or remorse, but that won’t stop his behavior.
Both lack empathy, the ability to stand in someone else’s shoes and understand how they feel. But a psychopath has less regard for others […]. Someone with this personality type sees others as objects he can use for his own benefit.” (source)
Sounds familiar?
Trump actually does not seem to know the difference between moral and immoral, right and wrong. He does not seem to understand that it is wrong to sexually assault women. He seems to have no sense of doing anything wrong when he defrauds money, or lies about having lied about lies.
Farage seems to see that there is perhaps a difference between moral and immoral, but chooses what is considered immoral – because he doesn’t care, really. He encourages others to do the same. And considers making the immoral acceptable to the majority his ‘achievement’.
“It’s not easy to spot a psychopath. They can be intelligent, charming, and good at mimicking emotions. They may pretend to be interested in you, but in reality, they probably don’t care.
“They’re skilled actors whose sole mission is to manipulate people for personal gain” […].
Sociopaths are less able to play along. They make it plain that they’re not interested in anyone but themselves. They often blame others and have excuses for their behavior.” (source)
I’m really not the first person to make this connection, definitely not for Trump. The lacking sense of morals in what they are both doing is mind-blowing. Neither of them cares at all about what is right and wrong at a level of basic human decency. They seem to operate completely apart from anyone else’s value system. (Or is that just me?)
Why is that?
Why are they able to do that, with millions of people around them, who, you might assume, may have a sense of morals or responsibility or basic human empathy, and would therefore, in theory, be easily able to ensure that Trump’s and Farage’s moral incapacity to lead is recognised, so that healthy and responsible leadership will be restored?
Why does the conscience of thousands not outweigh the lacking conscience of two, and perhaps a few equally incapacitated followers?
Are we really living in societies in which the majority has such a total lack of moral feeling that they will accept leaders like these?
Should there not be an outcry of common decency against these two?
The 1930s comparisons are beginning to become repetitive, just like the revelations of criminal behaviour by Trump. Do we feel either of these? Comparisons are being made, but we all seem to stand and stare at this train rumbling directly towards us, too hypnotised by the hype and noise of it perhaps to be outraged?
Are we all waiting to reach a bottom-of-the-pit sort of low point of this particular episode of “Human Beings Fucking Up”? Because once we’re there, things must get better again, surely? Without our doing?
And whose responsibility will it all have been, in the end?
Whose responsibility is it now?
One Blessed Fool's Way to Happiness 