Republican: A synonym for Selfishness and Narcissism and Violence Synonym: a word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word or phrase in the same language; a person or thing so closely associated with a particular quality or idea that the mention of their name calls it to mind. Selfishness: the quality or condition of being selfish. Narcissism: selfishness, involving a sense of entitlement, a lack of empathy, and a need for admiration, as characterizing a personality type. I should also include Libertarian as a synonym for selfishness and narcissism. Violence: the unlawful exercise of physical force or intimidation by the exhibition of such force. Political Violence: Political violence is the deliberate use of
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Daniel Becker considers the following as important: Dana Milbank, Daniel Becker, Featured Stories, Journalism, Political Violence, politics, Republican Party, Savvy Style, Trumpism
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Republican: A synonym for Selfishness and Narcissism and Violence
Synonym: a word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word or phrase in the same language; a person or thing so closely associated with a particular quality or idea that the mention of their name calls it to mind.
Selfishness: the quality or condition of being selfish.
Narcissism: selfishness, involving a sense of entitlement, a lack of empathy, and a need for admiration, as characterizing a personality type.
I should also include Libertarian as a synonym for selfishness and narcissism.
Violence: the unlawful exercise of physical force or intimidation by the exhibition of such force.
Political Violence: Political violence is the deliberate use of power and force to achieve political goals (World Health Organization (WHO), 2002). As outlined by the World Health Organization (2002), political violence is characterized by both physical and psychological acts aimed at injuring or intimidating populations.
Savvy style: In politics, our journalists believe, it is better to be savvy than it is to be honest or correct on the facts. It’s better to be savvy than it is to be just, good, fair, decent, strictly lawful, civilized, sincere, thoughtful or humane. Savviness is what journalists admire in others. Savvy is what they themselves dearly wish to be. (And to be unsavvy is far worse than being wrong.)
For the past few days, there has been a meme within our national news about how violent the Republican party has become. It has been given a name by our news system: Trumpism. What goes along with this reporting is a rhetorical question of: What happened to the Republican Party? This sets up all sorts of questioning directions such as: Why are the Republican leaders not stepping up to speak out. Questions then followed by statements such as: They know this is not true. They know this is not good for the nation.
Granted, these questions and statements have been with us since Trump declared in 2015. What is different is the reality of the FBI and DOJ activity in the past week or so. Our news system has been hit by the proverbial Mack Truck. There is absolutely no way for our news system to “bothsides” the story. There is no way they can be “savvy” in their reporting of these events such that they appear untouched and not part of the story or problem. Even Fox News is showing signs of being hit by the Mack Truck as evident through some of the guests that have not lied to cover up what the actions of the FBI and DOJ mean for Trump et al.
At least I thought there was no way to bothsides this until an episode on MSNBC. It was an interview with Dana Milbank and his new book. I got to hear Reverend Al Sharpton qualifying the far right being geared toward destruction and not governing but stopping governing. Followed immediately with “…and on the left there has been the same fight but they’ve not overtaken the party.”Just wow!
Let me be clear, yes anyone can lie as to the reality of the FBI/DOJ actions and resulting effects but when Fox News is limiting the lying as a cover for what has happened it is pretty safe to say the Mack Truck broke through.
I’ve noticed that the topic of political violence has been elevated in the news. Again, the Mack Truck impact. There is no means of denying the fomenting of violent behavior and its use as a political tool. There is no means to deny the source of the fomenting of violence as a political tool. The reporting is finally broaching the harm violence as a political tool has created for the function of our social and government institutions. There is this paper from 2013: Political violence, collective functioning and health: A review of the literature.
The author notes: Findings from over 50 studies were analyzed and used to build a conceptual model demonstrating how political violence threatens three inter-related domains of functioning: individual functioning in relationship to their environment; community functioning and social fabric; and governmental functioning and delivery of services to populations.
The Mack Truck has arrived… but, it was empty. The full effect of a loaded Mack Truck hitting has not been experienced. The load that was missing: Historical perspective.
Historical perspective refers to understanding a subject in light of its earliest phases and subsequent evolution. This perspective differs from history because its object is to sharpen one’s vision of the present, not the past.
All of the discussion regarding the Republican use of political violence has been in the vacuum of the present: Trumpism. The memory and feelings we were left with from the Bush/Cheney era which lead to the “Hope” campaign and election of Obama has been wiped away through the style, the process of savvy journalism. Our “press” has been delivering the Mack truck empty.
I’m not interested in why the press has been delivering empty Mack trucks. There is plenty on the net regarding the subject. I am interested in what an empty Mack Truck looks like so that maybe the recipients of the empty truck will know what they are missing. You know, not getting the biggest bang for their buck. The M x V thing.
Funny that some operators have been trying to deliver the load. Blowing the horns, revving the diesels. I guess they just have not been driving the correct brand of truck.
To be continued…