Poor, Poor Pitiful US(A)

Demagogues have been the subjects of contempt since ancient times.  But as worthy as they are of disdain, and as able as they may be in persuading those who follow them, we shouldn't neglect to note that those that do are themselves pitiful creatures at best, and despicable at their worst.

Consider the reaction of the myrmidons and lackeys of the most prominent demagogue of our times to his recent conviction after a long jury trial.  His own reaction is predictably self-pitying, whiny and hyperbolic, so dully repetitive in its wild and baseless claims that it can't even qualify as outrageous, and is more rightly considered monotonous.  Their reaction, though is staggeringly craven, imbecilic, malicious and irresponsible.

Base self-interest may motivate the miserable politicians and media personalities who "assume the position" whenever he's near them and repeat his claims slavishly.  They're shameless in their pandering, even to the point of dressing as he does as we've seen--blue suits, white shirts, red ties (and of course brown noses).  They resemble the small duplicates Snow Miser and Heat Miser from The Year Without a Santa Claus. One would think that if they had any responsibility and intelligence they'd recognize their condemnation of the entire justice system can undermine our system of government, or even if they're entirely self-interested they'd at least know that in other circumstances such a view could endanger themselves.  Those whose worship of him isn't founded on self-interest and greed combined with cowardice, though, are more disturbing and alarming.

It's difficult to understand their fascination with someone who is so completely a fraud and lacking in charisma (unless a caricature of a used car salesman can be said to be charismatic).  How is it that they believe whatever he says, regardless of the fact that he never provides evidence in support of his claims?  How can they have become so invested in someone who is so self-absorbed, who considers only his own interests to the exclusion of others, as to call those who oppose him traitors?  Are they so gullible...so stupid...as to associate him with the good of the country?

It's been noted already by many that his followers resemble cult members.  I'm unfamiliar with the psychology of such people.  I would think they must be fearful, ignorant, needy, angry, irrational, easily led and dread the need to think, but beyond that I can't guess what manner of phobias or neuroses plague them.  But like the followers of such as the Reverend Jim Jones, David Koresh, Charles Manson and the fellow who was the leader of the Heaven's Gate cult (I can't remember his name) they present a danger to themselves and others.  

I don't know whether a cult in that sense exists in this case, but unthinking adherence to a sociopathic individual is perilous.  

We get the president we deserve, I think.  We get the government we deserve.  If we now think an autocracy of sorts is desirable, we're going to get it.  It would be a sad end to a remarkable nation created by remarkable men and women, though; a truly experimental effort to create a government that would secure most civil liberties and yet function in a manner as to dominate the world in many respects for many years.  Now it appears that most of us want to be dominated by someone else.  Not another nation, of course, but to be dominated by someone we're eager to worship.