Once again, a fundamental reason why so many academics despise Trump, Vance, Musk & company is that we’ve all had our share of The Guy Who Didn’t Do The Reading But Demands to Be Heard
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As an undergrad, I had a very tough polsci professor who flat out announced on day one of every section, “do not engage in the discussion if you haven’t done the reading.” I think a small % of final grade was participation. I always thought he was such a hard ass. Nope. He was great.
One time a professor told me that the guy who didn't do the reading is often the guy who CAN'T do the reading. They needed help in 2nd and 3rd grade but never got it. Whenever somebody compares Trump to that guy, I always think of this, because it's probably accurate.
So my mother was like Trump. I used to think that they had some sort of learning disability that wasn't addressed, but now I think differently. Now I think the narcissistic personality disorder makes it so they have no interest in anything. It's not that they can't, they don't, won't. Don't engage.
And it starts so young. My daughter once described a classmate in high school who constantly demanded attention but never actually knew what he was talking about. "You are witnessing a Mediocre White Man in the making" was my reply.
Donald Trump answers every question like the lazy, dull boy who didn't read the book, but is asked to stand up and give the book report. It's all vague, wildly irrelevant nonsense.
He's 78 years old and has gotten away with it his whole life. Making stuff up, and when you're called out on it, doubling down. How many opportunities have there been for someone to stand up and do the right thing, but they cowered instead?
🍒 I don't know about "right thing", but evidently someone once held a knife to his throat because he owed them money. He listened then. If the other person is bound to an expectation of civility or whatever, forget it. It's pathetic.
And even if they did do the reading, they showed up late to class late & wasted everyone's time asking the same questions that were already answered previous to their arrival.
Yeah but in this scenario you’re still a professor with power. These men are horrible because their existence mocks anyone who has made a serious investment in skills and expertise in hopes of doing some good. Scientific discovery, public service, civil rights. That’s the kicker for me.
My wife and I both taught high school for over 40 years. Watching Trump on TV, we often share a glance that says, "Oh, damn! I've had this jackass in class! Why do the worst kids make it to the top after scamming their way to a diploma?"
You already know the answer. Mums and Dadums had money, and the people vetting the job candidates are just as dumb as the candidates, but like the candidates, the failed upwards.
I worked at a large brokerage firm. There was always a mediocre white man (or two) who was on the project team, did nothing, contributed nothing, but showed up when the award or accolades where passed out! It’s INFURIATING!!
This just brought back a memory I’d forgotten. The time I marched into Prof Harry Edwards’ office as a naive freshman who hadn’t done the reading to argue about stuff he’d said in class. He gave me such a brutal talking to I never did that again. Just realized how influential that lesson was on me
So true. Similar to the guy who asks the question so he can answer it. There’s one in every crowd. Usually an old white guy trying to one up the speaker.
I had an old guy in my training course I dubbed "the professor."
"Can I ask a hypothetical question?" trying to derail the lesson, so he could hear himself talk.
Me: "No. Moving on."
I see a similar phenomenon in churches, where a member is called up to lead prayer, only for it to become a second sermon. Every sentence begins and ends with “Father” or “Lord,” as though they’re worried God checked out and went back to playing Candy Crush.
Okay but I was 17 and told to read Vision of the Anointed in my comparative politics and all I did was completely make up what I thought it was about. It was 1997!
I had an amazing History of Welfare class in college that the Prof had been teaching for *35 years* but in my class (as in every one apparently) there were one or two wingnut YCT trolls who just took the class to abuse the professor and ask him the same bullshit fascist propaganda questions
He handled them with aplomb and honestly tried to teach them something but many of us wanted to bounce them out of the class on their smug Ron Paulbot heads
Seriously! Aside from the maliciousness of his policies, he always sounds like the stupidest kid in the class who's bs'ing his way through an answer to a topic that he never bothered studying, and he thinks we’re all too stupid to notice.
Correct.
And the other reason is because he doesn't have interest in anything.
He's only interested in himself, & topics/events that have to do with him DIRECTLY.
He's not interested in art or history. Nothing.
As a result of avoiding reading anything EVER, he is much dumber than normal person.
As well as our share of the bully who doesn't like academics because they're smart, and who relies heavily on a Dunning-Krüger style total reliance on negligence and ignorance as his pillars of support for any claims he makes or actions he takes. To wit, Trump's "I feel it in my gut" methodology.
The tricks are also recognizable which is why for example that Peter Thiel op-ed was so instantly repellent with its vocabulary and faux-style-guide italics.
I smile, recalling a very formal UVA faculty colleague offering her evaluation of one of our second-year grad students, sputtering, "why, he's nothing but a bull shooter!"
You don’t have to have taught them. It’s equally disturbing to sit in class with them as a fellow student. A prof at least has the power to shut them down, like a Senator in the hearings. A fellow student, can only watch impotently hoping the situation will be dealt with swiftly and definitively.
My university Holocaust Literature class (taught by a German professor) explaining how Nazi salutes are treated in his homeland. That Guy raises his hand, “Can I at devil’s advocate for a moment?” Prof: “No.”
You are speaking truth to what Karen Hunter made abundantly clear to a caller on her show!! I love when I see shared ideas. @karenhunter.bsky.social https://youtu.be/m0likg3w8Q8?si=E_P1-Q1aKzZY5qh3
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These sociopaths are dysfunctional at best.
so he isn’t interested in facts.
His life is a web of a million lies.
But Trump is also stupid so he may not be capable of reading anything beyond 6th grade level in crayon.
People like this believe that all the stuff WE do & engage in is a waste of time.
They can't relate to our admiration of people, or our curiosity.
https://youtube.com/shorts/v_zaeohJuCQ?si=Pvaofzio3XuJz8ZH
https://bsky.app/profile/kevinmkruse.bsky.social/post/3lgysvu2tv22b
His supporters are wrong.
But most other people are too, especially Republican elected officials & the media.
https://reductress.com/post/wow-this-man-is-super-wrong-but-also-very-loud-so-who-knows/
"Can I ask a hypothetical question?" trying to derail the lesson, so he could hear himself talk.
Me: "No. Moving on."
And the other reason is because he doesn't have interest in anything.
He's only interested in himself, & topics/events that have to do with him DIRECTLY.
He's not interested in art or history. Nothing.
As a result of avoiding reading anything EVER, he is much dumber than normal person.
Could be said of all of those clowns.
The source? The Zimmerman Telegram