I continue to propound the One Ring theory of Donald Trump. Everyone thinks they can manipulate him, use him as a weapon for their cause. There is a long string of dead bodies and twisted shells who can attest that this is not the case, the Precious will betray you - ThreadSky

proofofburden.bsky.social • 85 days ago

I continue to propound the One Ring theory of Donald Trump. Everyone thinks they can manipulate him, use him as a weapon for their cause. There is a long string of dead bodies and twisted shells who can attest that this is not the case, the Precious will betray you

Comments

lordturnip.bsky.social•85 days ago

I agree with this theory, which also suggests Trump needs to be hurled into a volcano.

maxim-dorky.bsky.social•85 days ago

I think it was @agraybee.bsky.social who said something similar re: Hitler - "People thought 'He's just a dog, we can control him.' Surprise! The dog is also rabid."

proofofburden.bsky.social•85 days ago

Also, what the fuck is in the water at MMFA?

g026r.leftblank.org•85 days ago

You might not be able to gaze for long into the abyss without the abyss gazing also into you, but not me. I'm built differently.

malraux.bsky.social•85 days ago

Continuing the LotR analogy, the people at MMFA have chosen to stare into the palantir (foxnews) on the assumption that they cannot be corrupted.

revan.social•85 days ago

fwordleproblems.bsky.social•85 days ago

Ha I think it's kinda in the DNA of that place. They're just Like That.

laurasaurus.bsky.social•85 days ago

I think very few people can consume rightwing propaganda all day every day and not have it warp their brains.

isomorphism.net•85 days ago

The thing is that he's so easily manipulated that anything you do doesn't stick and can be undone by the next person. He's got very little actual object permanence and only a couple of authentically held beliefs, which are all terrible.

nweininger.bsky.social•85 days ago

This is 100% the case for the techie right as far as I can tell from talking to them. They think they are going to make him into a Mechanical Turk version of Lee Kuan Yew, and that Jim O'Neill at HHS is somehow going to outweigh all the bad done by Bondi, Hegseth and the like.

acerbicotter.bsky.social•85 days ago

who's physically strong enough to carry him to Mt. Doom?

edgarallandoh.bsky.social•85 days ago

We've seen a regular sized eagle wanting no part of that, so the giant ones are out too.

proofofburden.bsky.social•85 days ago

Okay, but Manwë is shit, we know this!

pearlmania500.bsky.social•85 days ago

Your skeet just inspired me to make this:

tbbw1.bsky.social•85 days ago

He _is_ easily influenced, if you understand malignant narcissism.

The problem has been rational actors trying to reign in that malignancy have failed repeatedly.

But those encouraging or weaponizing it have generally succeeded. (See: Putin, McConnell, Miller, Gorka, Ronny Jackson, Wiesselberg.)

edgarallandoh.bsky.social•85 days ago

Well he does love power, so Putin et al do have a strong influence on him. But yeah, whim is the word. Of course part of that is the vast landscapes of his uninterest where orcs may roam freely.

fwordleproblems.bsky.social•85 days ago

This illusion works from a distance, too -- so many observers THINK Trump will be manipulated by whichever sinister figure in his orbit they are most frightened of/excited by. Whether that's Steve Bannon or Stephen Miller or JD Vance or Elon Musk. It never ends up working that way.

alexanotherone.bsky.social•85 days ago

Donald Trump thinks he is very small because he has less morality and adherence to social norms than other people, and he isn't smart, but he also always has less morality and adherence to social norms than other people

proofofburden.bsky.social•85 days ago

There is a short term effect here! Lots of people sway him for a time! Just an intense, "then what?" effect too

fwordleproblems.bsky.social•85 days ago

Yeah, he just gets bored. See my "cat" metaphor lol. He only REALLY cares if the story is about him. Or, like, racism. He gets into that.

fwordleproblems.bsky.social•85 days ago

And it pains me as (obviously) something of a cat person but it's true. They too ONLY have attention or intellect to spare for things involving their direct interests. And they too are casually racist about every other species.

sotsogm.bsky.social•85 days ago

He gets bored, and (still like a cat!) he gets annoyed: if he gets tired of you or figures out you're up to something that isn't going to obviously benefit him first or foremost, he's done with you.

I seriously don't think Musk is going to last past Spring.

fwordleproblems.bsky.social•85 days ago

Yeah, I don't see how he could. Trump has already been more-or-less audibly rolling his eyes about him.

fwordleproblems.bsky.social•85 days ago

My feeling is he can't be manipulated because you probably can't ever make YOUR narrative really sink into and stick in his brain. It's like manipulating a house cat.

golikehellmachine.com•85 days ago

sort of think both things are true, he’s easily manipulated into doing things the manipulator wants *and also* he inevitably, sure as the sun, ends up ruining them

convolutedname.bsky.social•85 days ago

Matt Gaetz withdrawal isn't even two weeks old!?!? We just got another example of "You just manipulated Trump, now what?"

lazear.bsky.social•85 days ago

Right. Like yes there is the short win, but long term most of his manipulators end up as the nazgul, not Sauron.

yendorcire.bsky.social•85 days ago

I think you two are talking about 2 different kinds of manipulation. He's talking about flattery. You're talking about puppeteering

suzannejarvie.bsky.social•85 days ago

I agree, but where are the hobbits who will quietly find their way to the fires of mount doom to cast back the ring. And he has more than one Saruman in his corner, and an endless supply of orks.

jll229jll.bsky.social•85 days ago

I think both things are true. Trump assumes the appearance of one who can be manipulated to get something of value he wants from his tool. As soon as his goal is accomplished he discards them and blames them.

edino.bsky.social•85 days ago

If I were andrew lawrence I would simply manipulate donald trump to get everything I want.

djdunclive.bsky.social•85 days ago

"He did the thing I wanted him to, that proves he works for me!"

-Guy about to be stabbed.

synshie.bsky.social•85 days ago

This perfectly captures why the Elves were so sick of humans and were ready to just leave Middle-Earth

“We’ve been dealing with this for literal ages. How do you still not grasp that The Ring Is Bad. Throw it into Mount Doom already FFS.”