Abandoning all common sense

Over the last couple of months, two questions have bothered me. First: What sort of low-life provocateur would repeatedly spread vicious lies in order to encourage his followers to hate and despise other people? He fans the flames of ignorance and inspires misguided anger by raging against his supposed enemies (meaning people who do not agree with him, nor pretend to like him) with inaccurate, deceitful and often contradictory labels like socialists, communists, Marxists and fascists. These are red meat words calculated to lead people to misguided anger, thuggery and violence for no valid reason.

I think I know the answer to the first question, as I’ve watched that same vengeful, insecure, narcissist act this way most of his adult life, especially since 2015, demeaning and insulting anyone who is not a rich, white male who agrees with him.

The second question is more of a puzzler: What sort of person would admire, support, condone and vote for this preening, cruel, immoral racist who lies as easily as he breathes? When caught in a lie, he shows no humility. Instead, he repeats the lie, and then blames everyone else for actions that for any normal person would be a source of shame. The answer to the second question eludes me. I’ve socialized with these people on good terms, and their reasons for abandoning all common sense and all decent impulses remain a complete mystery to me.


– Rhys Schrock, Durango