Trump’s Empathy Series: Man, I am doing a lot of two and three parters recently. I guess I just got lots to say and want to keep the reading time to less than five minutes. See part 2 of this series that explains why Trump’s lack of empathy makes him dangerous.

So many people are scratching their asses, especially all the pundits on the TV, but also, many people on my Twitter feed and other social media sites, and wondering why Trump has put so many people at risk for #COVID19 by (1) taking his joy ride to relieve his boredom on Sunday, (2) leaving the hospital early because his campaign will certainly fail unless he does, (3) taking his mask off and immediately exposing his campaign’s media personnel to #COVID19 upon his arrival at the WH, and, now, (4) holding the #COVID19 stimulus bill negotiations hostage unless he is reelected.

It’s easy. He’s a NARCISSIST. He has no empathy. Without empathy, he cannot have concern or understanding of others beyond their service to his needs. He has no EMPATHY. It is that easy.

In today’s post, we’ll explain what empathy is, why the Ol’ Pussy Grabber is completely devoid of empathy, and why it makes him dangerous. Sounds like fun, right?

What’s Empathy?

EMPATHY is the cognitive process that allows us to understand another’s situation from their perspective. It is literally the old saw about walking a mile in another’s moccasins (from Where’d all the Empathy Go? The GOP & the AHCA). These feelings are beginnings of helping behaviors. You know, like when you read in your social media about someone who lost a close relative or loved one to #COVID19 and your heart breaks a little and you want to help somehow. You can see yourself in their situation. You know what it is like for them because you know what it would be like for you in that situation. You know, a basic human experience.

Simon Baron-Cohen (cousin of Sasha) proposes that empathy, like all emotions, waxes and wanes depending on the situation we find ourselves in. Empathy with others depends on several factors: your emotions at the time, your relationship with the other, the goals you have in the social situation (also from the same GOP & the AHCA post). One of the factors that affects empathy is whether or not you can see yourself in the other person, so the more that person is like you, the more likely you’re going to have empathy for them. But, when you can blame them for their situation, the less likely you’d have empathy for them. This point explains why the Repubes drive home poor PoC deserve it because they want handouts (lazy), but rural conservative Christian white voters do deserve it because they are white Christians. You can circumvent the natural empathy response if you can insert some nasty blame-the-victim line.

It also explains why so few have empathy for the Ol’ Pussy Grabber getting #COVID19 because he didn’t do what he orta to protect himself from it. But, what about the Ol’ Pussy Grabber, why don’t he have empathy?

Here at Ye Olde Blogge, we’ve written quite a bit about empathy, but mostly in the context of sexual assault and sexual harassment. Part of the reason that men harass and assault women is because in certain situations, the empathy that men feel will be diminished. Specifically, when alcohol is involved, a culture of sexually objectifying women, distorted beliefs about the likelihood of having sex in a given situation, not being found out, so being alone. There are many others. The equivalent factors exist in all situations when empathy fails us, for example, when MAGAs look at people wearing masks to prevent #COVID19 or facing eviction.

Trump’s Empathy

By definition, a narcissist has zero degrees of empathy for anyone and everyone else besides themselves. It is part and parcel of what makes a narcissist a narcissist. You can see it in his remarks upon returning to the White House from Walter Reed — that was just Tuesday evening, it seems like years ago. We’ll highlight some of the more egregious examples for you.

If you’re interested, here’s the video. You wouldn’t watch it regardless because buffering. That’s what you’ll tell me in the comments, but really, who wants to be involved in the Ol’ Pussy Grabber’s jactation fantasies? I know,”Ewwwww! Now, how will I get that image out of my head, you bastard!”

I learned so much about coronavirus: This is such a teaser. You think, he learned about just how tough it is to have #COVID19 and how much it takes to treat it. If he were to follow with something along those lines it would be an indication of empathy, that he didn’t, just shows how little empathy he has. The teaser made the disappointment and incredulity of what followed worse and turned it into a gut punch.

One thing’s that for certain: don’t let it dominate you. Don’t be afraid of it. You’re going to beat it: On it’s surface these lines are like the mindless mechanical repetition of You can do it! when elementary students are trying to encourage each other to do something difficult. It shows that he doesn’t realize how anyone having an experience like he just had would be dominated by it, afraid of it, and worry about beating it. It shows that after having just struggled with the virus, he doesn’t get how people worry about getting #COVID19 and what it will do to their lives. The news is full of stories of long haulers — people who suffer symptoms for months after recovering — and the 214,000+ real live dead Americans, so of course, people are worried about getting #COVID19, what #COVID19 might do to loved ones, and what #COVID19 is doing to the economy and the country. We’re not idiots. We know what’s it’s done to people and see what it’s doing to the country and economy. That the Ol’ Pussy Grabber doesn’t get any of that shows how little empathy he has. He only understands how our fear of #COVID19 and reticence of getting out there and putting ourselves at extraordinary risk affects him. Because he it is hurting his reelection possibilities, he has to downplay the virus as he told Bob Woodward.

The people who have died or been disabled and their families have been dominated by it and they haven’t beat it. It is a complete lack of empathy. It is our empathy, not only for those who have suffered from #COVID19 infections, which caused our stomach’s to lurch and turn when he said this stuff.

We have the best medical equipment. We have the best medicines: We do, but it is not evenly distributed. He’s part of the 1%. He lacks for nothing. He gets the best of everything. If you’re on Medicaid, you’re not going to get the best of anything. If you’re going to an overrun rural hospital, you’re not going to get much of anything. If you don’t have insurance, you won’t get anything. He has no understanding — empathy — of what people are going through. It is his lack of empathy that causes him to think that simply having the best medical equipment and medicines somewhere in the country helps the average person.

Now I’m better, and maybe I’m immune, I don’t know: Pure narcissistic jactation. He’s not immune. He’s infected. He’s trying to lay claim to some kind of superiority that the rest of us don’t have. Like he’s some kind of super hero, but he’s not. He’s just part of the 1% and can’t recognize his privilege. There is an inherent contradiction here. On the one hand, he’s saying, I beat it (he didn’t), and so can you! On the other, I’m a superhuman who beat #COVID19 in three days, aren’t I great? Both are completely devoid of empathy for anyone. He beat it with extra-ordinary help available only to someone who is in the 1%. And, the superiority of his being helped him survive, which by definition, no one else has access to.

Okay, his lack of empathy makes him a tone deaf ass, but does it make him dangerous? Really?

Trump’s Empathy Series: Okay, that is my explanation of empathy and some examples of Trump lacking empathy. Head on over to part 2 to find out why it makes him such a danger and not just as a superspreader!

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