An Age of Feral Nastiness

I had to quickly turn and grab for a piece of paper (my ability to remember quotes is horrible) because Bret Stephens from the NYT had thrown out a wild run of comments as he was taking part in a panel discussion. I was not fast enough. So I had to interrupt the flow of the recorded show and move back toward his comments. As is usually the case, I go back to far - but this was worth it. I have always appreciated the input Stephens has when he is brought onto a panel. I think I am correct in saying he was a Republican. He also strikes me as being someone who looks for truth and is willing to move from one stance to another by way of well-thought out analysis that does not pull punches. It was quite apparent, that in these years of Trump, using the past tense to describe his political leaning is a deliberate move by him - but not forevermore. I like that. Honest and moveable and acknowledging that he may move again.

Within the discussion they were having about the present climate in the country and the present occupant of the White House, he referred to the stuff coming from our President and others who follow him as feral nastiness. THAT was why I had to go back and hear it again. For me, it was a use of the English language that I always appreciate. It wasn't a glancing blow or a mere insult, it was a commentary on the character of the person who we have put into the oval office despite his long and unceasing ability to be nasty - yet, as Stephens comment suggests - he is nasty without any bit of class. Nastiness has its place. I appreciate nastiness because it makes me turn my head and wonder a bit about the origin of the comment and how the comment is being used. Most often, a nasty comment is biting - it is biting and yet carries a seed of truthfulness - it can be truthful with a twist, a bite, a laugh. The President lacks such an ability. His nastiness is biting in the way a feral animal bites - it knows no other way to exist because anything outside his own world view is seen as a threat.

I used to be content watching and listening to the President just as I would do the same to other people whose lives are a parade of narcissistic acts and reactions. I would wonder what could have possibly happened to him to make his actions so infantile - so fear filled - so lacking in self reflection that he is only able to attack. But now, with the introduction of a simple phrase like feral nastiness, I realize it is not merely his narcissistic tendencies that run his life and mouth. Rather, it is a deeper issue. He has been nurtured with a vision of a dog-eat-dog world that has no respect for anything other than that which feeds him or lets him possess whatever he wants or allows him to use anyone or anything for his own consumption. It is the way he appears to be with women and anyone who may appear to be a stumbling block to what he wants. His nastiness appears everyday. It is because it is not an act. It is the very character of the man. To use his own word, that's SAD. It really is.

Stephens also spoke of a juvenile self-pity. Again, it is so descriptive. Even in the position of being the most powerful person in the world, he unceasingly plays the role of victim.Therefore, he cannot stop tweeting about how everyone is picking on him - more than anyone else in history - falsely accused at a levels never seen before. The two descriptive phrases used by Stephens go together for when a person suffers from a sense that the person has been wronged and does that from being locked in the emotionally developmental position of a child - all we can expect is uncultivated and wild attacks like an uncontrollable beast. There is nothing creative that will come from such a power. Playground antics will rule the day. It fears the day because anything and everything becomes that at which an feral reaction is needed.     That doesn't mean the President cannot lead the country. It does mean that we must be vigilant in regard to how we are being led and what is the life into which we are being led. For eventually, such a leader will lead us into a cultural setting in which the society around us - including us - is unable to consider the welfare of all. It is then that we become the wild beasts who concur that some can be discarded - eaten up - used for the moment at hand - leaving behind destruction rather than redemptive creativity. I would end by offering a positive word about being nasty. I think we can be practitioners of creative nastiness. It is a nastiness (if you are bible reading person) of the great prophets - of Jesus - of Paul - of Mary Magdelene. It is the nastiness of social reformers and peaceable resisters and martyrs who are willing to be eaten by feral beasts in order to leave a message of hope and direction for those who must carry on beyond the days of feral nastiness.
TRRR