The ascension of Donald Trump to what looks like is going to be Republican contender for President is starting to feel a little "dystopia novel"?
And, I mean, I know in political writing people often make (bad) comparisons to 1984, but I also think all of the usual rules of Internet discourse should be re-thought in light of the being that is Donald Trump.
The Republican Party has created this monster though years of feeding into people's anger, racism, sexism, selfishness, mean-spiritedness, and general xenophobia. That Trump exhibits all of these traits is no surprise. His supporters love him not in spite of these attributes, but precisely because of them.
While Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders both engage in the act of "caring what various diverse constituents think about their positions," Trump seems to be playing a game of what he can get away with and still obtain widespread jerk support. His sexist remarks are commonplace. His "foreign policy" is absurdly macho and cartoonish. He has mocked a reporter with a disability. He's joked about being able to shoot someone and still get votes.
At this point, Donald Trump could literally say, "Starting in 2016, as punishment for political correctness gone too far, one boy and one girl will be chosen in a reaping ceremony each year and then taken to an arena to fight to the death for everyone else's entertainment." And, Trump's supporters would shrug and vote for him anyway. For a not insignificant portion of them, such a measure would just prove what a badass alpha he is.
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