I hesitated to leave the following comment, however, it is so in keeping with the analysis and portrait that Thom gives and paints, that I decided to proceed.
I grew up in Oakland Gardens, Queens, about a 10 minute drive from Jamaica Estates.
In the late '50s/early '60s, for whatever reason, Donald Trump's mother decided to get her hair "done" at a beauty parlor owned and staffed by an Italian family near the corner of Springfield and Horace Harding Blvds. My mother patronized the same parlor.
Apparently, they used to sit beside one another under those huge hair thingees and chat. I only learned about these encounters once the Trump name started to be plastered all over buildings in and around Queens, NY.
My mother was Irish and Swedish. And I had the same first name as Mrs. Trump's second son, so conversations were frequent.
My mother was told that daddy Trump was Swedish, not German. Understandable, I guess, given we were only 15 years separated from the Second World War. The two things I recall from my mother's infrequent comments were that Mrs. Trump told her that: One, the Jews controlled the real estate business in New York City -- especially Manhattan; and, two, that her husband was black-balled from getting into it.
She told my mother that due to this snub. the family was driven to put the Trump name on everything they owned... Which, as we know, is what came to be.
I know that Donald T. was shunned by higher society in Manhattan even after he became "successful". His daughter studied ballet at Lincoln Center at the same time my daughter did. I recall seeing with my own eyes that the big name families who were also contributing large sums to the Ballet completely shunned him.
We -- a whole nation -- are now suffering for DT's years of humiliation by the "quality" folks in New York City: A humiliation that only adds to his twisted mission.
I met DJ Trump in October of 1988 when I was staying at Trump Tower while attending the wedding of a German friend downtown. I pulled into the underground garage about 2AM. While I was waiting for the valet, I got into the back seat to gather some stuff to take up to my room. I noticed a light blue Rolls pull in behind me and noticed it was celebrity Trump.
While digging for my papers, a voice behind me said: "So, what do you think of the car?" Without even turning around, I replied, "What's not to like about a Rolls?" He rejoined, "No, I mean your car. This is one of those new Rover sedans, right?" Trump wanted to talk guy-talk at two in the morning. After about 15 minutes of very boring small talk, I looked over and saw Ivana standing by Trump's car looking annoyed. I suggested that he might want to turn in for the night, and luckily, he broke off the chat.
At 41, Trump and I were about the same age. I was already an established organizational psychologist and was aware of Trump due to his frequent mention in the MSM and TV cameos. He did not impress me as an executive typical of my clients in major corporations, admirals, or federal agency heads. I concluded that real estate tycoons must operate in different ways. Our encounter was more like a couple of frat boys over beers. I was relieved that Ivana enabled me to get to bed before daylight. Even today, Trump seems to thrive on idle chit-chat as he rambles on and on.
Read a description of "class" as in classy. An indication was the old money and people with class make sure their monogram on their cuff or bathrobe is small.
Can't buy it, but you can bet the TRumps tried to. Really good story, thanks for the share, Donald.
Yeah, I was reading through the article and suddenly it struck me what much of Trump's issues arise from: the man is nouveau riche to the core. He longs for acceptance by "old money" and has hoped that either wealth or power might earn him his Golden Ticket. Failing that, his impeccable sense of culture — you know, golden toilets or 90,000 square foot ballrooms, should do the trick. Or, or... Maybe taking over the Kennedy Center should. Shouldn't it?
The poor fuck is never going to be accepted, something I think deep down in the inner recesses of his slop-filled brain he realizes will never happen. He is so hungry for approval and acceptance — and I guess has been for his entire life — that he lays himself wide-open for manipulation. It is astonishing watching how easily he is played.
I noticed down thread that a lot of others made the association with nouveau riche as well. In retrospect, it's pretty damned obvious. I had forgotten that "old money" was still a reality, although at this point a very irrelevant one. As far as I can tell, none of the 20 richest people come from old money. They make their own reality, their own social and cultural structures.
That's exactly what a psychopath does--makes it up. Minute to minute in TRump's case.
The people involved with him, Vance, and Don JR. are the scariest people on earth. They think they are the new aristocrats/technocrats that should pick the leaders.
Five days ago the story was told in WAPO: The secretive donor circle that lifted JD Vance is now rewriting MAGA’s future
Makes me wonder whether anyone ever kicked his ass?
Humiliated that he is an adjudicated 34 time felon....bankrupt 6 times.... punked by Putin...not to mention the lurid testimony about the size and shape of his member!
I keep posting. According to Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA) Trumpepstein may cause an "Epstein bomb" causing over 100 Republican members to "jailbreak" from Trump.
Thom, I send all your posts to my contacts! I was a teacher who wrote (at OpEd News )about education and the propaganda machine that has given us Trump!
"He makes himself look big by making everyone else look small."--Quoted from an editorial in The New Yorker.
Having grown up well off in the New York City of that period I get it. There were as Donald Laghezza notes here, big social differences that were formed in part by old versus new money, in part by ancestry, in part by talent and in part by character. A person could be tough but fair and successful and over a couple of generations work their family up in society, though perhaps not to the top levels that had people like the Rockefellers. The Tishman Family of building contractors is one example of this process. But I suspect that Fred was seen as just another small-time builder with low morals and he never would be accepted. And as Donald tried to compensate by adding Miami Beach-style gold trappings he wasn't showing he was rich, just crass, and they laughed at him. The more he did the worse he looked. And he never understood the difference.
"Miami Beach style." You nean greenhorns? Nuevo riche? Jews?
When I was in private practice I represented parties in discrimination suits. I was involved in plaintiff suits aginst clubs on Miami Beach that discriminated against Jews and others. Some of the defendants were accused Mafia members, Arabs, etc in addition to WASPS.
At least one candidate for United Stats 11 Circuit Court of Appeals was rejected in large part because he was a member of one of those clubs.
My late mother said that at least one club, Ivanna was denied admission, so in retaliation Trump bought out the country club.
That is interesting Daniel. I was thinking about the "bling" in architecture, parties, dress, etc. that appeared in Miami Beach as wealthy people came moved there in the '50s. In New York there is plenty of wealth but it isn't so blatant--mansions set back from country roads and apartments very well endowed but in stone-faced apartment houses. My mother (German Jewish, her family had been in NYC for almost a century when I was born) disparaged the later people who had to flaunt their success, and really the same could be said about many groups irrespective of their heritages.
I see that Trump is apparently interested in having the new stadium for the Washington Commanders named after him. In NY and other cities you find museum wings, libraries, university buildings and such named after the rich families that gave them endowments. Apparently he has done absolutely nothing like that, and this is the difference I was getting at.
Look at the damage a few brain cells can cause.....
When you ask about the difference between psychopaths and sociopaths you can get different answers from experts. "The main difference is that psychopathy is generally considered to be a more genetic and biological condition, leading to a person who is cold, calculating, and emotionally detached, while sociopathy is often linked to environmental factors like trauma, resulting in more impulsive and emotionally volatile behavior. Psychopaths are more strategic and can be charming to manipulate others, while sociopaths are more erratic and have difficulty forming attachments, though they may sometimes form some bonds"-AI Overview
The biology is now studied with brain scans, and they recently found out that psychopaths have a larger striatum. It held true for females and males. The striatum is a part of the brain involved in REWARD and MOTIVATION.
That sums up TRump---he is textbook. History like this is a lesson in picking a candidate. Even worse, he has surrounded himself with psychopaths just like him. It's hard to not hate these murdering, pedophile protecting animals, but I'm trying. See you in the streets.
Psycopathy and Sociopathy are not mutually exclusive, they can be and are found in the same person. And it does appear that about 40% of the population share that feature with their beloved avatar.
When you are born with something, it is already there. The folks that I have read indicate sociopaths are created by abuse and conditions.
Born with no conscience---I suppose you could make them angrier, but I think the diagnosis has to do with origin. The result is pretty much the same. Their potential to damage the rest of us.....you've studied that history too.
As I said, being a psyhcopath and sociopath are not mutually exclusive. Which means that one can be both, and indeed there is evidence a plenty, starting with Trump and Musk
I am not a geneticist, but I am a genetic genealogist, the administrator of a DNA project, and know a little about genetics.
By your response it seems that you don't know what mutually exclusive means. especially coupled with "not".
I am not disputing that psychopaths are born. There have been no serious studies, nor can I imagine that they are. To start with the problem is identifying a psychopath and taking their DNA. Lots of problems there especially among the rich and powerful.
If you are of the disposition, google psychopathetic professions, suprisiing results, includes surgeons.
What I am saying is that a person can be a psychopath and a sociopath, they are not mutually exclusive, As to what is the cause of each I leave it up to others to argue.
But Trump is obviously both a psychopath and sociopath, as to how he got that way, is academic, and I frankly don't care. What I care about is the harm he and his fellow travelers are doing and know the cause, the why, doesn't help with the problem.
Although Donald is not her patient, what is valuable in Mary Trump’s diagnosis of her uncle’s mental state is the fact that she has extensive firsthand knowledge and experience with the origin of the traits he exhibits, leaving very little doubt in my mind that the psychological medical terms she uses are accurate.
Thom, this reading today is a very concise and helpful summation of the factors influencing Donald and society that incubated the growing tumor of greed and classlessness, pushing out hope for a democratic society in America.
This reads like the origin story of a man built for breaking things and a system that paid him to keep going. Fred taught domination. Roy taught weaponized denial. TV taught costume jewelry to look like a crown. The scary part is not the psychology. It is how banks, media, and courts kept handing him the stage.
Blessed be the ones who spot the pattern and choose repair over spectacle. If this began in a Queens mansion, it ends when we stop rewarding cruelty with power and start measuring leadership by who is safer and more free because of it.
Don't minimize thr effect of Donald's bullying. He doesn’t negotiate in the sense of trying to persuade or reach actual agreements; he threatens and inflicts damage to force people into accepting what he demands.
He displays traits that are widespread in the American populace, many of whom secretly (or not so secretly) aspire to be like him. He is unique because he so utterly lacks inhibition.
I have always wondered what institutional mechanisms allowed such flagrant (criminal like) behavior - and no one names names. WHO were the judges, Who were the paper signers who authorized whatever, Who were the influencers who allowed it all. No repercussions, no consequences. All of them are as complicit as daddy Trump or grandpappy Trump.
Were the scion of the other ultra wealthy as twisted as Donny? and behaved accordingly?
I guess we all have our life stories when we get to the age of this idiot. But because he had a DISFUNCTIONAL FAMILY, and lots of people do, me included. Didn't make me a lousy person, it made me want to be a BETTER PERSON THEN MY PARENTS.
As we all have seen in the decade of him, WINNING, IS WHAT HE IS ALL ABOUT, AND DAMN ANYONE GETTING IN HIS WAY.
Thank you, Professor, for your clear analysis of the demon’s origin story. I agree: decades of Republican thievery greased the wheels to put this madman in the White House. I don’t know how we come out of this. The oligarchs have hold of the reins.
I hesitated to leave the following comment, however, it is so in keeping with the analysis and portrait that Thom gives and paints, that I decided to proceed.
I grew up in Oakland Gardens, Queens, about a 10 minute drive from Jamaica Estates.
In the late '50s/early '60s, for whatever reason, Donald Trump's mother decided to get her hair "done" at a beauty parlor owned and staffed by an Italian family near the corner of Springfield and Horace Harding Blvds. My mother patronized the same parlor.
Apparently, they used to sit beside one another under those huge hair thingees and chat. I only learned about these encounters once the Trump name started to be plastered all over buildings in and around Queens, NY.
My mother was Irish and Swedish. And I had the same first name as Mrs. Trump's second son, so conversations were frequent.
My mother was told that daddy Trump was Swedish, not German. Understandable, I guess, given we were only 15 years separated from the Second World War. The two things I recall from my mother's infrequent comments were that Mrs. Trump told her that: One, the Jews controlled the real estate business in New York City -- especially Manhattan; and, two, that her husband was black-balled from getting into it.
She told my mother that due to this snub. the family was driven to put the Trump name on everything they owned... Which, as we know, is what came to be.
I know that Donald T. was shunned by higher society in Manhattan even after he became "successful". His daughter studied ballet at Lincoln Center at the same time my daughter did. I recall seeing with my own eyes that the big name families who were also contributing large sums to the Ballet completely shunned him.
We -- a whole nation -- are now suffering for DT's years of humiliation by the "quality" folks in New York City: A humiliation that only adds to his twisted mission.
Donald Laghezza
I met DJ Trump in October of 1988 when I was staying at Trump Tower while attending the wedding of a German friend downtown. I pulled into the underground garage about 2AM. While I was waiting for the valet, I got into the back seat to gather some stuff to take up to my room. I noticed a light blue Rolls pull in behind me and noticed it was celebrity Trump.
While digging for my papers, a voice behind me said: "So, what do you think of the car?" Without even turning around, I replied, "What's not to like about a Rolls?" He rejoined, "No, I mean your car. This is one of those new Rover sedans, right?" Trump wanted to talk guy-talk at two in the morning. After about 15 minutes of very boring small talk, I looked over and saw Ivana standing by Trump's car looking annoyed. I suggested that he might want to turn in for the night, and luckily, he broke off the chat.
At 41, Trump and I were about the same age. I was already an established organizational psychologist and was aware of Trump due to his frequent mention in the MSM and TV cameos. He did not impress me as an executive typical of my clients in major corporations, admirals, or federal agency heads. I concluded that real estate tycoons must operate in different ways. Our encounter was more like a couple of frat boys over beers. I was relieved that Ivana enabled me to get to bed before daylight. Even today, Trump seems to thrive on idle chit-chat as he rambles on and on.
Read a description of "class" as in classy. An indication was the old money and people with class make sure their monogram on their cuff or bathrobe is small.
Can't buy it, but you can bet the TRumps tried to. Really good story, thanks for the share, Donald.
Yeah, I was reading through the article and suddenly it struck me what much of Trump's issues arise from: the man is nouveau riche to the core. He longs for acceptance by "old money" and has hoped that either wealth or power might earn him his Golden Ticket. Failing that, his impeccable sense of culture — you know, golden toilets or 90,000 square foot ballrooms, should do the trick. Or, or... Maybe taking over the Kennedy Center should. Shouldn't it?
The poor fuck is never going to be accepted, something I think deep down in the inner recesses of his slop-filled brain he realizes will never happen. He is so hungry for approval and acceptance — and I guess has been for his entire life — that he lays himself wide-open for manipulation. It is astonishing watching how easily he is played.
Lucky us.
His whole life has been a revenge tour. Exhibit A---that party at Mar-A-Lago.
Gross and pathetic.
I noticed down thread that a lot of others made the association with nouveau riche as well. In retrospect, it's pretty damned obvious. I had forgotten that "old money" was still a reality, although at this point a very irrelevant one. As far as I can tell, none of the 20 richest people come from old money. They make their own reality, their own social and cultural structures.
That's exactly what a psychopath does--makes it up. Minute to minute in TRump's case.
The people involved with him, Vance, and Don JR. are the scariest people on earth. They think they are the new aristocrats/technocrats that should pick the leaders.
Five days ago the story was told in WAPO: The secretive donor circle that lifted JD Vance is now rewriting MAGA’s future
Story by Elizabeth Dwoskin
• 5d • 15 min read
Here's an MSN link that can get you past the paywall: https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/elections/inside-the-billionaire-network-shaping-maga-s-post-trump-future/ar-AA1PLPH6
Makes me wonder whether anyone ever kicked his ass?
Humiliated that he is an adjudicated 34 time felon....bankrupt 6 times.... punked by Putin...not to mention the lurid testimony about the size and shape of his member!
Many Congressional Republicans privately admit Trump is nuts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNzVt7q0W5A
I keep posting. According to Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA) Trumpepstein may cause an "Epstein bomb" causing over 100 Republican members to "jailbreak" from Trump.
Massive Congressional visits November 18.
https://www.instagram.com/flare.usa/p/DP_mdOyjdiG/
Visit CongressionalRepublicans.
https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/851451/
I think that if we play our cards right, many can be convinced by the election outcome to come forward.
Makes me wonder how many people want to right this minute.
Not me, for fear the foot might stick.
Thom, I send all your posts to my contacts! I was a teacher who wrote (at OpEd News )about education and the propaganda machine that has given us Trump!
https://www.opednews.com/author/series/author40790.html
Your writing is a real window on the history of how we got here
Good show, as they say across the pond.
Thom, Meidas, Soros, et al should put together an common media venue to eclipse MSM.
FT6, the DNC have projects like "social stlorming" to reach millions. https://social.fieldteam6.org/toolkit/815435f9-454f-446d-a1ce-5fd7a4188713
In the 2024 cycle, I was also a " DNC Ambassador" and tried, unsucsessfully, to try to put all these resources together. Maybe you can work on it.
"He makes himself look big by making everyone else look small."--Quoted from an editorial in The New Yorker.
Having grown up well off in the New York City of that period I get it. There were as Donald Laghezza notes here, big social differences that were formed in part by old versus new money, in part by ancestry, in part by talent and in part by character. A person could be tough but fair and successful and over a couple of generations work their family up in society, though perhaps not to the top levels that had people like the Rockefellers. The Tishman Family of building contractors is one example of this process. But I suspect that Fred was seen as just another small-time builder with low morals and he never would be accepted. And as Donald tried to compensate by adding Miami Beach-style gold trappings he wasn't showing he was rich, just crass, and they laughed at him. The more he did the worse he looked. And he never understood the difference.
"Miami Beach style." You nean greenhorns? Nuevo riche? Jews?
When I was in private practice I represented parties in discrimination suits. I was involved in plaintiff suits aginst clubs on Miami Beach that discriminated against Jews and others. Some of the defendants were accused Mafia members, Arabs, etc in addition to WASPS.
At least one candidate for United Stats 11 Circuit Court of Appeals was rejected in large part because he was a member of one of those clubs.
My late mother said that at least one club, Ivanna was denied admission, so in retaliation Trump bought out the country club.
That is interesting Daniel. I was thinking about the "bling" in architecture, parties, dress, etc. that appeared in Miami Beach as wealthy people came moved there in the '50s. In New York there is plenty of wealth but it isn't so blatant--mansions set back from country roads and apartments very well endowed but in stone-faced apartment houses. My mother (German Jewish, her family had been in NYC for almost a century when I was born) disparaged the later people who had to flaunt their success, and really the same could be said about many groups irrespective of their heritages.
I see that Trump is apparently interested in having the new stadium for the Washington Commanders named after him. In NY and other cities you find museum wings, libraries, university buildings and such named after the rich families that gave them endowments. Apparently he has done absolutely nothing like that, and this is the difference I was getting at.
You mean like the Guggenheim? Like Newport? The Hamptons? Ha!
Look at the damage a few brain cells can cause.....
When you ask about the difference between psychopaths and sociopaths you can get different answers from experts. "The main difference is that psychopathy is generally considered to be a more genetic and biological condition, leading to a person who is cold, calculating, and emotionally detached, while sociopathy is often linked to environmental factors like trauma, resulting in more impulsive and emotionally volatile behavior. Psychopaths are more strategic and can be charming to manipulate others, while sociopaths are more erratic and have difficulty forming attachments, though they may sometimes form some bonds"-AI Overview
The biology is now studied with brain scans, and they recently found out that psychopaths have a larger striatum. It held true for females and males. The striatum is a part of the brain involved in REWARD and MOTIVATION.
That sums up TRump---he is textbook. History like this is a lesson in picking a candidate. Even worse, he has surrounded himself with psychopaths just like him. It's hard to not hate these murdering, pedophile protecting animals, but I'm trying. See you in the streets.
Lots of neuro psychogical tests.
IMHO every government employee should have an IQ, MMPI etc at a minimum.
If an MMPI was required of the police, there would be a dire shortage of LEO's.
The Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT ) is an IQ test of sorts. I scored in the 95%ile and was hung over
Psycopathy and Sociopathy are not mutually exclusive, they can be and are found in the same person. And it does appear that about 40% of the population share that feature with their beloved avatar.
Don't see how. You are the genetic studying guy.
When you are born with something, it is already there. The folks that I have read indicate sociopaths are created by abuse and conditions.
Born with no conscience---I suppose you could make them angrier, but I think the diagnosis has to do with origin. The result is pretty much the same. Their potential to damage the rest of us.....you've studied that history too.
As I said, being a psyhcopath and sociopath are not mutually exclusive. Which means that one can be both, and indeed there is evidence a plenty, starting with Trump and Musk
I am not a geneticist, but I am a genetic genealogist, the administrator of a DNA project, and know a little about genetics.
By your response it seems that you don't know what mutually exclusive means. especially coupled with "not".
Oh, I get that term. Still think the experts are talking about origin, and you don't acquire a condition if you are born with it.
But, we can agree to disagree.
I am not disputing that psychopaths are born. There have been no serious studies, nor can I imagine that they are. To start with the problem is identifying a psychopath and taking their DNA. Lots of problems there especially among the rich and powerful.
If you are of the disposition, google psychopathetic professions, suprisiing results, includes surgeons.
What I am saying is that a person can be a psychopath and a sociopath, they are not mutually exclusive, As to what is the cause of each I leave it up to others to argue.
But Trump is obviously both a psychopath and sociopath, as to how he got that way, is academic, and I frankly don't care. What I care about is the harm he and his fellow travelers are doing and know the cause, the why, doesn't help with the problem.
Although Donald is not her patient, what is valuable in Mary Trump’s diagnosis of her uncle’s mental state is the fact that she has extensive firsthand knowledge and experience with the origin of the traits he exhibits, leaving very little doubt in my mind that the psychological medical terms she uses are accurate.
Thom, this reading today is a very concise and helpful summation of the factors influencing Donald and society that incubated the growing tumor of greed and classlessness, pushing out hope for a democratic society in America.
Excellent Carol. I receive Mary Trump's daily news letter. It is worth it subscribing to her news letter here is a great sample.
https://www.marytrump.org/p/the-shutdown-chaos-donald-wants
This reads like the origin story of a man built for breaking things and a system that paid him to keep going. Fred taught domination. Roy taught weaponized denial. TV taught costume jewelry to look like a crown. The scary part is not the psychology. It is how banks, media, and courts kept handing him the stage.
Blessed be the ones who spot the pattern and choose repair over spectacle. If this began in a Queens mansion, it ends when we stop rewarding cruelty with power and start measuring leadership by who is safer and more free because of it.
They hand him he stage because it pays. Profit motive reigns.
Don't minimize thr effect of Donald's bullying. He doesn’t negotiate in the sense of trying to persuade or reach actual agreements; he threatens and inflicts damage to force people into accepting what he demands.
He displays traits that are widespread in the American populace, many of whom secretly (or not so secretly) aspire to be like him. He is unique because he so utterly lacks inhibition.
Widespread, but not prevalent. Mostly men.
More than 50% of the population are women and probably lack the requisite testosterone level.
Even in men, maturation beyond puberty level decreases that attitude.
The amount of racism, misogyny, and xenophobia in the U.S. is staggering.
His [and his minions'] own personal Nuremberg judgment is coming.
Time for the rest of us to do what is right, not easy. They let Bush and Cheney off the hook, and this is what we got.
Widely shared opinion, Sir. Thanks.
I have always wondered what institutional mechanisms allowed such flagrant (criminal like) behavior - and no one names names. WHO were the judges, Who were the paper signers who authorized whatever, Who were the influencers who allowed it all. No repercussions, no consequences. All of them are as complicit as daddy Trump or grandpappy Trump.
Were the scion of the other ultra wealthy as twisted as Donny? and behaved accordingly?
Feldman asks: "Were the scion of the other ultra wealthy as twisted as Donny? and behaved accordingly?"
Answer: Elon Musk, Trump, Ellison,Timothy Mellon, RFK Jr, there are. of course, exceptions.
Easy enough to know. Google.
I guess we all have our life stories when we get to the age of this idiot. But because he had a DISFUNCTIONAL FAMILY, and lots of people do, me included. Didn't make me a lousy person, it made me want to be a BETTER PERSON THEN MY PARENTS.
As we all have seen in the decade of him, WINNING, IS WHAT HE IS ALL ABOUT, AND DAMN ANYONE GETTING IN HIS WAY.
Thank you, Professor, for your clear analysis of the demon’s origin story. I agree: decades of Republican thievery greased the wheels to put this madman in the White House. I don’t know how we come out of this. The oligarchs have hold of the reins.
Yes, Captain my Captain and here we are. Thank you.
Russia-like plutocracy and kleptocracy.