Bless you, Ruth Ben-Ghiat. Bless you for all you do, for your strength and intelligence and energy and ability to make sense of it all. Or most of it. it's pretty clear that you're just the sort of woman that strongmen fear. It is a joy to know you. Stay healthy.
This is such a timely piece given that Putin and Xi were overheard (hot mic) discussing their shared belief that with todays medical technology they might well live to be 150 years old. They cited organ transplants etc.
There's actually another meaning, "National Provider Identifier, a unique 10-digit identification number for healthcare providers and organizations in the United States, as mandated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)."
This is one of the mysteries to me about Strongmen. They all end up dying, usually as they’re trying to run from the law. The story is roughly the same with all of them even if sometimes it takes many years. It’s like being a drug kingpin. You can only live this dishonest dirty life for so long before it catches up to you so why are there so many men who madly desire it? When has it ever ended well?
A few die in their beds at 69-74 y.o., like Hafez Assad and Joseph Stalin, after killing all their political rivals and surrounding themselves with toadies who are deathly afraid of them. So a few of the most ruthless strongmen survive to die a natural death, feared by everyone else in their country. Not the sort of life I would want!
And strongman Francisco Franco. He fought to keep his dying body going for so long that the late-night joke after his death was that, yes, despite all efforts, Franco is still dead.
For strongmen, it may be the need to keep power to be able to keep alive under their own terms.
It is amazing to me trump's sense of self is so distorted as to think of himself as a physical strongman. Unfortunately, in the office he holds, (with the complicity of the majority on the "Supreme" Court and the enabling Rs in Congress), at this moment, he IS a strongman.
However, his days sure seem numbered and no amount of AI fantasy drawing of him can change that reality. I absolutely look forward to his physical decline--and hope that the effect is torture of his feeble mind, imaging his demise exactly as you describe it. He deserves it, and we do too.
Given what has long been known about Trump, it seems more and more that he is a lost little boy trying to cosplay the strong, brave male he never was and never will be. The more we can work with this (go, Gavin, go) the better, I think.
John Roberts has a lot to answer for. When the patriot revolt begins he will have to go into hiding or face death-along with Thomas and Kavanaugh. People can see how this stacked court is working against them. Republican senators are likewise marked for retribution. Trump should read the story of Mobutu so that he knows what’s coming
What is so striking to me about strongmen is that their egos are so inflated that it's pathological. Their grandiosity distorts their self image so badly that many authoritarian leaders felt as though they were demigods. This sense of superiority above the masses is a sickness. Their self image is delusional. tRump is obviously one of these people.
The general public has the impression that all psychopaths/sociopaths (ASPD) act like Hannibal Lecter and therefore are in disbelief that tRump has ASPD. He is viewed as sane by half the electorate because of this stereotype. That misconception is how we ended up with this lunatic in power.
A federal appeals court upheld an $83M jury verdict finding Trump defamed Carroll as a separate case she brought against Trump goes to the Supreme Court. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxrQqjkmiGw&list=RDNSRxrQqjkmiGw&start_radio=1
Gravity is not a hoax. When Trump & Co try to deny/defy reality all of us suffer the consequences.
Pathetic GOP/MAGA excuses on a fraudster/rapist's birthday letter to a pedophile https://newrepublic.com/post/200202/republican-excuses-trump-epstein-birthday-letter
Boy, He’s just strung together with Krazy Glue isn’t he. He is doing a lot of damage for someone no healthier than he is.
Bless you, Ruth Ben-Ghiat. Bless you for all you do, for your strength and intelligence and energy and ability to make sense of it all. Or most of it. it's pretty clear that you're just the sort of woman that strongmen fear. It is a joy to know you. Stay healthy.
This is such a timely piece given that Putin and Xi were overheard (hot mic) discussing their shared belief that with todays medical technology they might well live to be 150 years old. They cited organ transplants etc.
They were dead serious, too (npi)
What does npi mean?
Fro one of my go-to sources, UrbanDictionary.com: NPI
In Spanish; Ni puta idea! Which loosely translates to no fucking idea in English
Thank you Melissa!
No Pun Intended....sorry 😬
There's actually another meaning, "National Provider Identifier, a unique 10-digit identification number for healthcare providers and organizations in the United States, as mandated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)."
But somehow I knew that wasn't what you meant!
No Pun Intended.
I am certain that they were dead serious too! Coming to an American oligarch in the US soon =/
This is one of the mysteries to me about Strongmen. They all end up dying, usually as they’re trying to run from the law. The story is roughly the same with all of them even if sometimes it takes many years. It’s like being a drug kingpin. You can only live this dishonest dirty life for so long before it catches up to you so why are there so many men who madly desire it? When has it ever ended well?
A few die in their beds at 69-74 y.o., like Hafez Assad and Joseph Stalin, after killing all their political rivals and surrounding themselves with toadies who are deathly afraid of them. So a few of the most ruthless strongmen survive to die a natural death, feared by everyone else in their country. Not the sort of life I would want!
Interesting, and not a life anyone should want.
And strongman Francisco Franco. He fought to keep his dying body going for so long that the late-night joke after his death was that, yes, despite all efforts, Franco is still dead.
For strongmen, it may be the need to keep power to be able to keep alive under their own terms.
So insightful--thank you, Ruth.
It is amazing to me trump's sense of self is so distorted as to think of himself as a physical strongman. Unfortunately, in the office he holds, (with the complicity of the majority on the "Supreme" Court and the enabling Rs in Congress), at this moment, he IS a strongman.
However, his days sure seem numbered and no amount of AI fantasy drawing of him can change that reality. I absolutely look forward to his physical decline--and hope that the effect is torture of his feeble mind, imaging his demise exactly as you describe it. He deserves it, and we do too.
At least I am not MAGA. A good mind is a terrible thing to waste.
He's a strongman only in his deluded mind. We the people will eventually win the day.
Loved this episode! Ruth, you seemed more relaxed and it was just a wonderful appearance! Thank you!
Given what has long been known about Trump, it seems more and more that he is a lost little boy trying to cosplay the strong, brave male he never was and never will be. The more we can work with this (go, Gavin, go) the better, I think.
John Roberts has a lot to answer for. When the patriot revolt begins he will have to go into hiding or face death-along with Thomas and Kavanaugh. People can see how this stacked court is working against them. Republican senators are likewise marked for retribution. Trump should read the story of Mobutu so that he knows what’s coming
Thanks for the link to the " I’ve Had It" podcast - it was a great conversation you all had!
What is so striking to me about strongmen is that their egos are so inflated that it's pathological. Their grandiosity distorts their self image so badly that many authoritarian leaders felt as though they were demigods. This sense of superiority above the masses is a sickness. Their self image is delusional. tRump is obviously one of these people.
The general public has the impression that all psychopaths/sociopaths (ASPD) act like Hannibal Lecter and therefore are in disbelief that tRump has ASPD. He is viewed as sane by half the electorate because of this stereotype. That misconception is how we ended up with this lunatic in power.
Great event on Why Authoritarians Fear Women! Thank you!
So there is hope . . .