On a business trip sometime in 2004, when I was working out in the hotel's closet-sized gym (nobody ever would mistake me for a triathlete, but I try not to go completely to seed), I started chatting with another guy who was using the dumbbells at the same time.
I was a bit startled when this perfect stranger veered from the safe-topics conversation checklist (where are you from / what do you do / etc.). He started to gush to me about a new television show, "The Apprentice". He admitted that, previously, he hadn't given much thought to its star, Donald Trump, except insofar as Trump was a celebrity. But he found the program to be not only entertaining but compelling. He told me that it highlighted for him that, despite the tabloid coverage to which Trump was subjected in those days, at his core, Trump was a sharp and savvy business person.
At the time, and still today, I pegged this guy as an acolyte of the Cult of the Business Titan. He was doing what true believers do: he was evangelizing. He was so excited about what he had discovered that he was telling everyone he met about it. The Catholic church in the US is trying to figure out how to induce this behavior.
The acolytes of this cult are legion. And Donald Trump isn't their only idol. The cult itself, if not exactly ancient, at least has been with us for a long time. Over the course of my own career, its temple has housed such figures as Sam Walton, Bill Gates, T. Boone Pickens, Ross Perot, Carl Icahn, Warren Buffett, Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. Some are techy nerds, some are financial wizards, some started from scratch while others were deft in choosing their parents. Ethically, they range from arrow-straight to out-and-out swindlers. What elevated them to immortality was not only circumstances and whatever native abilities they happened to possess, but also media coverage. Nearly all of the idols have capitalized on the power of the media to promote their careers and their cults.
These are the guys (and everyone on my list is male) whom the acolytes (who also, in my observation, mostly are men) worship. And that many or most of the idols in the pantheon are known to cut a corner here and there, or break a few eggs on the way to creating the omelette, in no way detracts from their appeal. The acolytes find something romantic, admirable and aspirational in being an entrepreneurial pirate: sailing in with cannons blasting, capturing the booty, swigging liquor from the bottle, and perhaps ripping a few bodices along the way.
Possibly to the detriment of my career, I've never had a desire to be initiated into the cult. Today, 15 years later, I still haven't watched a single episode of the "The Apprentice". According to this interview with television critic and author Tom Poniewozik, that lacuna may help to explain why I was among the befuddled on the morning of November 9, 2016, asking myself, "What just happened?" Poniewozik notes that "The Apprentice" and Fox News (which, apart from the occasional GOP primary debate, I have watched less than 15 minutes in my life) are keys to understanding Donald Trump. Because Trump is the consummate television performer:
One thing I’m very adamant about is that this is not a book that is trying to figure out the kernel of the “real” Donald Trump. For my purposes, what I am talking about is the publicly performed character of “Donald Trump,” which has evolved over the years, and who may be the most public, on-exhibition American who has ever lived.
You have people who say The Apprentice made Donald Trump president. Or Fox News made Donald Trump president. Those things are all true in part, but what I see, having gone back and done all the historical reading and placing it in pop culture context, is there is this chain of events.
If Donald Trump had not made himself a boldface tabloid name in the 1970s, before he had really accomplished much, he would not have been a desired TV guest. If he had not become a desired TV guest, and media personality, he would not have been able to make The Art of the Deal a bestseller. If he had not had a bestseller with The Art of the Deal, he wouldn’t have been able to become this universal figure on Oprah and Donahue and ubiquitous in pop culture by the end of the ’80s. Had he not been ubiquitous in pop culture by the end of the ’80s, he wouldn’t have been able to survive his business downfall in the 1990s by basically playing the character of “Donald Trump” during a period when his main job became to represent his brand. If he had not played the character of himself so well, Mark Burnett would not have seen him as a potential star in The Apprentice, and cast him in what turned out to be a hit reality TV show on NBC at just the right time. If he had not done The Apprentice, he would not have become an attractive political gadfly guest on Fox News. And if he hadn’t become a star on Fox News, he wouldn’t have captured the Republican base in a way that would have allowed him to run for president and win.
So it’s this chain of cascading, mounting media successes that ends up with him where he is.
There is a good deal more worth reading in the article, including a comparison of Trump to Simon Cowell, and Trump's reality-show approach to debates.
From time to time we, or at least I, ask, "Who are these people who voted for Donald Trump?" Surely part of the answer, perhaps even a key component of the Trump coalition, are these acolytes of the Cult of the Business Titan, who were bedazzled by the great man's carefully staged performances on a mediocre-rated television program.
Yes, Trump is a creation of the media. Not a certain part of the media, but all the media. Television is at the heart of what is wrong with America. People spend so much time watching it. When the media covers Trump they are still covering the Donald Trump show not any serious issues of our national life. I knew the news had died when the Weather Channel became entertainment with weathermen braving hurricane force winds.
ReplyDeleteAs for the acolytes of the Cult of the Titan, a friend of mine once commented that it amazed him that "so many Titans of industry became meek little altar boys when standing next to a bishop." Maybe acolytes dressed as Superman explains Trumps acolyte admiration for Putin, etc.
"If you don't watch television nor read tabloids, you probably didn't see Donald Trump coming." Jim, if there is anyone who pays less attention to pop culture icons than you, it would have to be me. I knew who Donald Trump was, and that's about it. To me he was one of those people famous for being famous, kind of like the Kardashians. I remember being irritated by people calling him "the Donald". Now I am way more irritated that we have to call him "the President".
ReplyDeleteI came across this article by E.J. Dionne this morning, entitled "Trump's Base Is Smaller Than He Thinks It Is". I found it encouraging.
And there is this development in which Trump throws our former Kurdish allies against ISIS under the bus. I am not surprised that he would do that. It is totally in character. What I am surprised is that some high-level Republicans, including Lindsay Graham and Mitch McConnell, have spoken out against this move in more forceful terms than they have about any previous outrages. They obfuscated about kids in cages at the border. They tried to normalize inviting foreign interference against a political rival. They called Russian interference in 2016 "..nothing to be excited about, Mueller exonerated Trump, move along, folks." What is different about this incident? Are they really committed to supporting our allies against ISIS? Or do they see some handwriting on the wall?
E.J. Dionne sometimes borders on deluded optimism, imo.
DeleteThe hawks don't like abandoning the Kurds because they're hawks and they like keeping a few hot spots going, especially if they can somehow link it to "keeping America safe." Has nothing to do with misery that will be inflicted on the Kurds.
The president's Kurdish policy, which I think is reprehensible on several levels, is as good an illustration of some of Trump's key character failings that should disqualify him from the presidency, even apart from his racism, his mistreatment of women, and so on. He reportedly made the decision to withdraw our troops after speaking with Turkish strongman Recep Erdogan, thus further reinforcing the view that his susceptibility to being seduced by authoritarians is essentially limitless. Then, when Congressional Republicans started pushing back hard, he started to backtrack, thus further reinforcing the view that there is no pressure to which he will not bow.
DeleteAnd apparently the Kurdish thing was a decision made without consultation with military people. He brags that the military would do anything he wants. But he disrespects them on a regular basis. I think he is mistaken that he has their unquestioning support.
DeleteUsing and abandoning the Kurds is a policy that goes back to Henry Kissinger. If memory serves, we did it twice since then and this will make three. If I were a Kurd, I'd kill the first three CIA agents sent to enlist me and ask the fourth if he was serious while I had him hanging by his thumbs. But that's just me.
DeleteThis all makes sense to me. I never watched "The Apprentice" or "Shark Tank," or any other competition shows (except when Raber makes me watch that Brit cooking show), but those things can curate a persona for someone.
ReplyDeleteThe Captains of Industry cult goes WAY back to the Gilded Age and made its way to the iconoclasts of the 1960s and '70s like Robert Townend's "Up the Organization" and suck-ups of the 1980s like John T. Malloy of "Dress for Success" fame. The latter took on cultic proportions. Dale Carnegie is still going strong.
"Dress for Success", LOL, that brings back some memories. There was the "power tie", which was yellow with little paisley thingies on it. You wore it with tan slacks and a navy blue blazer. For women it was masculine looking suits in sober colors. And gold chains. Lots of gold chains. Now it just looks dated, and people wonder why the look was considered "powerful".
DeleteJean - no doubt about it; Andrew Carnegie, JP Morgan, Henry Ford - they're still remembered today. Idols of an earlier time.
DeleteOne legacy of the Trump presidency which could turn to be good for the country is that it should drive a stake through the heart, once and for all, of the misbegotten idea that running a business qualifies someone for the presidency.
ReplyDeleteOf course, another lesson learned is that being famous is a tremendous advantage when it comes to running for president. If President Oprah isn't in the cards, perhaps President Kardashian will be.
"President Kardashian", just noooo! Don't give them any ideas!
Delete"... it should drive a stake through the heart, once and for all, of the misbegotten idea that running a business qualifies someone for the presidency."
DeleteHere's hoping.
Trump looks at the nation as USA Amalgamated. Everything's for sale. He loves bragging about his arms deals almost as much as he loves hawking his failing resort properties. And threatening countries with something worse than nuclear bombs. What kind of bio-chemical warfare bugs has he got cooking? He truly is President Strangelove.
Better businessman than Trump was Herbert Hoover. That did not prevent economic disaster.
DeleteLet us never forget Jack Welch and Carly Fiorina and what messes they made of formerly great -- and classy, in Fiorina's case -- companies.
ReplyDeleteBut I have to boast that I knew the country was headed downhill when the JFKs appeared, on a sailboat, on the cover of Photoplay magazine, with 12 pages on "The Courtship of Jack and Jackie" inside. That was in early 1964. Jack was wearing Bermudas.
Photoplay, for you young 'uns, began as a magazine for movie fans and changed with the times to become a proto-People. I found myself totally unable to imagine Ike and Mamie, or Harry and Bess, or Frank and Eleanor or Herbert (Herbie?) and Lou -- or anybody all the way back to George and Martha -- who would want to be on the cover of Photoplay, nor anybody who would want to see them there. We never previously hired presidents for their interesting or heart-warming courtships. And shouldn't have done it for Ron and Nancy or for The Donald and Ivana and Marla and Melania. Be still, my heart.
Tom, I am so with you. I really, really want a president who can say, "Sorry, that's beneath the dignity of my office."
DeleteFor example, that's a fine answer to the question from an aide, "Mr. President, would you please send out this tweet?"
JFK was dead in 1964, so I assume Photoplay got some old pictures, added some Camelot narrative, and cashed on folks like my mother and the Catholic ladies in our neighborhood who collected Kennedy memorabilia. JFK and his estate may have had nothing to do with it.
DeleteIn 1964 JFK was next to being canonized, in some people's eyes. Definitely some the stuff that was published was hagiography wannabee. His feet of clay were rather more visible later.
DeleteMy grandmother and her husband had three pictures on their living room wall: Jesus Christ, Franklin Roosevelt and JFK. And JC wasn't on top of the others, either.
DeleteOur neighbors all had Pope John 23 and JFK. They never took Pope John down, even after he died.
DeleteIt's funny, our parish sacristy has a picture of a pope on the wall. It's Paul VI. I don't think they're making a ststement or anything. It's just that no one has thought of updating.
DeleteSo, let's see if I got this straight. Trump announces plans to withdraw US troops after speaking with Erdogan. Erdogan views the Kurds as terrorists. I'm not reading that Trump got any promises from Erdogan. But he threatens to "destroy Turkey's economy" if they invade Syria. And Lynsay Graham threatens "sanctions from hell" if they do. And Turkey counters that they're not bowing to any threats from the US. So basically the Turks are saying they'll do whatever they want to. This should be the point at which Trump tells Erdogan that all bets are off with regard to US troop withdrawal. But word is that Trump has two hotels in Turkey. That wouldn't have anything to do with it...woukd it?
ReplyDeleteOne theory about Trump's coalition is that the Scotch-Irish who put down roots in Appalachia for several hundred years - some descendants still are there, others are now dispersed across the country - are key components of that coalition. The betrayal of the Kurds is also a betrayal of Scotch-Irish values, inasmuch as loyalty is one of their most important values. Trump usually displays a pretty keen understanding of his base, but I suspect his narcissism has betrayed him in this instance.
DeleteI believe you are right that there is an element of "clan" loyalty in Trump's supporters. However no one should be surprised that his narcissism has betrayed the Kurds. Because that's what he does. He's been doing it in plain sight for the better part of 40 years. I hope it finally bites him in the butt now.
DeleteAbout his followers, it's a good thing I proofread before I hit "publish". I had spelled clan as "clam". But maybe that was more apt. A mollusk would have more sense than to stick with him after the past several weeks.
BTW, I wonder if Romney is contemplating a primary challenge?
Yes, but.
DeleteMonday night, at a nice little get-together meeting among Catholics, we were asked what keeps us awake at night. The second speaker began, "Wondering what the crazy man will do while I am sleep, but seriously..." at which point another person got up, took her humongous handbag and walked out saying, "I guessed it would come to that."
Our MAGA cap wearer who hasn't had it on in awhile leading me to wonder if the glow was off, accosted me in church this morning with the news that "you Democrats are killing little babies." I said, "Didn't King Donald the Snout just fire Congress?" He said,"He's saving the country." So I guess the cap will be back when it gets cooler.
"He's saving the country." Didn't he just sell it to the Russians and the Turks? Of course it's kind of like selling the Brooklyn Bridge, he's conning them, too.
DeleteDo you think if Romney actually did try to primary Trump, that he'd pick up any of the MAGA people?
About the Democrats "killing babies", they painted themselves into that corner.
So now the GOP is after the Amish vote. Good luck.with that. https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2019/10/09/famously-secluded-amish-are-target-republican-campaign-drum-up-pennsylvania-votes-trump/
ReplyDeleteGoing to be a heavy lift to get Amish to do what they have traditionally not done, which is vote.
DeleteI was just reading a letter in our regional daily from a leader of Mormon Women for Ethical Government. They are not amused by Trump's shenanigans. And Mormons do vote.