"Of all God's creatures, there is only one
that cannot be made a slave to the leash.
That one is the cat."
-Mark Twain
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Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man by Mary L. Trump, PhD Simon & Schuster, 2020 ISBN: 978-1-9821-4146-2 $28.00, 225 pp E pluribus unum: "Out of many, one," is a Latin phrase America's forefathers chose to describe their vision for the nascent nation. Out of many states, people and beliefs, rises one unified Republic. That single phrase possesses our forefathers' dreams, intellect, and higher mind toward governance. It puts no one person ahead of another, seeking as close to perfection as one can hope for in a union as diverse as ours. Then along came Donald.
Out of Many Born the fourth child of five to Fred and Mary Trump in 1945, Donald Jonathan Trump did not have a normal start to life. When he was still a toddler, his mother fell ill and was never able to provide the nurturing child psychologists say is crucial for healthy development at that age. His father, already a baron of sorts through his company Trump Management, didn't see the need - or have the time - to fill the void left by Mary. From a very early age, the author claims, Donald was left to figure out life on his own. Mary L. Trump holds a PhD in psychology. She writes from the perspective of: 1) a member of the Trump inner circle; and 2) a trained psychologist. She writes that as Donald grew, he figured out through observation how to manipulate situations. His father ran the household on the principles laid down by Norman Vincent Peale in The Power of Positive Thinking (Simon & Schuster, $8.00), the international bestseller and precursor to the so-called prosperity gospel. It states, "[O]bstacles are simply not permitted to destroy your happiness and well-being. You need be defeated only when you are willing to be." Positivity is all well and good, but applying Peale's philosophy as a foundation of child-rearing? A philosophy that places blame squarely on the shoulders of the struggling; well, that's just messed up. As a result, Fred created an atmosphere of "learned helplessness," in which his children are dependent on the Master (in this case, Fred) for their most basic needs, contingent on his approval. The metrics of learned helplessness run in exact opposition to those of unconditional love.
of accomplishment until the only asset Donald had was the ease with which he could be duped by more powerful men."
So Much Winning
As a political expose, Too Much is a provocative warning. It reminds us some people are damaged goods - regardless of wealth and fame - and drives home the importance of looking beneath the hood. The American people were sold a folio of lies. Donald Trump was portrayed as a successful deal broker, even as he stiffed contractors, threw good money after bad, cheated his own blood out of inheritance, promoted phony online education, pursued a false philanthropic narrative of himself, and filed for multiple bankruptcies. I wish I could see him as a harmless victim of circumstance, but the clown show I've been watching since his election won't allow that. He seems incapable of grasping the most basic concept of public service. Even worse at humility. His presidency has been an exercise of turning norms on their heads, and inflating himself with grandiose claims. ("Stable genius." Who says that?) Our forefathers adopted the Latin phrase, E pluribus unum. Through it, their dream for America is elegantly expressed: Out of many, one. I can only imagine what Donald Trump thinks that means. posted 09/07/20 TOP |