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Esme Fae's avatar

"My theory after forty years of observing Trump is that he’s neither a racist nor a genius. Instead, he’s an extremely self-confident egomaniac with a decent nose for sniffing out when something doesn’t quite smell right about the current orthodoxy. While he lacks the command of facts and the precision of thought to articulate what he’s sensed, most of the hatred he elicits is because, in his ham-handed way, he’s often onto something."

That is probably the most accurate summation of Trump that I've ever read.

My theory as to why he elicits such extreme hate from college-educated elites is that while he is in the "elite" class by income and net worth, he also seems to be the sort of guy who puts ketchup on his steak. He was tolerated as long as he stayed in his lane (tacky and intermittently amusing celebrity) but when he ventured into politics he crossed a line that People Who Put Ketchup On Steak absolutely must not cross. I think this is why he is the object of such fanatical devotion by some of his supporters as well - "he's a regular guy just like us! Yeah, he's got a gold plated toilet, but he probably puts ketchup on his steak!"

Now, a rich ketchup-on-steak guy who also spouted the Currently Fashionable Opinions would be OK; he'd be lauded as a man of the people. But a rich ketchup-on-steak guy who says unfashionable things is an anathema.

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Diana (Somewhere in Maryland)'s avatar

I've wondered this for some time - especially in college admissions. I wonder if the Ivies are fine with as little as 2%? Probably are!

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