The Crazy-Brave and the Phony-Tough

[Valin]

Ricochet:

FightinInPhilly

March 14, 2016

 

When I was a teenager in the late 1980s, my father handed me an old article from the September 10th, 1972 issue of Newsweek titled “Watergate: The Crazy-Brave and the Phony-Tough” by Stewart Alsop. My father was a banker. He was also a Marine Corps pilot who flew A-4s and F-5s, transitioned to the artillery, ran a USMCR battalion, and retired as a full Colonel. My father’s particular pet peeve was tough talkers, especially in the corporate world. Every time a regional vice president would boast about the company being “in a war,” having a good “street fight,” or “taking it to them,” my dad would roll his eyes. “Guys,” he would say, “we’re talking about how we will adapt our sales pitch if the Fed cuts another ¼ point. Relax.” One day, after being told that the upcoming board meeting could be “bloody,” he wore his helmet and flack jacket over his Brooks Brother’s shirt and tie. For some reason, nobody mentioned the upcoming “battle.”

 

(Snip)

 

Which brings us to today. There is no greater Phony-Tough than Donald Trump. I don’t think it’s a statement that needs supporting evidence, but just for fun, here are a few things that come to mind. Trump was a rich kid who stayed rich. He never worked with his hands, never worked outdoors, was utterly unaccomplished athletically, avoided the draft, and — despite his conviction that “I’m the most militaristic person there is” –never served in the military and merely wore a cute uniform in high school. He’s run from marriages, business commitments, shareholders, and customers. To my knowledge, he’s never been in a fist fight, which seems confirmed by his constant talk about suing people, the adult version of “I’m gonna tell my dad.” He’s been a Democrat, an Independent, and now a Republican; basically, whatever is least hard at the time.

 

Understand, this is not a slight against people who haven’t worked with their hands, haven’t been in the military, or aren’t super athletes (I’m 0-3). It’s a slight against people who haven’t done any of those things but talk as if they have.

 

(Snip)

 

The Trump Phenomenon is sadly possible because of the devaluation in our culture of traditional manly virtue, and the insidious rise of the silly concept of the Alpha Male. The devaluation of manly virtues I’ll leave for another day, but I’ve always found the Alpha Male concept comical, because it’s applied to politicians! At debates! By reporters! Talk about a race to the soft bottom. Before we knew it was a lie, Brian Williams managed to make himself look tough by saying he’d been shot at in a helicopter. But even if that had been true, he would have just a dopy passenger. He wasn’t the pilot. He wasn’t a soldier who was going to have to defend the crash site if they went down. But — journalists being who they are — the idea of having been near danger is enough to make him seem tough.

 

(Snip)