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Yavin4

(37,182 posts)
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 04:39 PM Jan 3

What Trump says does not matter any more. Reacting to what he says just gives him energy.

We all know that he's going to lie, be racist and sexist, steal money, etc. All that we can do is be prepared for what he does, what bills get passed, etc.

Constantly reacting to what Trump says does nothing more than give him, and his followers, energy. Ignore his tweets, truth socials, whatever. Ignore it all. Deprive him of energy. It's the best and only resistance.

72 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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What Trump says does not matter any more. Reacting to what he says just gives him energy. (Original Post) Yavin4 Jan 3 OP
It's a discussion board? Blues Heron Jan 3 #1
It is. And there's millions of other topics to discuss. Very important topics. Yavin4 Jan 3 #2
Or just take a break and let people post what they want? Blues Heron Jan 3 #8
People can post whatever they want, but they should know that posting what Trump says does nothing. Yavin4 Jan 3 #12
I respectfully disagree. William769 Jan 3 #27
Yes, but most of what he says is a distraction. We need to Scrivener7 Jan 4 #55
*sigh* No one is taking away your freedom of speech. Yavin was stating an opinion on Scrivener7 Jan 3 #18
Everybody is stating there opinion, it's why we have the board sigh Blues Heron Jan 3 #20
Don't you just want to do this sometimes? William769 Jan 3 #29
Police the site as you are doing? Scrivener7 Jan 3 #31
sigh Blues Heron Jan 3 #36
sigh, indeed Scrivener7 Jan 3 #37
What happens Jilly_in_VA Jan 3 #3
He doesn't care. It doesn't affect him. Yavin4 Jan 3 #5
I disagree with this. Being laughed at is his achilles heel. Scrivener7 Jan 3 #17
🤔we Might need some new Additional ways to laugh at him... electric_blue68 Jan 4 #50
Yes. Psychologically, he's anything but complicated. Our side should be Scrivener7 Jan 4 #54
THAT should be where we spend all our energy and airspace. THAT will hurt him. Scrivener7 Jan 3 #16
I agree, I can't wait for DU's new "Latest trump B.S." forum so I can trash the forum and never have to read his B.S. Think. Again. Jan 3 #4
Yes, but he's going to be President. Tommy Carcetti Jan 3 #6
So he says some foul things. What can we do about it? Yavin4 Jan 3 #9
Goes double for those who post in ALL CAPS how he is DESTROYED, OWNED, RockRaven Jan 3 #7
And "HUMILIATED" ... live love laugh Jan 3 #35
Trump's own supporters: "You can't take him literally." sop Jan 3 #10
It also just gets dismissed with the old "trump derangement syndrome" canard. D23MIURG23 Jan 3 #11
As Rachel says, watch what they do, not what they say. nt Qutzupalotl Jan 3 #13
YES !! eppur_se_muova Jan 3 #47
Exactly! peggysue2 Jan 4 #68
We Should Have Been Ignoring Him From The Get Go..... global1 Jan 3 #14
And all of his most outrageous comments are very carefully designed to distract from Scrivener7 Jan 3 #15
The felonious rapist does not read DU. Justice matters. Jan 3 #19
Somebody in his camp does ... he just posted about flags half mast live love laugh Jan 3 #34
A grifter is a grifter is a grifter. William769 Jan 3 #21
THIS !!! Most of what Benedict Donald says is to distract away from the BS he's doing uponit7771 Jan 3 #22
Puts me in mind of The Simpsons episode where the advertising mascots come to life and terrorize Springfield. Xavier Breath Jan 3 #23
Love that episode. OldBaldy1701E Jan 3 #24
Yeah, Bart appearing on the mascot devil's shoulder to egg him on was truly inspired. Xavier Breath Jan 3 #25
"BART!" (n/t) OldBaldy1701E Jan 3 #26
Exactly Blue_Tires Jan 3 #28
Yes, by all means. Let's be good little Democrats. Paladin Jan 3 #30
We've done just the opposite for the past 10 years. Yavin4 Jan 3 #40
Ding ding ding PortTack Jan 3 #46
Yeah, well. Congrats on your "accomplishment," here. Paladin Jan 4 #53
How about this. Use your energy to rebuild the Democratic party. Yavin4 Jan 4 #56
Enjoy my silence. (nt) Paladin Jan 4 #58
I note that Joe Biden came out of retirement Dem4life1970 Jan 3 #45
Yes. That was back when Trump had to stand for re-election. Yavin4 Jan 4 #57
Yavin4, you are right. But that cuts both ways.... Dem4life1970 Jan 4 #60
That's the wrong frame. Yavin4 Jan 4 #61
I respect your opinion... Dem4life1970 Jan 4 #63
Again, does not matter. Move on. Yavin4 Jan 4 #64
Yes, I am focused on 2026 and taking the House and Senate back. Dem4life1970 Jan 4 #67
Opinions have nothing to do with enabling the constant chaos which his words are meant to do nini Jan 4 #66
Why is it that Democrats have to retreat, all the time? Paladin Jan 4 #69
Who said to retreat? nini Jan 4 #70
In other words, retreat. Paladin Jan 5 #71
Exactly what you do in response evemac Jan 3 #32
Exactly. Move forward without him. n/t Yavin4 Jan 3 #41
Prepared for bills to be passed? What! By whom? Firestorm49 Jan 3 #33
You wrote "the only resistance". You've given up? "the only resistance"? . . . NO. . . . . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Jan 3 #38
Boycott coverage of inauguration. Boycott MSM period. Joinfortmill Jan 3 #39
I have been boycotting m$m for years now. No need to break that and watch the sickening event scheduled on 1/20 PortTack Jan 3 #44
"Constantly reacting to what Trump says..." J_William_Ryan Jan 3 #42
Very sound advice...it's certainly my plan as we move forward. PortTack Jan 3 #43
Reminds me of the teacher training I took in the 1970s. The advice for how to handle student summer_in_TX Jan 3 #48
Basically ThePartyThatListens Jan 3 #49
That energy is commonly known as a "narcissistic supply". LastDemocratInSC Jan 4 #51
You are spot on, don't give the sick attention! arthritisR_US Jan 4 #52
You may not like it but what he says does matter. His words impact us all. Autumn Jan 4 #59
You Are Incorrect, I Believe. MineralMan Jan 4 #62
So true 👍 TommieMommy Jan 4 #65
Exactly..... prodigitalson Jan 5 #72

Blues Heron

(6,679 posts)
1. It's a discussion board?
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 04:43 PM
Jan 3

Of course there will be close scrutiny of each and every utterance, it just goes with the territory.

 

Yavin4

(37,182 posts)
2. It is. And there's millions of other topics to discuss. Very important topics.
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 04:48 PM
Jan 3

We should be talking about local issues, local organizing, promising new candidates, platforms, Democratic party organizations, how to get involved, how to become a precinct captain, support of local public schools, support of labor unions, food kitchens, global issues, global elections, etc., etc., etc.

Anything other than what some troll says just to get a rise out of you. He feeds off of your emotions. He wants you tuning into MSNBC and see them covering every stupid thing he says.

Enough.

 

Yavin4

(37,182 posts)
12. People can post whatever they want, but they should know that posting what Trump says does nothing.
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 04:59 PM
Jan 3

Nothing can be done about it, and it only creates anxiety among us.

So, yes, if you want to be angry and stressed out all of the time, feel free.

Scrivener7

(54,973 posts)
55. Yes, but most of what he says is a distraction. We need to
Sat Jan 4, 2025, 10:08 AM
Jan 4

become capable of reacting to his actions and ignoring his bullshit distractions.

He's not that smart. It wouldn't be particularly hard if the powers that be on our side decided to do this.

Scrivener7

(54,973 posts)
18. *sigh* No one is taking away your freedom of speech. Yavin was stating an opinion on
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 05:08 PM
Jan 3

the best way to deal with his bullshit. Did the OP somehow take away your ability to post what you want?

Blues Heron

(6,679 posts)
20. Everybody is stating there opinion, it's why we have the board sigh
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 05:14 PM
Jan 3

If your getting stressed by this or that topic, take a break, don’t try to police the site?

electric_blue68

(20,599 posts)
50. 🤔we Might need some new Additional ways to laugh at him...
Sat Jan 4, 2025, 12:52 AM
Jan 4

But he is pretty thin-skinned.
Keep some of what been really irritating to him, then either mix it either new ideas, or totally new verbal jabs.

Scrivener7

(54,973 posts)
54. Yes. Psychologically, he's anything but complicated. Our side should be
Sat Jan 4, 2025, 10:03 AM
Jan 4

throwing him off balance every day. I don't know why we aren't doing that.

Scrivener7

(54,973 posts)
16. THAT should be where we spend all our energy and airspace. THAT will hurt him.
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 05:04 PM
Jan 3

The "weird" and "smelly" stories had legs. We may not love that approach, but we should use it whenever possible.

Think. Again.

(22,330 posts)
4. I agree, I can't wait for DU's new "Latest trump B.S." forum so I can trash the forum and never have to read his B.S.
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 04:48 PM
Jan 3

Tommy Carcetti

(43,822 posts)
6. Yes, but he's going to be President.
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 04:51 PM
Jan 3

Or at least in theory hold that title.

We can't just ignore that fact away simply because we don't like it.

 

Yavin4

(37,182 posts)
9. So he says some foul things. What can we do about it?
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 04:56 PM
Jan 3

Other than be angry and stress out.

RockRaven

(17,102 posts)
7. Goes double for those who post in ALL CAPS how he is DESTROYED, OWNED,
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 04:53 PM
Jan 3

SELF-DESTRUCTED, MELTED-DOWN, BLUNDERED, etc. in reaction to his logorrhea du jour.

Also just attention-seeking. Also not news. Also should be ignored and not posted or commented upon. But like TCF probably will be, ad nauseam, anyway if past behavior is any guide.

D23MIURG23

(3,125 posts)
11. It also just gets dismissed with the old "trump derangement syndrome" canard.
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 04:58 PM
Jan 3

It's harder to dismiss things he actually does (although I'm sure they'll try). If we get lucky maybe they'll be right because he accomplishes nothing. I doubt it, though.

peggysue2

(11,727 posts)
68. Exactly!
Sat Jan 4, 2025, 03:51 PM
Jan 4

I vaguely remember an episode of Star Trek that featured an alien entity that fed off the hate and anger of others. The negative energy was the entity's source of power which grew in direct proportion to the rage exhibited by its captives.

Seems to fit Trump and his minions who exhibit unabashed glee when we react to every stupid, vile utterance.

I agree with Rachel: what they DO or attempt to DO is the important stuff. The rest is noise to keep dissenters off-balance and in a constant state of agitation. The chaotic spewings help to distract us from the really ugly plans Trump and Project 2025 want to inflict on Americans.

We need to choose our targets, carefully, not get caught up and tangled in the daily nonsense.


global1

(26,081 posts)
14. We Should Have Been Ignoring Him From The Get Go.....
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 05:01 PM
Jan 3

Paying any attention to him is like providing him jet fuel. He thrives on attention.

With Jimmy Carter's passing and the NOLA tragedy - it took his name off the front page.

It was like a miracle that the Cybertruck exploded in front of the Tr**p Hotel in Vegas. Instantly
his name was on the front page again.

He's just lucky - I guess!!!

Scrivener7

(54,973 posts)
15. And all of his most outrageous comments are very carefully designed to distract from
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 05:02 PM
Jan 3

the crimes he's committing in plain sight.

I totally agree with you. I love EarlG's idea of quarantining his comments. Starve the beast.

Justice matters.

(8,216 posts)
19. The felonious rapist does not read DU.
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 05:12 PM
Jan 3

And nothing else either.

But I predict many who already regret their votes will - if not already - read and tell others like them to join.

Xavier Breath

(5,444 posts)
23. Puts me in mind of The Simpsons episode where the advertising mascots come to life and terrorize Springfield.
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 05:25 PM
Jan 3


Too bad ignoring him to the tune of a Paul Anka ditty doesn't make him keel over.

OldBaldy1701E

(7,539 posts)
24. Love that episode.
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 05:32 PM
Jan 3

(I think it was one the Halloween 'Treehouse of Horror' episodes.)

No, the tune won't do that to him.

But, practicing what the tune is saying will. Guaranteed.

Paladin

(29,952 posts)
30. Yes, by all means. Let's be good little Democrats.
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 06:04 PM
Jan 3

Keep our opinions to ourselves. Let trump shoot off his mouth exactly as he pleases. None of that reacting to the foul pronouncements of a vengeful madman.

Those of you that have been keeping track of things in recent years may have noticed that this sort of passive action hasn't worked out very well for us. "Best and only resistance" my ass...

 

Yavin4

(37,182 posts)
40. We've done just the opposite for the past 10 years.
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 07:34 PM
Jan 3

We've done nothing but amplify every stupid utterance out of his mouth. The entire MSNBC lineup has done nothing but cover whatever he says. We have podcasts, columns, tweets, etc., and yet, he's about to resume the presidency in 17 days.

So, if you want to wallow in anger after every stupid thing he says, feel free. Just know that you're not accomplishing a damn thing.

Paladin

(29,952 posts)
53. Yeah, well. Congrats on your "accomplishment," here.
Sat Jan 4, 2025, 08:38 AM
Jan 4

One of the most dangerous, potentially catastrophic threads I've ever come across in all my years at DU.

Enjoy your silence. Because our enemies damn sure will.

 

Yavin4

(37,182 posts)
56. How about this. Use your energy to rebuild the Democratic party.
Sat Jan 4, 2025, 12:01 PM
Jan 4

There are elections this year. For example, VA will elect a new governor. There are primaries all over the country. Get involved with them. Work to get new Democrats elected.

Wallowing in anxiety over every Trump tweet is wasted energy and does nothing.

Dem4life1970

(760 posts)
45. I note that Joe Biden came out of retirement
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 07:43 PM
Jan 3

Last edited Sat Jan 4, 2025, 01:55 PM - Edit history (1)

because of what Trump *said* about Charlottesville. He felt that he had to, to defend the soul of the nation, which he did masterfully (not perfectly) for four years. Thank you President Biden for not passively sitting it out. I am going to actively and unapologetically resist T**** for the next 4 years.

 

Yavin4

(37,182 posts)
57. Yes. That was back when Trump had to stand for re-election.
Sat Jan 4, 2025, 12:04 PM
Jan 4

He doesn't any more. Talking about him now only elevates him. They want us crying. They want us in a constant state of anxiety and fear.

Dem4life1970

(760 posts)
60. Yavin4, you are right. But that cuts both ways....
Sat Jan 4, 2025, 01:40 PM
Jan 4

....he will be the lamest of lame ducks. I am not afraid of a lame duck, and no one else should be either. He is incompetent, arrogant, lazy, unprincipled, and ignorant. We will oppose and defeat him and everything that he tries to do.

 

Yavin4

(37,182 posts)
61. That's the wrong frame.
Sat Jan 4, 2025, 01:57 PM
Jan 4

Politics is much more than opposing Trump. If all we are is Trump opponents, then we will lose in the long run. The American people do not hate Trump as much as we do. We just have to accept that and move on.

Dem4life1970

(760 posts)
63. I respect your opinion...
Sat Jan 4, 2025, 02:25 PM
Jan 4

People voted FOR Trump for many diff. reasons: they like(d) him as a celebrity, they vote (R) no matter what, a friend told them to vote for him, they are single issue (R) voters, yes for some Racism, Misogyny, he gives people permission to be their worst selves, they believe in trickle down economics, they buy the culture war stuff....

and people oppose Trump for many diff. reasons as well. Not liking him is enough to ride to victory. It's why Harris lost. That thin top line that put Trump over the top was inflation. We Dems can sometimes tend to overthink it. We offered policy proposals to deal with real issues.

All he offered were culture war distractions and tax cuts for the uber rich (same stuff as 2016).

Dem4life1970

(760 posts)
67. Yes, I am focused on 2026 and taking the House and Senate back.
Sat Jan 4, 2025, 03:13 PM
Jan 4

...and blocking/opposing whatever the Convicted Felon and his minions try to do in 2025.

nini

(16,780 posts)
66. Opinions have nothing to do with enabling the constant chaos which his words are meant to do
Sat Jan 4, 2025, 02:45 PM
Jan 4

Of course Dems need to speak up, but we also need to not play into his hand with the mind games and keep his lies and propaganda front and center all the time.

Paladin

(29,952 posts)
69. Why is it that Democrats have to retreat, all the time?
Sat Jan 4, 2025, 04:40 PM
Jan 4

I've had a belly-full of Democrats accepting blame for the unmatched evil of trump.

nini

(16,780 posts)
70. Who said to retreat?
Sat Jan 4, 2025, 06:01 PM
Jan 4

Stop playing his game and keep every lie and piece of crap that come out of out of his mouth the focus.

He wants us to get all wound up about every little thing to control the narrative and attention, while the real damage isn’t noticed because we’re talking about his latest rage bait.

evemac

(216 posts)
32. Exactly what you do in response
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 06:05 PM
Jan 3

To any narcissist's behavior.
They are devoid of creating their own energy, so they feed off of the reactions from others, whether good or bad. It is so weird and disturbing.
Ignore, grey rock, no eye contact, zero response.
Makes them crazy.

Bernardo de La Paz

(53,775 posts)
38. You wrote "the only resistance". You've given up? "the only resistance"? . . . NO. . . . . . . nt
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 06:31 PM
Jan 3

PortTack

(35,451 posts)
44. I have been boycotting m$m for years now. No need to break that and watch the sickening event scheduled on 1/20
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 07:42 PM
Jan 3

J_William_Ryan

(2,586 posts)
42. "Constantly reacting to what Trump says..."
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 07:38 PM
Jan 3

We should practice selective reaction, pick the useful battles, as it were.

For example, Trump’s idiocy about Greenland and Panama – that we could ignore.

But hammer Trump on his lies about Shamsud-Din Jabbar being a ‘migrant.’

PortTack

(35,451 posts)
43. Very sound advice...it's certainly my plan as we move forward.
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 07:40 PM
Jan 3

My biggest hurdle will to be not silently naw on it

summer_in_TX

(3,518 posts)
48. Reminds me of the teacher training I took in the 1970s. The advice for how to handle student
Fri Jan 3, 2025, 11:13 PM
Jan 3

misbehavior was to ignore it, deprive them of reinforcement (positive or negative).

Only problem was it assumed that only the teacher's attention mattered. The students laughing and encouraging their misbehavior far outweighed any ignoring I could do.

Later in looking back at the textbook for the course, I discovered the research on the effectiveness of ignoring was all done in a behavioral hospital setting where the researchers had far more control of the setting and the presence of an audience than any classroom teacher has.

US ignoring Trump won't do a damn thing.

At least not to stop or slow him in any way. It just means he does things without any resistance.

Maybe posting the firehose of news of the terrible things Trump administration will be doing and our discussion of it will be too overwhelmingly stressful and just seem hopeless to many here. I understand that feeling.

But for those of us working to help as many as possible who will be targets, we need the info. We also need to brainstorm and we need the discussion to inform our own thinking and formulate the best arguments, ones that will be an effective way to push back and delay or divert or rally the public opinion of fellow Americans.

I read this today and have been thinking about it ever since.

Will Stancil
‪@whstancil.bsky.social‬
The liberal answer of “sitting back and waiting for reality to reassert itself” doesn’t work because people don’t get their information about the world from reality, but mostly from each other. You have to go out there and contest the bad beliefs. That means talking to people you DON’T agree with.

And by “talking” I specifically mean “arguing with.” The dusty liberal fallback of “we need to be better listeners” does absolutely nothing to contest those false beliefs. It’s a contest for the collective mind and you’re never going to win it unless you actually try to take territory.

…You contest claims in public not to persuade the other side but to persuade the audience. In politics everything is always, always, always about persuading the audience. Looking like the smarter side to the audience. Convincing the audience.

Democrats and liberals specifically are terrible at this: they seem to think persuasion happens by directly making your case to voters. No! That’s wrong! The goal is to win the sympathies of the crowd, by engaging in conflicts where you look good and the other side looks stupid/venal/weak. It’s WWE

The reason you have to persuade people this way is that if you convince one person to agree with you, but the audience thinks the other side is winning, then the person you convinced will still most likely return to the popular consensus the moment they realize it exists


https://bsky.app/profile/whstancil.bsky.social/post/3leu4yk4zt222

I'd like to be able to do that. Only problem is I don't think fast on my feet and need all the help I can get to think things through. It'll take a lot of work to overcome those traits and get better in areas that are needed and then have a plan.

Autumn

(47,620 posts)
59. You may not like it but what he says does matter. His words impact us all.
Sat Jan 4, 2025, 12:11 PM
Jan 4

Follow your suggestion but I won't ignore what the fucker says and does. He is a US president, he and his cronies wield tremendous power. We ignore him at our own peril.

MineralMan

(148,775 posts)
62. You Are Incorrect, I Believe.
Sat Jan 4, 2025, 02:02 PM
Jan 4

What Trump says will now become reality. Watch. We're not going to stop him by mocking him. That's not going to work. It didn't work in the past, either. He was elected again, for pity's sake.

No, we need to pay close attention to what he says, and counter it as best we can. Loudly and publicly.

prodigitalson

(3,052 posts)
72. Exactly.....
Sun Jan 5, 2025, 11:16 AM
Jan 5

My blood pressure and overall mental health has gotten so much better adopting that attitude. I just saw a headline about him saying something disgusting. I just scrolled on. Don't give a shit. He feeds off our hatred as much as he does their devotion. My youtube recomendations almost never show his face or name anymore.

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