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Eliot Rosewater

(33,899 posts)
Wed Sep 3, 2025, 03:16 PM Sep 3

Everyone must read this excerpt from British newspaper,, it's amazing it's amazing it's amazing! [View all]

Excerpts from The Times of London.

Someone asked, "Why don't some Britons like Donald Trump?"

Nate White, an eloquent and witty English writer, wrote this magnificent response:

Trump lacks certain qualities that the British traditionally value.

He has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honor, and no grace—qualities, oddly enough, with which his predecessor, Mr. Obama, was generously endowed.

While Trump may be ridiculous, he has never said anything ironic, amusing, or even mildly funny—not once, ever. I don't mean this rhetorically, I mean it literally: never. To British sensibilities a lack of humor is almost inhuman.

But with Trump, it's a fact. He doesn't even seem to understand what a joke is—to him, a joke is a crude comment, an illiterate insult, an act of casual cruelty.

Trump is like a troll, he's never funny or laughs; he just squeals with delight or mockery.

And the scary thing is, he doesn't just utter crude and stupid insults: he actually thinks while he uses them. His mind is a mere robotic algorithm of petty prejudices and instinctive nastiness.

There is never an underlying layer of irony, complexity, nuance, or depth. It's all superficial. We see him as lacking an inner world, a soul.

In Britain, we traditionally side with David, not Goliath. All our heroes are plucky outsiders: Robin Hood, Dick Whittington, Oliver Twist.

Trump is neither plucky nor an outsider. He's the opposite.

He's not even a spoiled rich boy, nor a greedy fat cat.

He's more of a big white slug, a privileged Jabba the Hutt.

And worse, he's a bully.

When he finds himself in the midst of bullies; in that case, he suddenly transforms into a sniveling sidekick.

He strikes downwards—something a gentleman should not, could not, and should never do—and every blow he aims is below the belt. He particularly enjoys hitting the vulnerable or the voiceless—and he hits them when they are down.

So the fact that a significant minority—perhaps a third—of Americans watch what he does, listen to what he says, and then think, “Yes, he seems like my kind of guy” is a source of confusion and great distress to the British.

After all, it’s impossible to read a single tweet, or hear him utter a sentence or two, without staring into the abyss. He makes artlessness an art form; he's a Picasso of pettiness, a Shakespeare of shit. His flaws are fractal: even his flaws have flaws, and so on ad infinitum.

There have always been stupid people in the world, and plenty of evil people too. But rarely has stupidity been so evil, and rarely has evil been so stupid.

He makes Nixon seem trustworthy and George W. seem intelligent.

If Frankenstein decided to create a monster composed entirely of human flaws, he would create a Trump and a remorseful Dr. Frankenstein screamed in anguish, "My God what have I created?"

If an idiot were a television show, Trump would be the box set.

47 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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This never ages malaise Sep 3 #1
I think Mr. White authored that piece years ago. John1956PA Sep 3 #2
Yes InstantGratification Sep 3 #4
Anybody got a link? calimary Sep 3 #8
There's no direct link to Nate White's original write-up on Quora, Feb. 12, 2019. Quora later took it down. ancianita Sep 3 #13
First time I've seen it that I can remember, if the same person had to write it now Eliot Rosewater Sep 3 #19
Totally agree. ancianita Sep 3 #21
Nate White is a London copywriter. He answered a Quora question on February 12, 2019 with the reply the OP shows. Celerity Sep 3 #26
"Mr. Obama, was generously endowed" JoseBalow Sep 3 #3
Snicker hibbing Sep 3 #18
My problem with Mr. White is he's much too nice, regarding Donald Trump. chouchou Sep 3 #5
"Yes, he seems like my kind of guy" is a source of confusion and great distress to the British. progressoid Sep 3 #6
Yes, it most certainly is. 3catwoman3 Sep 3 #20
This goes back to its first run for prez, and never grows old Hekate Sep 3 #7
It may be old but it's still as new as tiny, newly-sprouting weeds. calimary Sep 3 #9
See Post 26 (White posted it on February 12, 2019) Celerity Sep 3 #28
Excellent analysis of the orange felon Grim Chieftain Sep 3 #10
Well, that sums it up nicely ashredux Sep 3 #11
Goddamn right. Krasnov is an ignoramus. Joinfortmill Sep 3 #12
"He's more of a big white slug, a privileged Jabba the Hutt" Ray Bruns Sep 3 #14
"There have always been stupid people in the world, and plenty of evil people too.... FakeNoose Sep 3 #15
Wow. Endlessmike56 Sep 3 #16
Thanks for sharing. If it is actually that old, it is uncanny how accurate and prescient it is blue_jay Sep 3 #17
Great Britain is having nativist problems right now wolfie001 Sep 3 #22
English wit is razor sharp thought crime Sep 3 #23
"Picasso of pettiness," Butterflylady Sep 3 #24
K&R spanone Sep 3 #25
Absolutely perfect of what the orange piece of shit is.....to perfection. a kennedy Sep 3 #27
"He has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility..." it's no wonder that he decided to become an asshole. Ping Tung Sep 3 #29
No more needs to be said. kacekwl Sep 3 #30
K and r KentuckyWoman Sep 3 #31
The guy has around a 3 percent approval rating in MW67 Sep 3 #32
Wish I had an answer Blue Owl Sep 3 #33
This caught my eye... kentuck Sep 3 #34
Spot On Chicagogrl1 Sep 3 #35
So perfectly stated, "a Picasso of pettiness, a Shakespeare of shit." nt ShazamIam Sep 3 #36
May be an optimistic statement: RVN VET71 Sep 3 #37
Beautifully stated! Eliot Rosewater Thursday #40
Dump trump Johnnie Mae Thursday #38
Best description of Krasnov I've ever read. GoodRaisin Thursday #39
An excellent analysis of one who truly B.See Thursday #41
100% Mr.Bee Thursday #42
Simply marvelous description of TSF's personality characteristics. n/t iluvtennis Thursday #43
...boxed set! 🤣lol! Hope22 Thursday #44
This one sentence floored me in it's accuracy: DeeDeeNY Thursday #45
And WE, as a country elected this freak sdfernando Thursday #46
Bookmarked. Iggo Thursday #47
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