Henry Thomas Buckle said, "Indeed, a mere knowledge of the fact, that the most eminent men have thrown doubt on the popular opinions of an age, can never fail, in some degree, to disturb the convictions even of those by whom the doubts are ridiculed. In such cases, none are entirely safe: the firmest belief is apt to become slightly unsettled; those who outwardly preserve the appearance of Orthodoxy, often unconsciously waiver; they cannot internally resist the influence of superior minds, nor can they always avoid an unwelcome suspicion...."
Now, needless to say I do not consider Trump to be an eminent man nor a superior mind. But the germ of this statement--that a powerful assertion from a highly visible source can influence even those who are in opposition to that assertion--is exactly why George Lakoff keeps telling Trump opponents to STOP repeating what he Tweets, because even denying what he says amplifies his message. (Of course, no one listens to this.) It's the same reason that I am opposed to identifying the names and probing for the motivations of people who commit heinous crimes (mass murder, abuduction, rape, torture). Why the fuck do we give these bad people all this attention?
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