Stupid or Evil?

[Hstch05]

For years, I've been wrestling with the basic question; is Trump stupid or is he evil? Does he just not know any better, like some privileged beast rutting his way through life or is he truly a monster who knows the difference between right and wrong and just doesn't care?
Lately, after reading Mary Trump's book, I was shifting towards stupid. He was so stunted by his father that he just never stood a chance, and grew up in an echo chamber that rewarded all of his worst qualities.
But today, after the Woodward revelations, I have no doubt. He's evil. And really, that's the only word for him. Sociopath, malignant narcissist, put all the psychological terms behind it that you want, but at his core, he really is just...evil.

[TreasonousBastard]

1. A bit of both-- one supporting the other.

[elevator]

2. He's both. He's a very talented dude.

He's also always wrong..... a triple whammy.

[Miguelito Loveless]

3. The conditions are not mutually exclusive

[Alliepoo]

4. Conniving. And evil.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. It's possible to be both. It's even possible to be stupid, evil and crazy

all at the same time. Trump's upbringing certainly warped him badly, but the other siblings didn't turn out like him (especially Freddie), even if they weren't totally wonderful people. I don't know exactly where evil comes from; I'll leave that to philosophers, psychologists and theologians. But if I ever saw an example of it in real time, he's it (like a Supreme Court justice once said about porn, I can't define it but I know it when I see it).

[Thekaspervote]

6. Utterly dark self absorbed evil!!

[In It to Win It]

7. He's evil and stupid

He’s evil partially because he’s stupid.

He’s willfully stupid. He’s goes out of his way not to learn anything.

[Mike 03]

8. Evil is what happens when a person with no conscience attempts to

gratify himself, build himself up and evade responsibility for his actions. Sometimes his motive is revenge, or to hurt people who don't like him, or a desperation to please people who he owes a favor or who he perceives to have equal or greater status (i.e., Putin, Kim, Erdogan).

[Mike 03]

9. A book that has really helped me understand this, because it is

fascinating and a question many people wrestle with at some point during their lives (questions about the nature of evil and human criminal behavior) is Alone with the Devil by forensic psychiatrist Dr. Ronald Markman. It's an old book but it stands the test of time, and it approaches this question from both the legal and psychiatric perspective.

[tblue37]

10. Both.

[COLGATE4]

11. It's not an "either/or". There can be

both in a person and Trumpy embodies that. He's phenomenally stupid and evil as fuck, too.

[Zorro]

12. Yes

[imanamerican63]

13. Just dangerous to the country and the well-being of Americans.

[NNadir]

14. I'd go with "and." A rocket scientist doesn't say this on tape. n/t.

[Klaralven]

15. Psychopath is the word you are searching for

"Psychopathy, sometimes considered synonymous with sociopathy, is traditionally a personality disorder characterized by persistent antisocial behavior, impaired empathy and remorse, and bold, disinhibited, and egotistical traits."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychopathy

He is unable or fearful to act out his full predilections, epitomized by his admiration for Kim's murder of his uncle. At least, so far.

[SammyWinstonJack]

16. Demented/Vindictive and Petty. Bad seed.

[Claire Oh Nette]

17. Evil to the core...

He is Reagan all over. Ignoring the AIDS crisis because he, too, thought viruses cared who their hosts schtuped. Ignorance and bigotry and single minded focus on the stock market and investment bankers is truly evil in a civil servant. Or, you know, human being.