As a Democrat, I found this a wonderful conversation. We need to hear more from the people, like you, who speak to the conservative Republicans from “yesteryear”. We need more people to bridge the gap and bring us back together close to the center and redefine values that include compassion and community and inclusivity.
Faustian bargain, a pact whereby a person trades something of supreme moral or spiritual importance, such as personal values or the soul, for some worldly or material benefit, such as knowledge, power, or riches. The term refers to the legend of Faust (or Faustus, or Doctor Faustus), a character in German folklore and literature, who agrees to surrender his soul to an evil spirit (in some treatments, Mephistopheles, or Mephisto, a representative of Satan) after a certain period of time in exchange for otherwise unattainable knowledge and magical powers that give him access to all the world’s pleasures. A Faustian bargain is made with a power that the bargainer recognizes as evil or amoral. Faustian bargains are by their nature tragic or self-defeating for the person who makes them, because what is surrendered is ultimately far more valuable than what is obtained, whether or not the bargainer appreciates that fact.
Town halls are packed. People are mad, organized, and brand new to the process. But no one knows who they are—or what they’re about to do. If they’re who we think they are, Trump should be worried. If they’re not, democracy might be out of time.
As a Democrat, I found this a wonderful conversation. We need to hear more from the people, like you, who speak to the conservative Republicans from “yesteryear”. We need more people to bridge the gap and bring us back together close to the center and redefine values that include compassion and community and inclusivity.
A positive conversation I needed more than I would have thought.
Faustian bargain, a pact whereby a person trades something of supreme moral or spiritual importance, such as personal values or the soul, for some worldly or material benefit, such as knowledge, power, or riches. The term refers to the legend of Faust (or Faustus, or Doctor Faustus), a character in German folklore and literature, who agrees to surrender his soul to an evil spirit (in some treatments, Mephistopheles, or Mephisto, a representative of Satan) after a certain period of time in exchange for otherwise unattainable knowledge and magical powers that give him access to all the world’s pleasures. A Faustian bargain is made with a power that the bargainer recognizes as evil or amoral. Faustian bargains are by their nature tragic or self-defeating for the person who makes them, because what is surrendered is ultimately far more valuable than what is obtained, whether or not the bargainer appreciates that fact.
Remember Reagan talking about "welfare queens". Very racist dog whistle, heard loud and clear.
Newt Grigrich made compromise politically "wrong". Led the party down the path of "our way is the only way"; the other folks are the enemy.
Also the GOP's cynical embrace of extreme evangelicals to get votes.
It's all there if you look carefully.
Great interview and talk.
Brilliant discussion! Thank you both, very much!
Town halls are packed. People are mad, organized, and brand new to the process. But no one knows who they are—or what they’re about to do. If they’re who we think they are, Trump should be worried. If they’re not, democracy might be out of time.
I would love to hear your thoughts on the piece.
https://jasonegenberg.substack.com/p/theyre-mad-theyre-new-and-they-just