Is the Medium the Message?

In Greek mythology, Hermes was the all-important messenger of the Gods, able to travel freely between the over-world and the underworld. Did you know he was also considered the “Trickster?” The Trickster character appears in many cultures and traditions, often portrayed as jesters, clowns, rule-breakers, illusionists, shape-shifters, and jokers. The Trickster likes to stir the pot, often using trickery and deceit. He can be self-serving and destructive; on the flip side, he often teaches us lessons we might not have learned otherwise, destroying illusions and exposing us to our dark side.
It is not a stretch to characterize Donald Trump as a Trickster. Certainly, he is a messenger, shedding light on great divides amongst us and on the many ills in our American culture and society.

Is Donald Trump a “Symptom” or a “Disease?”

As a physician I have been trained to view symptoms as “messengers” of underlying disease (and just as often, dis-ease.) Symptoms, of course, alert us to the presence of illness: what needs to be attended to, diagnosed, and then treated.
This election revealed the degree of dis-ease many Americans feel as they struggle with a lack of job security, the cost of health care, threats of terrorism, and their distrust of politicians, amongst many other significant concerns. Donald Trump brought these issues to the forefront in his campaign, vocalizing– and amplifying– the expression of dissatisfaction his supporters felt with the status quo. These people were desperate for a change, any change. Trump took on the role of self-appointed “messenger” of their dis-ease. The symptoms could no longer be diminished or ignored.
Unfortunately, by encouraging intolerance, hatred, bigotry, mysogeny, and xenophobia, Trump has become far more than a symptom or a benign messenger. He has, in fact, actively participated in magnifying the extent of the disease, metastasizing the already-present dis-ease, further inflaming the already-inflamed.
A malignant messenger, indeed.

Love Vs Fear

We Americans have much to be proud of in our relatively young country, as well as much to be ashamed of: Our savagery towards the Native Americans, slavery, internment of Japanese Americans during WWII, and McCarthyism to name a few tragic events.
Bigotry has always been at the root of our greatest societal shame. Donald Trump’s fanning the flames of hatred puts us at great risk of adding yet another shameful chapter (or two) to our story– and ultimately, to our history.
Hatred, of course, often stems from fear. Interestingly, fear, not hate, is often said to be the opposite of love. Clearly, many Americans are currently feeling insecure and fearful– and are sadly turning to hate and blame as the antidote to this fear. Hate and blame, however, never conquer fear– they only serve to deflect it and to mask it.
We are each of us “Heroes” and “Heroines” on our personal and collective journeys. Playing the “Blame Game,” keeps one stuck in the role of “Victim,” not “Hero.” Trump, naturally, has painted himself as the indispensable “Hero” to the many people who identify as “Victim.” (Exhibit A: “I alone can fix it.”) This is a classic one-up, one-down scenario– with a clear “winner” and a clear “loser.” As we all know, when it comes to Donald Trump he will never be the “loser;” his ego will simply never allow it. Which makes the rest of us “losers” in this Winner-Take-All contest.
The only answer?
Love must trump fear.

Light, Dark… and Cockroaches
(Where There is Shadow There is Light)

As Tricksters often do,Trump has revealed to us our dark side, our underbelly, our shadow, the part we’d most like to ignore or deny.
But shadows never disappear when denied; they merely go into hiding.
Too many Americans have become infested with the “cockroaches” of scapegoating and intolerance, an us-vs-them mentality. These “cockroaches” are our darkness, our shadow.
Anyone who has ever co-existed with cockroaches knows that cockroaches scatter and hide when exposed to light.
We must shine light into our collective darkness– and expose it fully.
Only then can we rid ourselves of this ugly infestation.
Remember…
Where there is shadow, there is light.

The Swamp Switcheroo, aka “The Swump”

We all know Trump promised to “Drain the swamp.” Of course, being the Trickster that he is, when the time came to assemble his Cabinet, he very predictably reached into his bag of tricks and pulled out… yes, “Creatures from the White Lagoon:” Unqualified, inexperienced billionaires and selective others who have little interest in helping the common working folk who viewed Donald Trump as their savior.
A true “bait-and-switch”– a page right out of the Trickster’s playbook.
(Next chapter: “Playdates with Putin??”)

Healing Time– Let There Be Light

We must address the dis-ease this election has exposed and inflamed.
Donald Trump has brought our “cockroaches” into the light.
In order to heal, we Americans must stand together. We must come forward, speak up– and not back down– when fellow Americans feel threatened or disenfranchised due to race, ethnicity, religion, sexual preference, or gender.
In so doing we proudly hold up the light of Lady Liberty, thus protecting and ensuring the continued evolution of the vision our forefathers held for this already-great– (if imperfect)– country.
We can no longer ignore the dark; it is upon us.
May we use this darkness to light the way.

Thank you, Trumpster, you Trickster.
We got the message.