where Trump invited a magazine writer that he knew was somewhat hostile to him to his home in Florida, in the hopes of changing his mind about him. The writer commented how Trump wanted to show him an expensive painting and Trump beckoned the writer to look at the painting up close and he was expecting Trump to comment on something like the coloring, the brush strokes, or something to that effect, but Trump's comment was something like, "see this painting - 5 million dollars." (or, whatever the cost was) - no comment on the artist or the work itself, just the cost. Maybe I was raised incorrectly, but I had always thought bragging about how much you paid for things was considered crass?
It's really what a lot of the rich talk about
They don't buy painting for their beauty. they buy them for bragging right on how much it costs them.
They don't create their own beautiful center pieces for parties. They buy the ones made by the most expensive businesses and always mention how much it costs them. It's like the dresses during the Oscars. Everyone refers to the dresses by the name of the expensive designer. "Is that a Vera Wang dress?", "Yes it is! Isn't it beautiful"
The dress has to be by a well known designer and has to be the most expensive dress in the collection.
The rich have bragging rights and that's what they do. (not all of them, of course, but truly most of them). Even if they don't say anything about what they're wearing, you better believe it's the most expensive in the collection. Men included.
Slightly related, and I think you will understand this
any news programs I watch are online, from BBC or other foreign stations, and I always marvel at how calmly the news is presented, without hyper active, voice raising, excited announcers.
Which often makes me think of how Americans must be seen, esp. tourists, who, if they are like the tourists I run across here in the states,
are pushy and loud, demanding, and self entitled.
I used to travel a lot internationally and sometimes I was embarrassed to say where I
was from. Sometimes people internationally take a dim view of Americans. I found it better to let people see me for what I was than for them to launch into a stereotyped vision of me.
I was once at a luncheon with some scholars from Oxford. Afterward one of the top dogs, so to say, came over and said he was impressed with my behavior. I was thinking to myself, although educated I had no F'en idea what they were talking about, why was he saying this. He said what I did was typically un-American? He said I had kept my mouth shut, was polite, and did not claim to know something when I knew nothing about the topic. It was definitely meant as a complement.
One another occasion I was with some Brits, and one distinguished gentlemen told me he would never visit America. I was disappointed and asked why. He said, too many guns and too many reckless people with guns. He was not about to be killed on vacation.
On another occasion, I had my passport thrown at me by a French Custom's Agent.
I'm not saying all people feel this way, but many do. I've thought about Trump a number of times, and he does represent what many do not like about some Americans in other countries. And likewise here in America too. We think he's an obnoxious bore.
rump's popularity is no mystery...
He is what the lizard-brained right wing kook sees in the mirror everyday.
They all believe - not "think", but BELIEVE - that they are going to be rich too someday...any day....later, if it weren't for _____ (insert outside group here).
Trump disgusts me the same way that seeing someone step in dogshit does...but the one's who LIKE the dogshit disgust me even more.
Keep in mind...
... the fact that those who do not live here have only mass media accounts by which to formulate an opinion. Now, which candidate has monopolized print, broadcast, and social media for the past 10 months? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you... THE DONALD!
One does not have to be an especially astute observer to know that the six corporations that control the dissemination of the vast majority of information in this country work very hard to slant coverage in favor of a conservative outlook. So those in Middle Earth might be forgiven if it looks to them like America is dominated by the spawn of an unholy union between Sauron and Gollum.
The New Zealander agrees with you, I think...
 ... He is actually saying that the things the rest of the world hate about America are personified by the REPUBLICAN front runner, and the fact that he's the republican front runner is telling the rest of the world a lot about who our republicans really are. That necessarily means that the Dems in the race are, well .... not the republicans, right? His description of Trump is spot on. And the characteristics listed are worthy of condemnation. And, whether we like it or not, we have done some things to promote such an image globally. I think this guy is just trying to get the word out on which side should have to "own" the image. JMT.
I don't really go for the gratuitous slam against Americans in that quote.
The broad brushing is just uncalled for. Sure, we have an asshole named Trump in public life. I'm sure NZ has a few assholes, too. Kim Dotcom comes to mind. And New Zealand isn't a tolerant paradise, either--they've got problems of their own with racism: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11490650So, speaking of "casual" bigotry, it's rather bigoted of this New Zealander to paint us all with a broad brush just because he doesn't like ONE asshole out of 320 million citizens. In his effort to look down on one guy, he splashes his shit on all of us....
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