Genuflecting Towards Complicity
It is disturbing to see so many folks paying obeisance to Donald Trump as he prepares to re-ascend to the presidency. To some extent, it’s understandable: Trump’s relationships are transactional, and his stance on an issue at a given moment appears to be dictated largely by his then-views of the agents (people, companies) involved. Given this, it seems only common sense to get on his good side by appeals to his vanity, so as to avoid incurring his wrath and becoming a target of his policies. This might arguably be considered ethical, even, if the agents truly believe what’s being protected will deliver a greater benefit to the world. But this genuflection carries a price: it legitimizes the whole of Trump’s agenda as favorable or at least acceptable, and creates more pressure for similar agents to fall in line or risk being left behind as targets of Trump’s disfavor. It normalizes compliance and weakens resistance at the very least—and, depending on the tributes being paid, could...