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Donald Trump was such a great example of a common literary archetype: the trickster. I think the concept of a trickster figure goes hand-in-hand with the concept of controversy and the media; a topic similar to my own Civic Issue blog about the romanization of controversy in the media. Nonetheless, in this post, it really highlights some of Trump’s qualities which classify him as a trickster.
Unfortunately I cannot provide a link to this, but Lewis Hyde’s Trickster Makes This World, defines beautifully what a trickster is. An amoral, shameless, often hypersexual figure who draws, pushes, and crosses lines. They tread the path between two sides, whether it be life and death, old and young, poor and rich; they usually convince a character to do something as an unbiased influence of both sides. They are deviants of society, not in the sense that they are evil, but in the sense that their actions go against social norms. Say, if one publicly used vulgar language while in a position of power, or perhaps using a social platform to voice controversial opinions, or even, stick with me here, pathologically lied to cover up and defend the former?
Obviously, I attribute Donald Trump and his actions to those of a trickster figure, but the real point here is the trickster’s effect on the media. This topic, censorship in the media, is a constant point of interest for tricksters. One example that comes to mind is Larry Flynt, the man who first produced actual pornography in public magazines. There was a huge social change when Larry, a trickster himself, rewrote our societal norms to be more accepting of nudity and sex. He beat the court system by insisting on the rights of the first amendment and the people’s right to choose the media they consume. His argument, rooted in the Constitution, won him the case and freed him from prison.
The usage of Donald Trump’s media and it’s connection to the First Amendment is a great example of classic media censorship, something which demands awareness with today’s strides in communication. However, I would like to extend further to suggest that people like Donald Trump are necessary in American society. We, as a community, need to know where that line in the sand is, how far to take our opinions, and when it is appropriate to voice them. Donald Trump, as a trickster figure, drew those lines for society, informing politicians, celebrities, even everyday people just how far they could take their media without being censored.
I really liked this. You did a great job of describing both sides of the argument of why it could be a good or a bad thing. I really enjoyed your last few sentences about inconstancy with censorship. My opinion is Trump was simply used as an example to show everyone how much power social media holds.
Hi, this is a comment.
To get started with moderating, editing, and deleting comments, please visit the Comments screen in the dashboard.
Commenter avatars come from Gravatar.
Donald Trump was such a great example of a common literary archetype: the trickster. I think the concept of a trickster figure goes hand-in-hand with the concept of controversy and the media; a topic similar to my own Civic Issue blog about the romanization of controversy in the media. Nonetheless, in this post, it really highlights some of Trump’s qualities which classify him as a trickster.
Unfortunately I cannot provide a link to this, but Lewis Hyde’s Trickster Makes This World, defines beautifully what a trickster is. An amoral, shameless, often hypersexual figure who draws, pushes, and crosses lines. They tread the path between two sides, whether it be life and death, old and young, poor and rich; they usually convince a character to do something as an unbiased influence of both sides. They are deviants of society, not in the sense that they are evil, but in the sense that their actions go against social norms. Say, if one publicly used vulgar language while in a position of power, or perhaps using a social platform to voice controversial opinions, or even, stick with me here, pathologically lied to cover up and defend the former?
Obviously, I attribute Donald Trump and his actions to those of a trickster figure, but the real point here is the trickster’s effect on the media. This topic, censorship in the media, is a constant point of interest for tricksters. One example that comes to mind is Larry Flynt, the man who first produced actual pornography in public magazines. There was a huge social change when Larry, a trickster himself, rewrote our societal norms to be more accepting of nudity and sex. He beat the court system by insisting on the rights of the first amendment and the people’s right to choose the media they consume. His argument, rooted in the Constitution, won him the case and freed him from prison.
The usage of Donald Trump’s media and it’s connection to the First Amendment is a great example of classic media censorship, something which demands awareness with today’s strides in communication. However, I would like to extend further to suggest that people like Donald Trump are necessary in American society. We, as a community, need to know where that line in the sand is, how far to take our opinions, and when it is appropriate to voice them. Donald Trump, as a trickster figure, drew those lines for society, informing politicians, celebrities, even everyday people just how far they could take their media without being censored.
I really liked this. You did a great job of describing both sides of the argument of why it could be a good or a bad thing. I really enjoyed your last few sentences about inconstancy with censorship. My opinion is Trump was simply used as an example to show everyone how much power social media holds.