I’m going ‘Trump sober’ in 2025

Jan 27, 2025
Donald Trump, president of USA. Contributor: Karolina Maliszewska / Alamy Stock Photo Image ID: HR94BY

Pearls & Irritations have graciously published the many articles I have written over the last five years on Donald Trump. I’ve written about his inciting the insurrection on 6th January 2021; examined his lack of moral virtue using Aristotle’s taxonomy as a template, contrasted him with other world leaders; and critiqued his negative influence as a pseudo-transformational leader. I’ve spent time and energy thinking about this man, and the possible implications for leaders elsewhere apart from the good olde US of A. However, from now on, I’ve decided to go ‘Trump sober.’

Going ‘Sober’

What does it mean to go ‘sober’ on someone? Well, I came across this idea when researching ‘toxic’ masculinity and encouraging ‘positive’ masculinity (more on that at a later time).

Apparently, some young women are going ‘boy sober’ because they regard boys and young men as being just too difficult or even too dangerous to be with. Similarly, a recent question on social media went viral – ‘would you rather be alone in the woods with a bear or a boy?’ Apparently, many young women chose being with a bear as less potentially risky than being with a boy.

Why am I going ‘Trump sober’?

I am going ‘Trump sober’ in 2025. Why? Basically, the reason is – ‘why bother’?

Firstly, while he continues to be a wonderful example of how not to lead, and he provides a fantastic negative case study for academics like me in teaching strategy, culture, and effective leadership, I’ve decided not to bother with further analysis of Trump 2.0. Indeed, we are not the ones who need to heed such critique and analysis. I doubt whether any Republicans who voted for Trump would even be aware of P & I or would be influenced by our informed critique of Trump. If millions of MAGA supporters and Republicans have elected him, so be it. That’s their funeral. They deserve the leader they’ve voted for.

Secondly, it is inevitable that Peter Dutton and his supporters will use the Republican playbook for the 2025 Australian Liberal Party campaign. So why bother expanding upon such implications and lamenting the likely outcome? The lessons drawn from Trump will play out here among the Liberals anyway. Dutton will play the same political game. He will no doubt dumb down serious debate, and simply hammer the question, ‘are you better off under Labor over the last four years or not?’ Like Trump, he will foster fear, tap into voter disillusionment, and offer false hope to garner support for his election as our PM. Dutton will likely become another pseudo- transformational leader, just like Trump. Like the USA, we will end up with the leader we deserve.

Thirdly, I am going ‘Trump sober’ for me – for my own sanity and my mental well-being. Trump thrives on the attention his theatrics produce. The more we think and write about him, the more his narcissistic ego is nourished, even from far away in Australia. We were told in Trump 1.0, that he wouldn’t read any briefing that didn’t have his name on every page; why will he be any different in Trump 2.0? Sadly, I expect he will be emboldened to thrive with messianic hubris.

A Final Salutation

Over the last five years, in Pearls and Irritations, I have puzzled over Trump’s dishonesty, his aggressive alpha maleness, and his moral and ethical vacuity. Thinking and writing about him now serves me no good, and only causes me annoyance and frustration. I refuse to give him, his supporters, and his imitators any more airtime. I refuse to use even one neurone thinking about him again. Why bother?

There are lots of other things to think about and to write about that might actually make a difference closer to home. This is also much to celebrate.

I wish good fortune to those of us who write for and who enjoy reading Pearls & Irritations. May 2025 bring us insight, collegiality, and collective action to build a better world. I wish us all well as a new year begins.

This is Greg Latemore signing off for Trump 2.0. I am going Trump sober.

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