I’ve always wondered what Former President and real estate tycoon, Donald J. Trump does in his spare time. I know this much: he has never been known to be an avid reader. If you asked Trump what the last book he’s read is, he’d probably give you a blank stare and tell you “The Bible.” This is no surprise to Trump supporters, and I unapologetically admit, I am one.
I highly doubt that Trump could tell you what the 4th amendment to the U.S. Constitution is. That goes for most politicians except for Rand Paul and Thomas Massie.
In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is King
Trump’s political genius is his intuitive understanding of the nature of America and how it should be run. The uniparty has America so locked up that someone like Trump with nominal intelligence can be president by simply being a non-politician and a breath of fresh orange air.
While he may not have a high IQ, he has a 200 IQ in street smarts. To his credit, Trump also has cultivated an uncanny natural affinity for connecting with the common man. President Teddy Roosevelt has much in common with Trump regarding their personalities. However, Teddy was an avid reader and a Renaissance man. This is understandable given that film, television, and the internet did not exist in his day.
Apparently, Trump is fond of reading newspapers, and as we all know he loves surfing the internet. Like a lot of us these days, he may have a short attention span and is not really into reading books or listening to long-form podcasts.
Recently the news of Trump’s conviction of a bogus crime in the state of New York has prompted me to think that maybe Trump could profit unexpectedly from being in jail: he could start reading books. Imagine how more effective Donald Trump would be a president if he was well-read.
Famous Prisoners and Books
From Oscar Wilde to Adolph Hitler to Malcolm X, many of history’s most influential people were imprisoned and during their time behind bars had the opportunity to write books. While I don’t believe that Trump is up to writing a book — but I may be wrong — perhaps he could use the time to start reading books.
Here’s a list I would give him in no particular order:
“Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius – This classic work offers wisdom on leadership, self-discipline, and personal integrity from a Roman Emperor’s perspective.
“The Republic” by Plato – Plato’s exploration of justice, governance, and the role of the philosopher-king could offer deep insights into the nature of leadership and governance.
“Nicomachean Ethics” by Aristotle – Aristotle’s treatise on ethics and morality discusses the virtues necessary for good leadership and personal character.
“The Prince” by Niccolò Machiavelli – While often seen as a guide to ruthless political tactics, it also provides lessons on power, pragmatism, and the complexities of statecraft.
“On Liberty” by John Stuart Mill – Mill’s essay on the importance of individual freedom and liberty could inspire a greater appreciation for democratic principles and personal rights.
“Leviathan” by Thomas Hobbes – Hobbes’ work on the social contract and the necessity of a strong central authority might offer insights into the balance of power and governance.
“The Art of War” by Sun Tzu – Though primarily a military treatise, its strategies on leadership, conflict resolution, and strategic thinking are widely applicable to political leadership.
The New Testament – Its teachings on compassion, humility, and moral integrity could offer profound insights into ethical and moral leadership.
The U.S. Constitution – A foundational document outlining the principles of American governance, emphasizing the rule of law, checks and balances, and individual rights.
The Federalist Papers – These essays by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay provide deep insights into the intentions behind the U.S. Constitution and the principles of federalism and republicanism.
“The Wealth of Nations” by Adam Smith – Smith’s seminal work on economics, exploring the principles of free markets, competition, and the role of government in economic affairs.
Conclusion
Life presents us with many unexpected interruptions. One of the things that I look forward to is when the power goes out for a few hours during a storm. In our family, we light candles and read books. But for me, the magic of the power going out is that it makes us appreciate the conveniences of modern life. It gives us a rare opportunity to consider a world without the luxury of electricity and ponder the hardships our ancestors faced.
Along with the benefits of being a political prisoner that would end up making Trump even more popular, maybe going to prison would be a chance for Trump to open some books that he’s always wanted to read. If Trump has to go to jail, then he may as well spend his time as productively as possible. Who knows, he may come out as a changed and better man.
–Wolfshead
Wonder if Trump would like Robert E. Howard’s Conan novels. Heroic Fantasy can when it is at its best be very moral and uplifting. I wonder who recommended him the portrait of usually rather disgraced president Andrew Jackson for the White House.
Regarding criminal politicians. It can be worse. The EU elections freed an imprisoned criminal leftist activist, Ilaria Salis from Italy, from a Hungarian prison. She got political immunity and had to be released.
She was part of the so called “hammer gang” that attacked a supposed right wing person (he just “looked” the part due to black bomber jacket and a dome) with the name giving hammers. The victim suffered crippling injuries but survived.
Let’s not forget that Ursula von der Leyen and the German chancellor are facing charges of nepotism and Scholz is still to be questioned regarding the Wirecard scandal.
Guess one can now legally say that politicans are more or less criminals, not just involved in white collar crime.
For Trump, some more books he could read, but likely never will, “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine and “1984” come to mind, but it is very hard to guess which book might bedazzle a non-reader and turn him into an at least occasional reader. Cicero’s “De re publica”, Xenophon’s “Anabasis” are also interesting for politicans and military people.
JK Rowling did it with Harry Potter, a lot of people who didn’t read at all started reading with Harry. Weird, as I like Rowling and her views a lot, but wasn’t a Potter fan at all, despite being an avid reader.
Medieval literature is one of my passions. People underestimate chivalric romance novels, they are very moral stories showing the mistakes of promising young knights and how they overcome their personal flaws.
But well, I guess Trump might end up running the prison rather than reading a book.
I don’t think he will go to prison. This is just one of the attempts to prevent him from being a president, but it’s also a publicity stunt for the average Joes and Janes. Remember that everything that happens in the world is theatrics, there’s no good or bad, wrong or right, black or white, everything that’s being portrayed to us is not what it is.
I’m pretty sure Trump will win the election in November, the question is what are the plans of the freemasons for the world once their new face (Trump) is installed.