Scapegoat

Rene Girard is part of my current reading.  Since he is serious reading (read here: thought required) the reading is slow going and interspersed with the trash that is too much a part of my repertoire. 

I am thinking about the emphasis that he places on the scapegoat.  I am thinking about The Hairdo that resides at 1600 Pennsylvania.   But mostly I am thinking about the fragmentation of our society and the problems facing us.

The right-wing, as represented by Trump wishes to put the "immigrant" into the scapegoat seat.  Now, there is a bit of a problem here, as there is no single focus for this hatred and blame, so the effect is more diffuse and less able to be acted upon.  Truthfully, I see this sort of scapegoating and racial profiling as kinda endemic in our society.  Has been for a long time.  While it is not our most attractive feature, it is common enough in peoples makeup that it can be seen as only semi-serious.

The left wing has chosen Trumpy for it's bête noire.  Not a bad choice, as he is everything that they hate about themselves (lets face it, the left is about as unattractive as the right, they just pretend to know the Tao, and for the most part have fancier food).  

I see Trumpy as losing out on this one.  Now, this does not translate as me thinking that the country will be the better for it, but it might shut the left up long enough to get something done. 

I am not holding my breath though.