• brucethemoose@lemmy.world
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    5 days ago

    Many in and outside the US don’t realize Trump was a controversial idiot before he touched US politics, even before he heckled Obama about birtherism.

    …But he was also a good snake oil salesman.

    He could hype people to buy shit they really shouldn’t buy, like massively overpriced real estate sold from his private company to his public one. As unintelligent as he is, I feel like the opposition has ignored just how effective he is at spraying hype.

    • cmbabul@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      It’s really extra infuriating that my professional frustrations with sales people being idiots is going to be the thing that blows up the world

    • Geth@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      5 days ago

      Which also makes Musk more dangerous, because he is also a sleazy sales guy, involved in politics, zero empathy, willing to do anything, tiny fragile ego, but also a measure smarter.

      • brucethemoose@lemmy.world
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        4 days ago

        Eh…

        He wasn’t a New York finance player before politics. And he doesn’t have that “snake oil salesman charisma” that Trump has. But he talks like an asshole influencer, which is engaging, and he has a reputation and algorithm behind him now.

    • stoly@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      You may also be discounting just how many helpers and “yes” men he had making his fantasies happen. It’s always been about a smokescreen and pretending.