Donald Trump – Socio-Psycho-Political Analysis

Donald Trump – Socio-Psycho-Political Analysis

Donald Trump won the US elections but people from across US have come on the streets for protest. It is the point of much great importance which raised the questions like, how Donald Trump has won. What was the ‘Trump Card’?

I churned out many dailies and stating some for the references in this article. It is worth noting the people’s anger every press has put in their headline.  

Thousands of anti-Trump protesters take to streets of US cities ----by Reuters

'Not my president:' Trump denounced in protests across America ----By ASSOCIATED PRESS

US elections: protests held against president-elect – as it happened----By The Guardian

BATTLEGROUND AMERICA -- Donald Trump’s US presidential election win sparks riots by Hillary Clinton fans as fighting erupts outside the White House ---By The Sun

“Not my president!” President-elect Donald Trump inspires walkouts, protests in major cities---- By Salon

"He's not my President": Americans distance themselves from Donald Trump as he wins US election ----By Mirror

‘Not my president’: Thousands protest Trump in rallies across the U.S. ---By The Washington Post

Trump win prompts big protest & Donald Trump Playboy to President ----By The Asian Age

The Free Press Journal flashed the headline – Hilary Trumped

After reading various news papers across glob I stumbled upon the The Free Press Journal it is the only daily from India who separately work on headline. They are world famous for this practice since their inception.

This has made me think seriously about US Society and their psychology. How can they say that? Why Trump has got mandate? Is it the case only in US? How many other countries that are facing the same destiny?

Let us see the definition of society given by different sociologist, how do they see ‘society and religion’

Emile Durkheim talk on society and religion’,  "A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden – beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them."

Georg Simmel very subtly mentions on ‘society and religion’, The ambiguity which surrounds the origin and nature of religion will never be removed so long as we insist upon approaching the problem as one for which a single word will be the "open sesame."

Ferdinand Gesellschaft describes associations between ‘society and religion’ as, “  for the individual, the larger association never takes precedence over their own self interest, and these associations lack the same level of shared social mores”

Thorstein  Veblen is best known for his book ‘The Theory of the Leisure Class’, which talked about “conspicuous consumption” (consumption is done to make a statement to others about one’s class or accomplishments). 

Veblen rejected both the individual and society in social science. Veblen expressed an evolutionary framework of explanation along Darwinian lines.

Veblen did not deny that a human as 'a social being' or 'a medium for the transmission of social laws and changes'. He simply rejected an exclusive stress on social determination, and asserted that the human agent is 'also an individual, acting out his own life as such’. He always say, “humans mould their circumstances just as they are molded by them.” Veblen followed James and saw Darwinism as implying that 'habit and native propensity, rather than rational calculation of material interest, motivated human beings writes in his book, ‘Thorstein Veblen's evolutionary economics’.

Veblen says, “Utilitarian and hedonistic explanations of human behavior had to be rejected, in part because they did not contain an evolutionary explanation of the origin of the assumed behavioral characteristics”.

Max Weber defines, “secular society was created from, and is still "haunted by the ghosts of dead religious beliefs".

This is a complex affair to understand each society and their individual’s separately on micro level but on macro level we can evaluate the socio-political scenario. 9/11, Iraq war and Afghanistan war has changed the social psychological set up of each individual.

Last decade when mobile telephony is launched we felt connected to each other.  Internet revolution joined the world together and we started thinking that we are global citizens and we have overcome all the barriers of color, creed and race.

The easily available media became our extensions; Marshal Mc Luhan gave the theory of relativity.  My email id, my email replaced my presence, my mobile number replaced my visiting card, my twitter post replaced me in the meeting, skype discarded the need for travel and altered the time and space.  Conventional media went under a sea change. All American action movies and European Bond films showcased the antagonist of Muslim origin. Soon this is followed in movies, literature, press and poetry all over the world.

The economical progress after WWII started declining, may it be the Chinese crisis, US crisis, Indian economic troubles, Russian recession, or current European Union crisis. The rich poor divide is increased and world started polarizing over religion.

Donald Trump did not have miracle win, it is much expected as far the international socio-political emotions are concerned.

Let us take the look at the recent socio-political developments across the globe. Things started to roll from ‘Jasmin Revolution’ it started in Tunisia and spread across the Arab world. It started in January 2011, the BBC reported: "Clearly the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi has resonated across the region...'There is great interest. The Egyptian people and the Egyptian public have been following the events in Tunisia with so much joy, since they can draw parallels between the Tunisian situation and their own.'" This message is spread through social media across the globe.

It triggered similar protests in almost all Arab countries like Morocco, Iraq, Gabon, Albania, Iran, Kazakhstan, United States, India and others. It resulted in throwing down the established government of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Syria   of President Bashar al-Assad and it gave rise to the militant group ISIS, This revolution caused major protests Yemen, Bahrain.

It reflected in India through Anna Hazare protest against Corruption (Lokpal Bill) and RTI.

We find a similar trend in Europe, to site a few examples, Brexit the win of cultural centric ideology, France President Nicolas Sarkozy lost to Socialist Francois Hollande.  China and Russia are not untouched of this development but they have reacted in different manner.

All over the world we see some common developments they are as follow,

1.     The rising gap between rich and poor

2.     The decrease in jobs

3.     Unemployment

4.     Unemployable graduates

5.     Under employed staff

6.     Lure of social media and unstable emotions

7.     Fear of existence, loneliness and fear  for future

8.     Uncertainty

9.     Lust over love

10.                        Greed of power over knowledge

These developments lead us to fanaticism and it resulted in bewilder behavior. Donald Trump is the outcome this. 

Anna: Kisan Baburao Hazare

Anna: Kisan Baburao Hazare

Anna: Kisan Baburao Hazare a biographical film is a feast to my movie watching experience. I like the direction and script where Director Shashank Udapurkar has subtly stresses the Anna ideology and his passion for our country and truth.

Tanishaa Mukerji who works a reporter who unfolds the life of Anna step by step helps viewers to understand how Anna did his Himalayan work in Ralegan Sindi. The movie opens various phases of activist Anna Hazare’s life.  Today Anna Hazare is world famous as a fearless soldier, a hard working farmer & a social revolutionary, Anna Hazare became a role model after his fasting and protest against rampant corruption in the country.

He came into limelight in 2011 when he began a hunger strike demanding the government should enact a stringent anti-corruption law, The Lokpal Bill, to deal with corruption in the nation. This attracted global attention. Film has portrayed it on screen.

The vital incidents and anecdotes shaped Anna’s life answers viewers’ unspoken questions. This film spreads the Anna philosophy. The road of truth and Ghandhian thoughts is the answer to wide spread corruption and injustice.

Anna Hazare to me is the only person who united our country for the cause of RTI and Lokpal Bill. I have witnessed and participated in the Anna movement. First time in my life time I have seen the mass participated in Anna rally against corruption. The whole nation rose first time after the independence to Jantar Mantar for Anna Hazare. I always site his example as a pioneer in using social media to connect to masses. Jasmine revolution spread and changed the imperialist governments of six nations. Anna Hazare moment is the first of its kind example in India. 2014 elections took lesson from him and applied the same strategies during the promotion of BJP.  

I am lucky to watch this film; it gave me a pleasure of becoming a part of historical development. 

Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and people behind it

Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and people behind it

Finally Donald Trump, the blustery billionaire businessman, has become the US President.

Americans head to the polls in November; they need to choose between Trump and the Democratic Party’s nominee Hilary. They have chosen the opinion of various people who shared the view about these candidates. Understanding a candidate they studied and analyzed their history, nature, capacity and the future consequential decisions will be made from the White House.

When it comes to Trump, a man with no political experience and a guy of ever-changing platform, it’s hard to know what Trump really thinks. It becomes important who are the people he is surrounded with. They may have influential role in dictating policy.

Roger Stone - Who is he? He is “Campaign confidante,” “long-time ally,” “closest political adviser”. He may not have any direct relation now but Stone has built his reputation on controversy and dirty tricks.  It is interesting to see how he created the atmosphere for Trump. In 2008, he created an anti-Hillary Clinton group called C.U.N.T., Stone later said that he could not think of a good acronym for B.I.T.C.H.

He came close to Trump in 2012, after Trump raised crusade to question the validity of President Obama’s birth certificate and citizenship. Stone called the accusations “brilliant. We can call it ‘base building’.

Steve Mnuchin -The Chairman of investment company Dune Capital Management, become campaign’s finance chair last week. If we dig a history then we find him as one of the most notorious bankers in America.  He is known for the foreclosure of loans.  It reflects an extreme mentality of profit at all costs.

Corey Lewandowski - The much famous person among Trump’s campaign staff, Corey Lewandowski came into light this year when he grabbed a Breitbart reporter by the Army and Police charged him with misdemeanor battery, but a court lately said he would not be prosecuted.

Lewandowski served as campaign manager but known as a politico who is known for his sexist and racist behavior.  During this campaign he made sexually suggestive and at times vulgar comments for female journalists who have covered Trump’s presidential bid.”

Carter Page -A former investment banker and one of Trump’s foreign policy advisers. He is currently working in Global Energy Capital as managing partner. He was previously a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Edward Klein - The journalist-turned-gossip columnist Edward Klein was recently spotted dining with Trump at a campaign stop in Indiana. Klein claims he’s known Trump “for 35 years.

Klein is a self proclaimed best penman to run smearing campaign against Democratic politicians. He wrote salacious, almost astonishing stories about them. He stories are based on the quotes of anonymous sources.  This raised the questions about his credibility.

We can see some of the Klein’s stories like, “Hillary Clinton was once raped by her husband Bill, and their daughter, Chelsea, was conceived in the rape. Clinton and Obama once got into a physical fight.

Katrina Pierson we can call her the face of the Donald Trump campaign. People watched her talking his words.

Pierson became Trump’s national spokesperson; she is a polarizing figure in Texas politics. We can read her as if she is an activist more interested in self-promotion than in the work of political reporting.

Paul Manafort - He proved to be a task force in Trump campaign for one specific purpose. He made sure Trump secures enough delegates to clinch the nomination at the Republican National Convention this summer.

Carl Paladino - A blustery, rich, white, New York businessman who went with untraditional and offensive rhetoric ways to secure the Republican Party nomination.

Paladino is one of the original Tea Party heroes. He made headlines for his outlandish behavior. Lately when campaigning for Trump last month, he called president Obama as “raccoon in the basement.”

Michael Glassner - Trump’s national political director. He was Palin’s top adviser during the 2008 presidential campaign. Glassner is   pro-Israel. In 2014 he told the Journal, “he felt very strongly about the threat of radical Islam.”

Don McGahn – Serving for the The law firm ‘Jones Day’ and ‘Trump’s principal campaign counsel. He is leading the team.  McGahn is famous for a controversial former FEC commissioner and election lawyer, he is also a bit of an iconoclast.

Hope Hicks - Communications director for Donald Trump holds a famously low profile. This 27-year-old public relations professional had never worked on a political campaign now she is a person addressing journalists covering Trump’s White House bid.

Hicks handled Trump’s controversial Twitter feed; in that she takes dictation of Trump when he’s talking about something, then sends his thoughts to someone else in Trump’s circle to take it further.

Joseph Schmitz - Schmitz was Pentagon as Defense Department inspector general under President George W. Bush to investigate waste, fraud and abuse.  He is the author of “Sharia: The Threat to America” for the Center for Security Policy, same widely-criticized organization that provided the poll information cited in Trump’s Muslim ban proposal.

Sam Clovis - Sam Clovis is handling Trump campaign’s national co-chair and senior policy adviser after former Texas Gov.

In Iowa, Clovis was known as a college professor and radio host. Being a host he commented on Obama’s racial makeup would make it difficult to impeach him.

Daniel Scavino Jr- He is, Trump’s director of social media. He worked with executive vice president and general manager at the Trump Organization until 2013.  Scavino used defensive and often offensive   tweets to attack politicians, GOP presidential candidates, Mitt Romney, and Hillary Clinton.

Gen. Keith Kellogg - Keith Kellogg is a Trump’s foreign policy adviser. He spends his post retiring time for national defense contracting firms, including CACI international.

Kellogg   had a brief stint in Iraq as CEO of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) but the CPA is largely judged as a failure. During CPA tenure Kellogg served under L. Paul Bremer, who is widely accounted for dissolution of the Iraqi Army and this fuel insurgency in Iraq. It is the key factor in the formation of ISIS.

Ben Carson - Former Republican presidential candidate and retired neurosurgeon endorsed Trump and became a part of his close circle, stood beside him at press conferences. He changed his once negative tone about the real estate mogul Trump.

Carson played many controversial moves, includes claim  that women  abortions are like slaveholders, Obama care is the worst thing since slavery, and  Americans should not elect a Muslim to the presidency.

George Papadopoulos - he is Trump’s foreign policy advisers- who wrote  few op-eds for Israeli news sites — focuses on natural gas in the Mediterranean region.

Papadopoulos advised Ben Carson during his presidential bid, and is the director at the Center for International Energy and Natural Resources Law & Security at the London Center of International Law Practice. He previously worked as a research fellow at the conservative Hudson Institute.

Walid Phares - Trump chosen Phares as a foreign policy adviser, He’s a counter-terrorism expert.” He worked for Mitt Romney in 2012, and a frequent guest of Fox News. He is known for a conspicuous hawk for stoking fears of radical Islam — particularly about the spread of Sharia law in the United States.

I personally feel US has great future if they work on peace and progress. US economy need revamp of automobile and heavy industry sector. Share markets all over the world are uncontrollably moving. They need a confidence.

Brexit has weakened the Euro, the other countries have started creating a noise and their voice has to be herd. The generation who is watching will witness a major change and this change is going to shape our personal, private and social life.  

9/11 has changed the perception of civilization. Afghanistan war made things worse and Iraqi war changed the tread equations. Paris attacks shook the Europe. Jasmin revolution used the social media but threw the fascist power of six nations.

Surprisingly people from across the globe are becoming more ethnocentric and community oriented. Everybody is living uncertainty. The victory of Trump can give us the hope for better world. 

Donald Trump taught us pivotal lessons of Marketing

Donald Trump taught us pivotal lessons of Marketing

Donald Trump’s candidacy has been a powerful force in the race and grabbed a great deal of media attention.

Trump is already been generating headlines. Trump’s brash demeanor and hateful or stupid statements made him rise in the polls.

We as Indian should learn some lessons of marketing from Trump. They will be helpful for any brand or political cause.

1. One should know your audience

Donald Trump doesn’t care for your love or hate. He’s targeting only a selected crowd. Trump is giving voice to feelings that are widely shared in that political party and natives. In the same way, your brand doesn’t have to appeal to “everyone.” Know your target market and speak to their concerns in a relevant way.

2. One should know their brand

Donald Trump knows who he is. The Trump’s campaign trail is familiar to New Yorkers. Trump is famous New York real estate developer, bestselling author and TV reality-show contest business mogul on “The Apprentice.”  Trump is famous for his image. He’s now entering into politics over business deals. He’s always known for bold and brassy and always carried a take-no-prisoners attitude.

We can underline the strategy - A brand needs to stand for something. There are many who hate Trump, but they find themselves grudgingly admiring the consistency of his brand message. What you see is what you get.

3. Be bold

Trump always gave outrageous remarks during the campaign. May it be his inflammatory remarks about Mexican immigrants or accusing John McCain of not being a “war hero,” but every new media tornado seemed to boost his image in the polls. The reason: core supporters respect him for speaking truth.

The lesson: Don’t be afraid and stand strong as a brand, even if it’s controversial. He took a risk. We should learn, even if you lose some customers who don’t “get it,” as long as you keep appealing to the niche market of customers who love you the most.

4. Love yourself and your abilities

All candidates these days test out their message before it goes on air, they try to find the right combination of words and issues to appeal to the voters. It often up sounds excessively artificial. We lose the real human connection between candidate and voters. Trump being a conservative Republican people called him unrehearsed and unpolished -- he’s always ready to speak off the cuff. Every day on the campaign he talked his mind out.

The same goes with our product. It is vital to trust your good idea and trust that others will feel the same.  If you try to make your product appealing to everyone, it ultimately appeals to no one. As the saying goes too many cooks spoils the soup, makes a sense here.

5. Do no bend and regret

Trump promoted his campaign loudly and clearly. He never bends on his stand and never apologized for his comments. He stood strong by his stand and never replied the media or people who blamed him.

It’s hard to know where to draw the line. Never apologize for the mistakes you have not made. Apologize for the mistakes you made. It creates your image. Never give a heed to your critics and your reaction becomes a cannon fodder against you.

US Elections and Indian Economy

US Elections and Indian Economy

Trump is coming with the lead in US 2016 elections and it makes me think in an optimistic manner.  The win of Trump over Hilary is most expected result by native US citizens.  Hilary who is a democrat candidate had fantastic debates with Trump.  

After reading the numerous views from press and online portals I have made my opinion. Problem of unemployment, unwed mothers, and decrease in production industry, unequal payments, illegal migrants, terrorist issues and taxes are the biggest problems for US.

Hilary Clinton made her campaign on following points

1. "US families making less than $125,000 a year, we get free tuition" for in-state students at public colleges.

2.  Offer for hard-working, law-abiding immigrant families a path to citizenship to increasing immigration enforcement and liberalizing future immigration.

3. Promise of affordable health care to more people. It is the same existing point where Obama has already working.

4. "We will do everything we can to overturn Citizens United."

5. "Fighting for equal pay."

6. "I will not raise middle-class taxes."

7. Clinton says she would "say ‘no’ to new trade agreements unless they create American jobs, raise wages, and improve our national security."  

8. "We’re going to increase the federal minimum wage."

9. " Hillary is a long-time advocate for more stringent gun control,

10. "Clinton wishes to make the biggest investment in new, good-paying jobs since World War II"

Donald Trump came up with concrete promises  

1. Trump promised to Build a great wall on the border of Mexico.

2. Temporarily ban Muslims from entering the United States.

3. He will be working on bring manufacturing (jobs) back

4. Impose tariffs on imported goods made in China and Mexico

5. Renegotiate or withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement and Trans-Pacific Partnership

6. ‘Full repeal of Obama care’ and replace it with a market-based alternative

7. He is going to renegotiate the Iran deal

8. Trump vowed to leave the Social security, retirement age and benefits intact

9. Trump’s proposed tax reforms, everyone would indeed get a cut

10. If Trump wants to take oil from ISIS by invasion, occupation and a reconstruction worth billions of American dollars.

The promises of Donald Trump appreciated by natives and he got their votes. Hilary lacks in concrete promises. Trump talked facts and figures during his campaign. Trump talked very clear. Hilary talked emotionally and tried to gather the support for herself as a women candidate.

Hilary lacked the public speaking skills; Donald Trump used his PR agency and had his public speaking very sensational and crisp. Migrated desi people liked the talk of Hilary but one should understand the migrated people will always be less in number than the natives. Migrated people will never understand the grassroots problem of natives. They cannot adopt the native culture. They always remain aloof from culture.

The win of Donald Trump is the international political phenomenon. Many countries of Europe, Asia, and Africa are electing leaders who are of fascist nature.  People have high hopes on him.

A country like will have hard luck on IT, Pharma, Banking and Automobile sector. The conventional sectors of our economy will weaken the allied sectors like entertainment, service, retail, online retail and exports. Donald Trump is going to be a hard nut for India.