Self-Proclaimed Greatness

 

With all the humility he could muster, Donald J. Trump declared that he was one of the greatest leaders of all time. He no longer compares himself to George Washington or Abraham Lincoln, they were just the warm-up act for his ascension to greatness. He now wants to be considered among the ranks of world-renowned historical figures like Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and Napoleon Boneaparte. It is greatness by declaration, not by achievement or historical recognition. He has recently been saying that he, “is the most powerful person to have ever lived.”

This recent alignment with world historical figures may have come from the writings of 19th century German philosopher G.W.F. Hegel. It is highly doubtful that the president has taken up reading 19th century philosophy or anything that is not on a teleprompter or the side of a Diet Coke can. It has been suggested that he was told about or saw a brief video mentioning Hegel’s reference to “heroes of the Epoch.” These would be individuals who rip apart the established order and push history on to its next stage through sheer force of will, imposing a more advanced form of consciousness and organization upon the world. Trump considers himself to be of that stature, or should I have said, statue..

While Donald Trump will certainly be studied in classes of American history, it will probably be in reference to his fostering a new age of populism and his movement of celebrity into governance. He will be discussed for his use of political position for settling scores, seeking vengeance, and personal enrichment. He will be remembered for the shattering of strong U.S. alliances that were formed after World War II. In those terms, he did shape history.

Had Trump been a student of history, he might have been a bit more careful. Caesar met his fate after being stabbed by former supporters. Napoleon perished in exile on a rat-infested island in the South Atlantic. As Trump is a germophobe, such an end would be considered horrible. While Alexander the Great conquered one of the largest empires in ancient history before the age of 30 and was a brilliant military strategist, he died at age 32. It could also be mentioned that, as Trump is an anti-woke Republican who despises the LGBTQ+ community, Alexander the Great had two known male lovers.

As imperialist leaders go, Trump would be in fine company. He is befittingly erecting statues of himself, putting his image on coins, passports, and banners, and plastering his name on prominent buildings. With this in mind, he doesn’t hold a candle to Joseph Stalin who maintains the world record at over 6,000 statues at the time of his death. Stalin too met a bitter demise as he suffered a stroke at age 74, did not receive medical treatment for days because his staffers feared for their own safety, and when medical personnel did arrive, they applied leeches that didn’t work.

Yes, by all accounts, there have been many historical “greats.” But that greatness is no guarantee of a happy ending.