He really is trying to act on his instincts
At the Post, more on Tillerson’s observations of Trump:
“What was challenging for me coming from the disciplined, highly process-oriented ExxonMobil corporation,” Tillerson said, was “to go to work for a man who is pretty undisciplined, doesn’t like to read, doesn’t read briefing reports, doesn’t like to get into the details of a lot of things, but rather just kind of says, ‘This is what I believe.’ ”
Not even “kind of”; that’s exactly what he says. He said it just the other day in response to a question about the climate change report. “I don’t believe it,” he said, like an idiot. He doesn’t not believe it for reasons, he just “doesn’t believe it” as in he wants to ignore it so he does.
Also: I just want to underline the point here: a man who is pretty undisciplined, doesn’t like to read, doesn’t read briefing reports, doesn’t like to get into the details of a lot of things, is not someone who should be president.
Tillerson said Trump believes he is acting on his instincts rather than relying on facts. But Tillerson seemed to suggest that it resulted in impulsiveness.
“He acts on his instincts; in some respects, that looks like impulsiveness,” Tillerson said. “But it’s not his intent to act on impulse. I think he really is trying to act on his instincts.”
Yes, we know. He thinks his “gut” is reliable. He’s wrong. If he knew more, if he were capable of reading and understanding and paying attention and thinking critically, he would realize that an unaided gut is not an adequate tool for the job he’s taken on.
At about 1:50, the bit where he says “But Mr President that would violate the law,” there is nervous laughter from the audience.
I suppose Tillerson tries to put things in as good a light as he can because he actually chose to work for this idiot. Which ultimately doesn’t look good on Tillerson.
Instincts are not a good substitute for knowledge and skill.
Tillerson was better qualified for the job than Trump… How does the Tillerson “Pootie” SNL sketch look now?
It’s too bad Tillerson didn’t speak out sooner, like when he was still Secretary of State. He could have spoken out and resigned. I think it would have had a lot more impact if he’d blown the whistle before he was dumped. Was it more important to protect Trump’s reputation than the country’s security? Isn’t the protection of the Constitution more important than shielding Trump from the consequences of his own ignorance and stupidity? Who knows, such a move might have even woken up a few Congressional Republicans and emboldened them to try to find and polish the corroded fragments of their moral compasses. Trump’s not worthy of support, loyalty, respect, protection or the benefit of the doubt.
This is the ‘refreshing break from politics as usual’ that the American people want. Look at the Democrats wondering who to run in ’20. Any hint of experience or competence is treated as a negative mark.
Ooh! Let’s find a 25 year old paraplegic Hijabi!
YNnB, Tillerson has his priorities too, y’know. He had to be sure his severence payment had cleared through and couldn’t be cancelled before he let his principles loose.
Um…unless Trump totally shreds the Constitution, that would have to be a 35 year old paraplegic Hijabi.
Am I supposed to believe that acting on instincts is better than acting on impulse? How are either of these appropriate when it comes to complex decision-making?
Can someone explain what the difference is between acting on impulse and acting on instinct?
Well, I suppose on impulse is thoughtless while instinct is bad thought.
That is, impulse is almost like a reflex – you just feel like doing something, no reasons necessary. Instinct is a flattering word for having bad non-rational reasons. That means instinct is much more annoying as an explanation, because it has pretensions to thought and/or reasons, but they’re all crap.
Ah, thanks, that makes some kind of sense. I was just reading them both as being “acting without thinking”, but looking at instinct as being deliberative without being thinky (e.g. pausing to consider how you feel, without thinking about why you feel) does add a distinction between them.
Mind you, I meant instinct the way Trump uses it. Of course instinct isn’t always thinking-for-bad-reasons – it can be fast thinking to avoid or prevent danger, and the like. But that’s not the kind Tillerson was talking about.