The best way to resist Trump: Strive to be a good and decent human being

Trump’s deeply horrendous post following the murder of Rob and Michele Reiner confirms what has long been apparent to many: A key element of Trumpism is cruelty for cruelty’s sake.

I hesitate to share the following, given how deeply cruel it is, but it provides the main context for this piece. Below, you will find U.S. President Donald Trump’s Truth Social statement on the murder of Rob and Michele Reiner:

And when given the chance to retract his comments, Trump doubled down:

There is no excusing this. There is no justifying this. It’s pure cruelty for the sake of cruelty. We saw shades of this cruelty in how JD Vance and Trump berated Ukraine’s brave President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. We see shades of it directed towards Canada and other U.S. allies, even as authoritarian leaders are praised and coddled. And we see shades of it in the gleeful celebration of deportations.

Given that Trump exercises influence through the media, that his messages spread on social networks, and that he has often expressed ill intent towards Canada and other democracies, it is reasonable for Canadians and citizens of democracies around the world to take notice of Trump’s words and actions. It’s also unsurprising that he is deeply unpopular in this country and many others.

But, unless you’re reading this in the United States, you don’t influence who the U.S. elects. Whether to shift course from Trumpism or not is a decision that will be made by the American People at the ballot box. For everyone else, we face the question of how to resist the influence of Trumpism in our own countries and our own lives.

Here’s my answer:

Strive to be a good and decent human being.

Trumpism is many things to many people, but in large part, it depends on cynicism and a belief that everyone is corrupt. It is predicated on an appeal to harsher and baser aspects of human nature (which are present in all of us). To a significant extent, it’s based on giving up on the idea that human beings can be empathetic, selfless, caring, respectful, and kind, and believing none of us can grow and evolve into better people over time. It’s a vision of a future where ruthlessness, pure self-interest, and an obsession with power & dominance are the guiding forces in life.

So to resist that kind of future, and to build a better future that runs contrary to Trumpism, the best thing we can do is strive to be the kind of people who disprove Trumpism daily through our own example. The more we can act in a way that shows human beings can prioritize the ‘better angels of our nature,’ the more we can give confidence and inspiration to others, helping to erode cynicism and show that there is value and meaning in striving to be a good person.

We all have both aspects within us. Every day, we can choose to strive for something better, or we can choose to surrender to more negative impulses. If you saw Trump’s post about Rob Reiner and felt a deep sense that it was wrong, it means your desire to strive for goodness remains strong. Build on that. By striving for goodness and decency, you can be part of building a better world.

Spencer Fernando

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