Most businesspeople have heard of Laurence J. Peter, who developed a management model that shows managers will always be promoted until they reach a point in job responsibilities that are beyond their abilities to execute. In other words, a person will rise to their level of incompetence. It’s called the Peter Principle. President Trump has embraced his own Peter Principle. He has risen to his level of incompetence in the office of President of the United States.
Think of every step taken by Trump since he announced his candidacy for president as being actions that he could master ― and master he did, very well. He outperformed 16 other republican presidential candidates and one tough cookie of a democratic presidential candidate. He outwitted them all. He rose.
Trump’s success fits in perfectly with universally held beliefs that Caucasian males are winners. They are masters of the universe. And what a roll they have been on since, let us say about the late 18th Century when German philosopher Johann Friedrich Blumenbach declared through his pseudo science that the “white” person was superior to others on the planet.
Over time that fake science became pop science and widely accepted in societies around the world. Often, existing evidence supported Blumenbach’s premise. Caucasians were the first to step on the moon. The Wright brothers were the first to fly a craft. Thomas Edison created an incandescent light bulb that was much better than earlier versions and would revolutionize the daily lives of people all over the world. Alexander Graham Bell got the first patent for the version of a telephone that would become popular around the world.
Caucasian males racked up a long list of firsts or semi firsts. Some of their achievements were original. Some were outright stolen. They were at the helm of making America the wealthiest nation in history, even if they built that wealth by crippling competition with the assistance of government sponsored largesse. Their greatest competition was the African slave whom they forced to build the infrastructure of Caucasian wealth, for free.
But the point is the Caucasian male, especially of the American variety, became known as the brokers of ideas, achievements and especially power and wealth. You must give credit where credit is due. Trump deserves credit for taking full advantage of the advantages placed in his lap by virtue of being a Caucasian male.
Former President Obama actually fit right into that Caucasian alpha male role. He harnessed that Caucasian high self-esteem and self-confidence and claimed it for his own. There was just one problem. His skin was the wrong color. Obama made all of the right moves. He was a profile in courage as he wrestled his way to the White House. He eventually repaired a severely broken economy and then made sure American banks remained leaders in global capitalism. He kept the nation safe from mass terrorism attacks, while killing the man responsible for murdering 2,996 Americans in the 911 Attacks.
Obama did the “white boy” John-Wayne-saves-the-world routine perfectly and according to historical script and mythology. His mother and grandparents were Caucasians. Still, there was that one problem. That skin thing.
But not to fret. There were still Caucasian males lining up to reclaim their dominant role in America and millions of Caucasian Americans were waiting for that mythological savior. Poor and middle class Caucasian Americans saw hope in a reality TV star that spoke all of the words of success. He was their Martin Luther King who would lead people like them back to the promise land. But, of course he could do so. He was a Caucasian male ― the top dog, the alpha male, Mr. I can do anything. History showed that the Caucasian male could bring back that pride.
That was true until Trump marched into D.C. like a smooth talker ahead of 76 trombones peddling hope. He was music to the ears of the languishing Caucasian male who had to play the role of beta male to Obama’s alpha male for eight long years.
Is this the best you have ― a misogynist who defamed a war hero Senator John McCain and criticized a Gold Star family? There is a list of such things. What an embarrassment Trump is to the great Caucasian male leaders of the American past. Even Foreign leaders wonder publicly about whatever happened to that nation of great Caucasian male leaders.
Wall Street is starting to wonder regardless of the so-called Trump rally. Goldman Sachs Group Chief Executive Officer Lloyd Blankfein told employees that Trump’s Muslim ban could be disruptive to his bank and workers. German Foreign Minister Gabriel Sigmar said the ban goes against western Christian values. A young woman entrepreneur named Danielle Gaglioti also wonders when those expected Trump policies will swing in her favor. She has to join the crowd of the disappointed in the U.S. and around the world that is asking whatever happened to that great Caucasian male leadership. Heck Trump’s administration cannot organize a decent Easter Egg Roll on the White House lawn — lead the world?
Well world, meet Donald Trump. Donald Trump, meet Laurence J. Peter and his principle.