Two Pictures are Worth Millions of Words
A Cartoon and a Social Media Post Capture What is at Stake
We have all heard the saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” It is often said to be a old Chinese proverb, sometimes attributed to Confucius. The evidence for that origin is as nonexistent as that for almost everything Donald Trump and his idolizers say.
"One look is worth a thousand words," Frederick R. Barnard wrote of advertising in1921. He cited the source as “a Japanese philosopher.” That, too, appears to be an “alternative fact.”
It is undeniable, though, that images often have a far greater impact than words.
This week we have seen two examples. On Friday, Trump posted a video on social media showing a pickup truck with “TRUMP 2024” on the tailgate above an image of President Biden tied up with rope. It is designed to make it look like the president is hog-tied on the cargo bed of the truck. The video goes on to show the driver giving a thumbs up.
A clearer indication of the sort of violence and authoritarianism Trump wants to bring to America would be hard to imagine.
On Wednesday, brilliant cartoonist Mike Luckovich explained the stakes in a way that almost anyone should be able to understand: