US president-elect Donald Trump is a scary kind of character. His disinterest in the international niceties of diplomacy and international relations make Trump’s imminent presidency all kinds of worrying. I did not agree with quite a lot of what President Barack Obama has done — or, indeed, has failed to do — but the man is irresistibly charming and as a representative of the best of the US, a country I genuinely admire, I like him a great deal. It is a bit old-fashioned these days, the idea that it is not only okay, but even quite normal to admire and like people with whom we disagree. But toxic modern culture, especially online, does not leave time for such nuance. You are on one team or another and the abuse that you will endure for being pro-or anti-(insert politician’s name here) is savage. I have equally mixed feelings about Trump. In broad terms, he scares the hell out of me and he does not seem terribly nice. I think his pugilistic approach to China is frightening and his co...

Subscribe now to unlock this article.

Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).

There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.

Cancel anytime.

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.