this post was submitted on 28 Feb 2025
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[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 63 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (8 children)

This isn't debasement. This is manners.

Manners are about you thanking the host, not about the pigs you dined with. Sometimes, the host IS the pig. But it's still about you, so cast them some pearls.

[–] grue@lemmy.world 51 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (5 children)

You've been downvoted, but you're right.

Folks, this is what debasement is:

debasement noun

The act of debasing or the state of being debased; a lowering, especially in character or quality.

What Zelenskyy did was the exact opposite of that: by putting his personal pride aside for the good of Ukraine despite Trump and Vance trying to double-team him with the worst bullying they could muster, he showed incredible strength of character and statesmanship.

Make no mistake: this was not Zelenskyy showing weakness or fealty towards Trump. This was Zelenskyy jumping through the hoops necessary to deny the bullies credibility for their claims that he was not cooperating towards peace. His graciousness just sets him further above them, in terms of diplomatic credibility.

In the damn near no-win scenario Zelenskyy is in, this was as close to a victory as he could possibly have hoped for.

[–] jerkface@lemmy.ca -1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

You do not think that Zelensky "lowered himself" by absorbing all that abuse, not responding to it at all, and instead praising his abusers? You can describe that as "manners" or "self control" or "civilized" or whatever else you want, and all those things may be true, but it doesn't change the fact that he lowered himself. He acted as though he were socially beneath Trump and Vance. We can all see that. Yes, it was the correct thing, and the dignified thing to do. But to claim he didn't lower himself, didn't debase himself, is warped. It's trying to spin the situation by denying the obvious, recasting it as something else.

[–] Deifyed@lemmy.ml 3 points 5 months ago

I disagree. He didn't lower himself, he acted like the only grown up in the group while the others were throwing hissy fits

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