Donald trump: everything that is wrong with the humanDonald trump: everything that is wrong with the human
The Leaves of a Victim never more with Steven Wilson
Steven Wilson reflects on what makes a good or bad person, using philosophical ideas, his therapy group experiences and public accounts of Donald Trump’s behaviour. The conversation connects politics with the lived reality of abuse survivors and people in recovery.
26:40•5 Oct 2026
Donald Trump, Villains and the Question of the ‘Good Person’
Episode Overview
- The podcast is created for victims of abuse and people dealing with addiction, using Steven’s group therapy topics as a starting point.
- Steven contrasts traits of a ‘good person’ such as wisdom, integrity and kindness with traits of a ‘bad person’ like lack of empathy, sadism and megalomania.
- The discussion links Donald Trump’s reported behaviour to these negative traits, focusing on how this affects survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
- Historical and philosophical figures are used to question what makes a good leader and whether society can be ‘good’ while following a harmful person.
- Behaviour mapping is described as a way to look at past actions over time to assess whether someone’s pattern fits that of a villain or a safe person.
“What is the good person? How does one grade a paper without a metric? And who establishes the metric?”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? Here, Steven Wilson takes a sharp detour through politics, philosophy and trauma to answer that question in a very unexpected way: by talking about Donald Trump. Aimed at survivors of abuse and those living with addiction, this episode has the feel of a raw group therapy share, rather than a polished political debate.
Steven explains that the topic came straight from his men’s therapy group, where every member is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. With the American elections looming and Trump’s history on their minds, the group wrestles with a brutal question: what does it mean for victims when “over half the country” backs someone they see as a rapist and a predator? Steven leans on his love of philosophy to frame the conversation.
He moves from Plato’s philosopher king to Kant’s moral duty, Bentham’s focus on outcomes, Marcus Aurelius’ call to live in harmony with others, and Sartre’s blend of freedom and responsibility. Then he contrasts the traits of a “good person” – “wisdom… integrity… honour… courage… kindness… justice… self-control” – with a dark checklist for a “bad person”: lack of empathy, psychopathy, sadism, Machiavellian manipulation, megalomania, entitlement and dishonesty.
The heart of the episode lies in his question: “Was there ever a time when you could say, logically, reasonably, that Donald Trump was a good person?” He lines up examples discussed in group – racism cases, comments about countries, and multiple allegations of sexual assault – and talks about “behaviour mapping” as a way to judge patterns over time. It’s blunt, sometimes uncomfortable, and very much from a survivor’s perspective.
If you’re processing your own abuse history and wondering what it means to live in a society that may cheer for people who resemble your abusers, this might give you plenty to sit with. How do you define a “good person” in your own life, and who makes that call?
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