Im not sure about the logic of the implication here. What “pretending” has to do with being afraid of somebody?
When people are afraid of other people, they often pretend to want the thing that the person who they are afraid of want they to want. In this case the implication is that Putin wants to keep the war going, but Putin is pretending to want peace because “Putin is afraid of Trump”. The idea is to stroke Trump’s ego while also diminishing Putin’s influence because Trump only respects ‘tough guys’.
“When people are afraid of other people, they often pretend to want the thing that the person who they are afraid of want they to want” - first time hearing this. More examples?
Victims of torture confessing to crimes they didn’t do because they are afraid of more torture. They want to appease the torturer, who they are afraid of, by telling them whatever they think will make them stop.
I mangled the phrasing a bit in the first post.
What exactly can victim of torture “want that the person who they are afraid of want them to want.”? They can say something that the torturer wants them to say, sure. But wanting something? Like what?
they often pretend to want the thing that the person who they are afraid of
Pretending including saying what they think the torturer wants they to say, showing feigned emotions, etc.
