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| https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-trump-virus_b_9133800 |
A Sense of Doubt blog post #3168 - Trumpism is a Virus
This one has been in the draft queue for over three years.
There's more evidence even now how Trumpism is a virus.
Thanks for tuning in.
It's a virus that makes people crazy, like the segment on Cuomo PrimeTime on January 22, 2021 with the kid whose father threatened to kill him -- "choose a side or die" and "if you turn me in, you are a traitor, and you know what happens to traitors" -- and the son turned him in to the police.
Terrible.
Is there a vaccine?
A cure?
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| https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/the-plague-of-partisan-paranoia/ |
I must agree with Never Trump conservative Tom Nichols that engaging with President Klan Robe’s dead-end supporters is a waste of time and brain cells. (The Atlantic)
If we've learned one thing about "Trumpism," it is that there is no such thing as "Trumpism." No content anchors it; no program or policy comes from it. No motivating ideology stands behind it, unless we think of general grievance and a hatred of cultural and intellectual elites as an "idea." And when views are incoherent and beliefs are rooted in fantasies, compromise is impossible. Further engagement is not only unwarranted, but it can also become counterproductive.
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https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-shared-psychosis-of-donald-trump-and-his-loyalists/
What attracts people to Trump? What is their animus or driving force?
The reasons are multiple and varied, but in my recent public-service book, Profile of a Nation, I have outlined two major emotional drives: narcissistic symbiosis and shared psychosis. Narcissistic symbiosis refers to the developmental wounds that make the leader-follower relationship magnetically attractive. The leader, hungry for adulation to compensate for an inner lack of self-worth, projects grandiose omnipotence—while the followers, rendered needy by societal stress or developmental injury, yearn for a parental figure. When such wounded individuals are given positions of power, they arouse similar pathology in the population that creates a “lock and key” relationship.
“Shared psychosis”—which is also called “folie à millions” [“madness for millions”] when occurring at the national level or “induced delusions”—refers to the infectiousness of severe symptoms that goes beyond ordinary group psychology. When a highly symptomatic individual is placed in an influential position, the person’s symptoms can spread through the population through emotional bonds, heightening existing pathologies and inducing delusions, paranoia and propensity for violence—even in previously healthy individuals. The treatment is removal of exposure.
Why does Trump himself seem to gravitate toward violence and destruction?
Destructiveness is a core characteristic of mental pathology, whether directed toward the self or others. First, I wish to clarify that those with mental illness are, as a group, no more dangerous than those without mental illness. When mental pathology is accompanied by criminal-mindedness, however, the combination can make individuals far more dangerous than either alone.
In my textbook on violence, I emphasize the symbolic nature of violence and how it is a life impulse gone awry. Briefly, if one cannot have love, one resorts to respect. And when respect is unavailable, one resorts to fear. Trump is now living through an intolerable loss of respect: rejection by a nation in his election defeat. Violence helps compensate for feelings of powerlessness, inadequacy and lack of real productivity.
Do you think Trump is truly exhibiting delusional or psychotic behavior? Or is he simply behaving like an autocrat making a bald-faced attempt to hold onto his power?
I believe it is both. He is certainly of an autocratic disposition because his extreme narcissism does not allow for equality with other human beings, as democracy requires. Psychiatrists generally assess delusions through personal examination, but there is other evidence of their likelihood. First, delusions are more infectious than strategic lies, and so we see, from their sheer spread, that Trump likely truly believes them. Second, his emotional fragility, manifested in extreme intolerance of realities that do not fit his wishful view of the world, predispose him to psychotic spirals. Third, his public record includes numerous hours of interviews and interactions with other people—such as the hour-long one with the Georgia secretary of state—that very nearly confirm delusion, as my colleague and I discovered in a systematic analysis.
You're Wrong About
Losing Relatives to Fox News
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1112270/6725503-losing-relatives-to-fox-news
Mike tells Sarah what makes older Americans more vulnerable to misinformation — and who is delivering it to them. Digressions include "Supernatural," the Rachel and a fake university in Pennsylvania. We recorded this episode before the election but tried not to make it too obvious.
Here's the article Mike wrote with all the research he did for this episode:
The reality of Trump’s mix of drug cocktails and his need for supplemental oxygen contradict the narrative that he has conquered the virus. It’s as if he’s kicking down his own thinly constructed reality, and frantically trying to rebuild it again.
But Trump’s narrative works if you already bought in. You can hide, too, in the shared delusion if you are rich enough and White enough not to have to face reality. But for the rest of Americans, coughing, jobless, worried and already heading to the polls in record numbers, the vision isn’t selling.
https://www.bainbridgereview.com/opinion/trumpism-is-the-real-virus-matthew-johnson/Trumpism Is The Real Virus | Matthew Johnson
It’s painfully obvious that even before the outbreak of COVID-19 this country was suffering from a deadly plague — the plague of ignorance and incompetence spreading from the White House, its allied media, and an all-too-familiar Twitter account.
Unlike COVID-19, this sickness is manmade (and I use the word “manmade” with all due gender sensitivity). While I would hesitate to categorize the United States as anything better than a semi-democracy, millions of people (the majority of them men) voted for a man with no experience, no original ideas, and no compassion to lead their country. Many did this as a form of protest — they correctly rejected a status quo that for years privileged Wall Street at the expense of Main Street; wasted trillions of dollars and millions of lives in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other theaters; and refused to provide health care, higher education, and gainful employment to large swaths of the citizenry.
Nonetheless, they were tragically mistaken to think Trump would do anything other than what he has done: Turned the United States into his own (pathetic) reality TV show, where he gets to be the hero and constant center of attention. Never mind that he is a fourth-rate entertainer at best, and never mind that thousands are dying from a pandemic that could have been prevented by — Hillary Clinton, perhaps? — or anyone competent enough to listen to their own staff or experts.
But Trump can’t do that. He can’t listen. He is immune to reason — unless the reason is that it makes him look good. He’s a hopeless narcissist. A malignant fool. A jester masquerading as president. Even worse, he is a parasite that thrives off human misery. He pushes others down, so that he can look taller (just think of all his staff who resigned or were fired). Would anyone doubt that he would climb on and drown everyone around him if he fell into a pool and couldn’t swim?
I want his supporters to know that they can stop this. They can flatten this curve. All they must do is turn off FOX and find a new messiah. Or reflect on why they need a messiah. That’s all. I won’t even ask them to admit they were wrong because it accomplishes nothing.
I want Trump gone. I want him gone in some senses even more than I want COVID-19 to subside. At least COVID-19 is a silent killer who doesn’t infect our airwaves with lies and tantrums, all the while blustering war talk with countries big or small. I want Trump gone more than I want my stimulus check — or even my paycheck. I want him gone more than I want this football season to move forward as planned. I want him gone more than I want a beer at my favorite dive bar. And that’s saying a lot.
The Trumpers hold the key to victory. They should do on Election Day what we are already being ordered to do now: Stay home. Stay the hell home.
You’ve done enough damage already.
Matt Johnson, syndicated by PeaceVoice, is co-author of “Trumpism.”
Most
members of the Republican Party, most notably in the Senate have been cowed and
rendered helpless by The Mad King, even after his defeat demonstrating the
power Trump continue to wield over his minions.
By Mark Lawrence
Dec 04, 2020
Slavish
Trump devotee Geraldo Rivera recently suggested that we name the Covid Vaccine,
the "Trump Vaccine" as homage to his alleged efforts to resolve the
devasting effects of the pandemic. He said ""Make it like, 'Have you
got your Trump yet?' It would be a nice gesture to him, and years from now it
would become kind of a generic name. Have you got your Trump yet? I got my
Trump; I'm fine." As repulsive and bewildering this suggestion is, he did
get it half right. In light of the ongoing, incalculable devastation to
Americans from Covid that has been directly attributable to Trump by virtue of
his inaction, inattention, the downplaying of its effects and his pathological
narcissism guiding all of his decisions, I firmly believe it would be entirely appropriate
to rename Covid 19 "The Trump Virus." Why not? 14 million American
"got" their Trump Virus. The Mad King himself engaged his own
rebranding strategy referring to Covid as "The China Plague"
countless times. America leads the world in deaths, and cases. Why? "The
Trump Virus." Turnabout is indeed fair play, and there is another, even
more important component to this branding effort namely, his ongoing legacy,
the "Cult of Trump" and the extent to which it will plague our Democratic
institutions for years to come.
Carl
Bernstein has referred to these acts of omission as "Homicidal negligence."
Numerous former Administration officials, confidants, advisors
and even family members have referred to Trumpism as a cult. It clearly meets
the criteria. America is now confronted with not only a tribalistic, divided
country, witness the incomprehensible challenges to the very clear results of
the election with totally irrational and easily disproven accusations of
rampant voter fraud. We must now recognize, and acknowledge that the "Cult
of Trump" has been, and in spite of his loss to Biden, will continue to be
a clear and present danger to our nation.
With over a quarter of a million fellow citizens falling victim
to the Covid pandemic, and a daily death toll exceeding a thousand or more, we
are seeing the equivalent of a Jonestown, or two, each and every day in
America. That terrible event, the result of a cult movement, claimed 909 lives
in Jonestown Guyana in 1978. While the analogy often used in the media
regarding the death toll from Covid being the same as "three jumbo jets
crashing daily" is a vivid image, no one could possibly imagine that
occurring with FAA regulations and the current oversight of transportation
safety. Two 727 Max jets crashed due to a defect almost two years ago, and the
entire fleet of that plane was only recently allowed to fly again. As daunting
and almost incomprehensible as it may seem, the Jonestown analogy is
significantly more resonate, accurate and in my estimation, sadly needed to
sufficiently shock the collective consciousness of a nation still in the grip
of a cult phenomenon never seen before in our history. It's a branding
challenge of the highest moral order. It's "The Trump Virus." With
the Woodward tapes clearly demonstrating Trump's knowledge of the dangers of
Covid as early as January, it has been obvious to everyone that it has always
been about him, his image, his "numbers" and never the safety and
well-being of the American people. His refusal to even speak with the Biden
transition team as Covid numbers explode everywhere is, and must be seen as
criminal. It is time to stop being "polite" about this phenomenon,
and get tough, especially with the cowards and enablers of the Mad King in the
Senate. It's the "Trump Virus."
Carl Bernstein has referred to these acts of omission as
"Homicidal negligence." A fitting phrase if there ever was one. It is
tragically simple to see unmistakable parallels between the Jonestown tragedy
in 1978, and the daily Covid death count today. Many victims of the virus are
"collateral damage" from cult behavior, ignoring all admonitions to
be safe. South Dakota, fiercely led by a Trump ally, Governor Noem has a 56%
positive Covid test ratio, and the highest death rate from Covid on Planet Earth.
Yet, she proudly proclaims "We are free!" Yes, free from logic,
science, common sense and human decency, that is certain. It has been widely
reported that patients dying from Covid in South Dakota hospitals, gasping for
breath, nearing their final moments scream with denial that it could be Covid,
cursing at everyone in sight. Are they prayerfully exiting this mortal coil?
No! They staunchly defend their Dear Leader and his denialism with their final
breath. This is astonishing. Textbook cult behavior. It's the "Trump
Virus."
In spite of the fact that President Elect Biden will take office
on January 20, 2021, with a Covid response team already assembled, this nation
faces a sobering challenge above and beyond the defeat of Covid. It is
contending with the remnants of the Trump cult, most of whom are up in arms,
emboldened and empowered in spite of the loss of Dear Leader to Biden, ready
willing and able to defend his "honor" and continue the fight against
reason, and the relentless assault on democracy however that may manifest. Most
members of the Republican Party, most notably in the Senate have been cowed and
rendered helpless by The Mad King, even after his defeat demonstrating the
power Trump continue to wield over his minions. The press, and far too many
segments of the public continue to clutch their pearls in fear of offending
Trump supporters, concerned about ruffling their feathers. After all, they
number 73 million strong, we cannot discount them right? What we can, and must
discount are the cult members, the fanatics, the true believers who are the
source of the problem. There are countless millions of Trump supporters who are
not cult members, whose support of him stems from pragmatic policy positions,
or simple rejection of the Democratic Party and its plans for the future of
America. How we long for the days of debate over policy. Remember that time? We
must reach them, first of all, and do our level best to join together in
peacefully defeating what many have referred to as "the other virus."
The Cult of Trump, the "Trump Virus." Pass it on.
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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2310.21 - 10:10
- Days ago = 3032 days ago
- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I plan to continue Hey Mom posts at least twice per week but will continue to post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.
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