I am currently reading Tom Nichols' "Our Own Worst Enemy: The Assault From Within on Modern Democracy." It does a superb job of explaining how and why "liberal democracy" is "dying" in favor of "illiberal democracy" and outright authoritarianism. It delves into the increasingly narcissistic society we have become (even prior to the arrival of Donald Trump, though he has been its chief exacerbator for 7 years), and how the "culture of grievance" took hold. In addition to Ms. Trump's two excellent books (and, of course, Ms. Ben-Ghiat's own superb bibliography), I super-highly recommend this book for anyone who may still find themselves confused about the cognitive dissonance and bias-confirmation echo chamber that much of the GOP lives in, and how it got that way.
Thankyou for bringing IT YOU'VE nOT taken the path of less resistance here and as a country that's been raked over the coals after 4 yrs of stupidity mis information racism
Bombasts~everyday✓grating teeth• I'm stronger more engaged, hanging in this hassle to persevere~save Our Earth! Right now, just knowing you're around doing what you do is very reassuring Good on You MT 😘 you're flexing the right muscles showing us the way
RBG & MLT (and others like them) deserve our gratitude for their essential, enlightening, and courageous work. But many of us who want democracy to survive this proto-fascist era share a blind spot. As Yanis Varoufakis has pointed out, it is wrong to demonize the 74 million Trump supporters. They are our fellow Americans. Like the 81 million who voted for Biden, they are in general nice people who contribute to society and want to live happy lives. While the individual members of the 74 million are of course diverse, in general they have experienced, or feel threatened by, and are acting on, genuine grievances. It is not stupid on their part to think that American rulers across the political spectrum regard them (the “deplorables”) with contempt. It is not stupid of them to think that political leaders across the spectrum are self-seeking hypocrites who connive in ruthlessly exploiting them (the bleeding-heart candidate of “the peoples’ party” cheerfully accepted quarter-million-dollar bribes for each of countless boilerplate speeches to fat cats “because that’s what they offered”). It is not stupid of them to think that leaders across the political spectrum enthusiastically betray them (“we’re going to put a lot of coal miners out of work!”; we’re going to end oil production, never mind the oil workers on the Texas border who should vote Democratic anyway, while we keep giving multibillion dollar taxpayer-funded subsidies to the oil companies). In fact, the grievances that have set off Trump supporters are largely the same as the complaints of the genuine (not Clintonite) American left. It is unrealistic and in fact naïve to expect millions of people whose communities, lives, livelihoods, futures, and self-respect have been systematically and remorselessly threatened, diminished, or demolished to respond in a healthy way. “Here’s a punch in your gut; now be nice and behave yourself, little person.” A Leave voter in northern England responded to the criticism that Brexit would seriously damage the English economy, and therefore his own life, by saying “Good. It will hurt those people down in the Southeast too. Then they’ll find out how it feels.” We need to focus on the ways in which the responses of the vast majority of Trump voters to evil times have gone haywire and how to make common cause with them, not on belittling and demonizing them. Otherwise we are succumbing to the same divide-and-conquer tactic they have succumbed to.
Yes, thank you so much, democracy defender Mary L. Trump for your much-appreciated courage in speaking to We the People to describe with first-hand knowledge the extreme dangers we were in with Trump as President and still are with him still able to seek office (instead of being sentenced for many serious crimes that would help protect us, his millions of American victims, including those who still don't understand that they have been conned to their great detriment). I also thank the crucial scholars and speakers on authoritarianism such as Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Timothy Snyder, Sarah Kendzior, Andrea and Alexandra Chalupa and several others who have worked so hard to warn and educate the public so strongly on the threats to our democracies globally through many powerful platforms including television, radio, the Internet, books, public speaking engagements, etc. despite any risks to themselves. They are among the selfless leaders we desperately need to survive these painful, heartbreaking, bewildering and terrifying times and far better solve the many interrelated crises we face.
I'm grappling with the idea of requiring psychological evaluations and testing batteries for presidential candidates. On the one hand, Trump's rise to power was enabled by people who ignored obvious red flags and failed to hold him accountable for his actions and predispositions. I would want fellow psychologists to have an opportunity to do the opposite for any similar candidates.
On the other hand, tests can determine diagnoses, but what tools does anyone have to definitively say whether someone is fit to be president? Do we exclude candidates with ADHD and/or mood disorders? I believe I know someone with almost any mental health diagnosis who would be fit to serve as president (as well as knowing ones who would not be fit). This seems like power that could easily be corrupted to suit a political agenda. Psychology is also historically not immune to racial, political, and other biases in its testing methods.
Authoritarians have specific psychopathology. The degree of that informs the likelihood of tyranny. A panel is needed. We don’t let military pass nuke codes w/o evals. Many employers test people. It’s shocking to me that we have this blind spot that can be fixed & save countries from misery and authoritarianism. Add the taxes- I think it’s right on. It may be very late, but I’d like to know how we can ensure this.
Required psychological testing for presidential candidates would set off difficult legal challenges. The same issue exists with mandatory testing and disclosure VP, Senators and Representatives. Amending the Constitution would likely be required. See the history of the term limit movement for congress.
Thank you both for this enlightenment and insight. Mary, I’ve always looked forward to your appearances and Rely on your incredible understanding and credibility to more fully understand what we have gone through. Thanks to you, Ruth, for your commitment to bring to us the people committed to telling us the truth and the facts.
Your book buoyed a lot of people in dark times, diminishing the non-stop gaslighting and disinformation that was obviously a feature, not a bug of The Donald's schtick. It continues as we speak, the authoritarian mantle picked up and embraced by a majority of Republicans. It's sickening to watch and hear grown men and women attempt (even now) to worm their way into Donald Trump's good graces.
I'm watching a Swedish documentary on HBO, 'Pray, Obey, Kill' about a religious cult and the lengths believers will go to protect the Big Lie.
Incredible. Also, too familiar in the way reason/critical thinking skills were willingly discarded and abandoned. Despite the heavy, tragic cost.
The danger to the country is still very real as long as this cult of personality, disinformation and propaganda continue.
Trump was able to convince 74 million people that he was a stable genius, while in actuality, he was a simple minded sociopath and possible megalomaniac. The power of propaganda and cognitive bias is immense!
So grateful for Mary Trump’s courage and continuing contribution. Her willingness to speak out has been healing in and of itself. In addition to the greater good, she’s helped people who are alienated from family members as she was.
BIll Maher says the shark swam out to sea and we need a bigger boat. In the movie the Terminator 2, Schwarzenegger says Hasta la vista, baby and shoots the T2 into shattered little pieces of metal but they melt and then congeal back into a reformed T2. Schwarzenegger then says hurry we don't have much time.
Authoritarians don't give up power without violence and struggle. We saw how hard he tried to stay in power after he lost the election in November. He's not resting. Now he's working hard to convert and purge the rest of the GOP into his own authoritarian cult of personality that worships him and him alone. In 2022 he wants to take credit if Republicans win back one or both houses of congress and from there strong arm and bully his way to winning GOP nomination in 24. This isn't over...
Trump belongs to an infamous crowd of sociopaths (Pinochet, Hitler, Mussolini, John Gacy, Josef Mengele, Ted Bundy, Jeffry Dahmer). What could possibly go wrong?
I am currently reading Tom Nichols' "Our Own Worst Enemy: The Assault From Within on Modern Democracy." It does a superb job of explaining how and why "liberal democracy" is "dying" in favor of "illiberal democracy" and outright authoritarianism. It delves into the increasingly narcissistic society we have become (even prior to the arrival of Donald Trump, though he has been its chief exacerbator for 7 years), and how the "culture of grievance" took hold. In addition to Ms. Trump's two excellent books (and, of course, Ms. Ben-Ghiat's own superb bibliography), I super-highly recommend this book for anyone who may still find themselves confused about the cognitive dissonance and bias-confirmation echo chamber that much of the GOP lives in, and how it got that way.
Thankyou for bringing IT YOU'VE nOT taken the path of less resistance here and as a country that's been raked over the coals after 4 yrs of stupidity mis information racism
Bombasts~everyday✓grating teeth• I'm stronger more engaged, hanging in this hassle to persevere~save Our Earth! Right now, just knowing you're around doing what you do is very reassuring Good on You MT 😘 you're flexing the right muscles showing us the way
RBG & MLT (and others like them) deserve our gratitude for their essential, enlightening, and courageous work. But many of us who want democracy to survive this proto-fascist era share a blind spot. As Yanis Varoufakis has pointed out, it is wrong to demonize the 74 million Trump supporters. They are our fellow Americans. Like the 81 million who voted for Biden, they are in general nice people who contribute to society and want to live happy lives. While the individual members of the 74 million are of course diverse, in general they have experienced, or feel threatened by, and are acting on, genuine grievances. It is not stupid on their part to think that American rulers across the political spectrum regard them (the “deplorables”) with contempt. It is not stupid of them to think that political leaders across the spectrum are self-seeking hypocrites who connive in ruthlessly exploiting them (the bleeding-heart candidate of “the peoples’ party” cheerfully accepted quarter-million-dollar bribes for each of countless boilerplate speeches to fat cats “because that’s what they offered”). It is not stupid of them to think that leaders across the political spectrum enthusiastically betray them (“we’re going to put a lot of coal miners out of work!”; we’re going to end oil production, never mind the oil workers on the Texas border who should vote Democratic anyway, while we keep giving multibillion dollar taxpayer-funded subsidies to the oil companies). In fact, the grievances that have set off Trump supporters are largely the same as the complaints of the genuine (not Clintonite) American left. It is unrealistic and in fact naïve to expect millions of people whose communities, lives, livelihoods, futures, and self-respect have been systematically and remorselessly threatened, diminished, or demolished to respond in a healthy way. “Here’s a punch in your gut; now be nice and behave yourself, little person.” A Leave voter in northern England responded to the criticism that Brexit would seriously damage the English economy, and therefore his own life, by saying “Good. It will hurt those people down in the Southeast too. Then they’ll find out how it feels.” We need to focus on the ways in which the responses of the vast majority of Trump voters to evil times have gone haywire and how to make common cause with them, not on belittling and demonizing them. Otherwise we are succumbing to the same divide-and-conquer tactic they have succumbed to.
Yes, thank you so much, democracy defender Mary L. Trump for your much-appreciated courage in speaking to We the People to describe with first-hand knowledge the extreme dangers we were in with Trump as President and still are with him still able to seek office (instead of being sentenced for many serious crimes that would help protect us, his millions of American victims, including those who still don't understand that they have been conned to their great detriment). I also thank the crucial scholars and speakers on authoritarianism such as Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Timothy Snyder, Sarah Kendzior, Andrea and Alexandra Chalupa and several others who have worked so hard to warn and educate the public so strongly on the threats to our democracies globally through many powerful platforms including television, radio, the Internet, books, public speaking engagements, etc. despite any risks to themselves. They are among the selfless leaders we desperately need to survive these painful, heartbreaking, bewildering and terrifying times and far better solve the many interrelated crises we face.
Your uncle does not strike me as smart or logistic, lucky, yes. Is he being run by someone(s) else? Gingrich? Bannon? Koch?
I'm grappling with the idea of requiring psychological evaluations and testing batteries for presidential candidates. On the one hand, Trump's rise to power was enabled by people who ignored obvious red flags and failed to hold him accountable for his actions and predispositions. I would want fellow psychologists to have an opportunity to do the opposite for any similar candidates.
On the other hand, tests can determine diagnoses, but what tools does anyone have to definitively say whether someone is fit to be president? Do we exclude candidates with ADHD and/or mood disorders? I believe I know someone with almost any mental health diagnosis who would be fit to serve as president (as well as knowing ones who would not be fit). This seems like power that could easily be corrupted to suit a political agenda. Psychology is also historically not immune to racial, political, and other biases in its testing methods.
An excellent point, Kara
Authoritarians have specific psychopathology. The degree of that informs the likelihood of tyranny. A panel is needed. We don’t let military pass nuke codes w/o evals. Many employers test people. It’s shocking to me that we have this blind spot that can be fixed & save countries from misery and authoritarianism. Add the taxes- I think it’s right on. It may be very late, but I’d like to know how we can ensure this.
Required psychological testing for presidential candidates would set off difficult legal challenges. The same issue exists with mandatory testing and disclosure VP, Senators and Representatives. Amending the Constitution would likely be required. See the history of the term limit movement for congress.
Thank you both for this enlightenment and insight. Mary, I’ve always looked forward to your appearances and Rely on your incredible understanding and credibility to more fully understand what we have gone through. Thanks to you, Ruth, for your commitment to bring to us the people committed to telling us the truth and the facts.
Thank you so much, Mary Trump.
Your book buoyed a lot of people in dark times, diminishing the non-stop gaslighting and disinformation that was obviously a feature, not a bug of The Donald's schtick. It continues as we speak, the authoritarian mantle picked up and embraced by a majority of Republicans. It's sickening to watch and hear grown men and women attempt (even now) to worm their way into Donald Trump's good graces.
I'm watching a Swedish documentary on HBO, 'Pray, Obey, Kill' about a religious cult and the lengths believers will go to protect the Big Lie.
Incredible. Also, too familiar in the way reason/critical thinking skills were willingly discarded and abandoned. Despite the heavy, tragic cost.
The danger to the country is still very real as long as this cult of personality, disinformation and propaganda continue.
Thank you for being part of the pushback.
Trump was able to convince 74 million people that he was a stable genius, while in actuality, he was a simple minded sociopath and possible megalomaniac. The power of propaganda and cognitive bias is immense!
So grateful for Mary Trump’s courage and continuing contribution. Her willingness to speak out has been healing in and of itself. In addition to the greater good, she’s helped people who are alienated from family members as she was.
One question for both MT and RBG and the community, does anyone doubt that Trump won't be the GOP nominee in 2024 if he's not behind bars?
Right now he would be!
BIll Maher says the shark swam out to sea and we need a bigger boat. In the movie the Terminator 2, Schwarzenegger says Hasta la vista, baby and shoots the T2 into shattered little pieces of metal but they melt and then congeal back into a reformed T2. Schwarzenegger then says hurry we don't have much time.
Authoritarians don't give up power without violence and struggle. We saw how hard he tried to stay in power after he lost the election in November. He's not resting. Now he's working hard to convert and purge the rest of the GOP into his own authoritarian cult of personality that worships him and him alone. In 2022 he wants to take credit if Republicans win back one or both houses of congress and from there strong arm and bully his way to winning GOP nomination in 24. This isn't over...
Trump belongs to an infamous crowd of sociopaths (Pinochet, Hitler, Mussolini, John Gacy, Josef Mengele, Ted Bundy, Jeffry Dahmer). What could possibly go wrong?
I don't know about Ted Bundy or Jeffry Damher but on a performative level he is as talented or more talented than Pinochet, Hitler or Mussolini.
Meaningful