As promised, in this post I will answer some questions posed to me by Lucid subscribers. I prefer to give thorough answers so I can only answer a few at a time. If I do not answer your question today, there will be other occasions: this will be a semi-regular feature to allow members of the Lucid community who cannot attend the Q&As to participate in the flow of information. Future such posts will be paywalled but this is not so that people can judge if this is valuable to them.
You nailed it! Perfect assessment of how Trump operates and his demonic personality! My hope is that voters will “see the light” before they cast ballots! If they don’t, Canada’s population may vastly increase!
That all makes so much sence, thank you. as always. for such clear and concise analysis, it is so helpful to me =] FYI the question I sent to you may be too far off topic of the Lucid project and if so please feel free to skip it. I'm so grateful that you and the other experts are informing us all the way you do and are doing it so well =]
That picture of tRump supporters at a Florence, AZ rally, really hit home, as I live not far from there. These people need to wear swastika arm bands so that society can see their true colors.
For many of us they don’t have to change their emblems (brand) MAGA (red branded caps) to swastikas. That is what we already see. MAGA = Fascism/authoritarianism.
The inability of people to humble themselves and accept that they are wrong(goes for myself at times as well) is keeping followers of Trump from accepting the reality of what he is and the danger he presents. Choosing instead to maintain an air of invincibility towards those of us who have read the indictments and believe (mostly) in the system of justice that exists in this country.
Part of the reason why fascist propaganda is so effective and people have serious problems changing their mindset about it, has to do with the Backfire Effect. Even after giving these people corrective information showing how wrong they are, they still reject it, doubling down on their original fantasy. The Backfire Effect is seen commonly in conservatives but rarely in liberals.
This is a new term for me, so I looked it up. It's a cognitive bias. I'm familiar with those.
This I thought was interesting: How do you counter the backfire effect? You can use general debiasing techniques in order to counter it effectively. Such strategies include, for example, increasing people's awareness of this bias, using simpler explanations, and changing the way you present information (https://effectiviology.com/backfire-effect-facts-dont-change-minds/).
Spot on John, I have found myself 180 degrees from many of my long held positions simply because I was open to the truth, at 77 I’m still learning every day that I’m blessed to still be here. I’m totally open to having been wrong, none of us gets through life without having made mistakes, it’s course corrections that lead to our ultimate destinations. I joined the Lincoln Project as soon as Steve Schmidt founded it, and gave them money every month until Joe Biden was elected, I was a republican for 40 years, I’m much better informed now, and there is absolutely nothing that they espouse that I agree with today. My eyes have been opened to many things that I didn’t see in the past, Biden is easily the best president of my lifetime, we are lucky to have him in the WH.
I have always said Trump is sui generis in American politics. He is an example of the great man theory of history. No other personalty or figure could have transformed a major political party, a media ecosystem, created a leader cult, become President, been twice impeached, attempt a failed coup to stay in power after losing an election and then resurrect himself back into power as the GOP's leading candidate for President four years later based on a very big lie. All while being indicted on 91 counts of fraud and corruption. No one.
This is a testament that Trump is a genius at propaganda and a talented demagogue. He has succeeded in dividing the county and bringing it to the edge of democratic collapse. He is rallying his MAGA base with more extreme rhetoric, mirroring Nazi propaganda and promising to lead us into a neo fascism state if he should ever return to power.
I have long held that as a political figure, Trump is sui generis for all the reasons you noted. However, a coupla comments:
The seeds of the party transformation that he brought about were planted in '68 with Nixon's southern strategy (the Civil Rights Act of 1964 made THAT possible), and the media ecosystem was launched long before Trump was a political figure. It begins in 1987 with Rush Limbaugh. Right-wing talk radio exploded after him, and Fox News was launched in 1996. And the country has been divided long before Trump came on the scene as well, certainly since Obama won in '08.
His evil genius was recognizing that Republican voters hated John McCain and the Bushes long before any Republican party leader did and exploiting all of that for his personal lust for power and attention.
I’m not sure I agree that republican voters hated John McCain or the Bushes. I’m a veteran who used to vote republican, I revered McCain and still do, the Bushes I had a familial connection to and I can assure you that there was no hatred for either of them. Now as far as democrats hating them goes especially George W, there is ample evidence for that.
Of course it wasn't all Republican voters. But when Trump dissed MaCain - "I like heroes who don't get caught" - we Dems all thought, "Well that's it, he's finished in the R primary." And he wasn't.
When running for governor, Kari Lake cursed his name four days before the election. “We don’t have any McCain Republicans in here, do we? Alright, get the hell out.” She lost, fortunately, but barely. There were enough R voters to give her a near win.
"I prefer to give thorough answers so I can only answer a few at a time." Thank you for providing thorough answers based on your research. Much better than a sentence or two of sound bites.
A workman who installed some blinds in my home started talking about how upset he is that he could have his gas stove taken away. He didn’t believe in global warming and brushed off scientists as not really knowing anything. He was so comfortably self confident that I literally marveled at it.
Afterwords it dawned on me that trump has succeeded in elevating people who have never garnered any respect. That must be exhilarating! He believes in himself because he believes in trump. Of course nobody would give up such reassurance! I felt as if I finally understood why so many average working people have bonded with that man. And truthfully I see this as a logical outcome in a country (us) that is so enamored with wealth and social success and so dismissive of our everyday workers. People quickly forgot how “essential” the people who make things work are.
Good insight re people who have never garnered any respect. I think Trump's never being accepted by the Manhattan elite who got into the Ivy League on their academic merits, unlike. him, is at the core of his resentment toward the elite. They were doctors and lawyers and professors. He was in real estate. Certainly their father's income and legacies helped, but all Trump had was his father's donations.
Re "Creating community is what authoritarian and populist parties do very well. from the chants, apparel, and rituals that create a sense of belonging . . .". I want to make a comment on this.
I was raised Catholic from the time the nuns still wore those habits that concealed all of their bodies except their face and hands, through Vatican II which was called because the Pope thought the Church needed updating and the anti-war movement where the Berrigan Brothers, both priests, protested the Viet Nam War, along with seven other Catholic protesters, and burned the records of the Catonsville, Maryland draft board with homemade napalm. I was active in that movement, and I left the Church soon after that.
Fast forward decades later. I was at my aunt's wake and the priest led us in Catholic prayers. We all knew the words and we all said them together. It felt like a chant, which I found very comforting. Yes, the chanting, the apparel and the rituals of authoritarian parties create a sense of belonging, but the desire to belong is a fundamental part of human nature. Authoritarian religions like Catholicism provided it for 2,000 years. How can we humans get that sense of belonging without the authoritarian organizations?
BTW, speaking of chant, there have been lots of studies since the 1990s that show the beneficial effects of Gregorian chant on the human nervous system.
I'm unable to believe that Defendant Trump is any kind of "genius." Stephen Miller, Steve Bannon, Roger Stone, Mike Flynn and perhaps a few others are at the center of this quest for dictatorial power. The Defendant in Chief has been fading fast before our eyes, though he maintains the ability to draw crowds of varying sizes. It may be a JD Vance, or someone like him, who takes the reins from what's left of the defendant if he survives the 91 counts plus that are chasing him. I guess we'll find out.
And then, what? I'm troubled by the details and events occurring now just before the 2024 Presidential election. Am I skeptical to wonder whose money is behind (funding) so many 3rd party challengers to Biden campaign. I worry that we might have a recurrence of the Trump/Clinton Election with Jill Stein running 3rd Party spoiler.
Thanks, Ruth for the Q & A with Steven Hassan the week before last. I am now reading Steven Hassan's book "The Cult of Trump" Many of us are talking about how a strong fascistic leader operates and captures so many followers. I am intrigued by how this charismatic elderly and psychologically sick individual could possibly gain so many strongly loyal followers. In his book, Hassan says that we cannot just tell people they are wrong to believe Trump. He writes, "By attacking or belittling Trump's followers, political opponents and traditional media may be helping Trump to maintain his influence over his base...telling a person that they are brainwashed, that they are in a cult or that they are following a false god, is doomed to fail...puts them immediately on the defensive, confirms you are a threat...closes their mind to other perspectives. I've seen this happen over and over again. " (from The Cult of Trump by Steven Hassan)
Ruth's intention to halt academic writing and serve the common good by bringing this amazing trove of historic information (about authoritarianism) into public view is as timely as any writing can get. Good for her; good for us!
You nailed it! Perfect assessment of how Trump operates and his demonic personality! My hope is that voters will “see the light” before they cast ballots! If they don’t, Canada’s population may vastly increase!
GREAT bumper sticker: See the light before you VOTE!
We have our own populist rabble rousers to deal with. At least in America your problems are out in the open and acknowledged.
Clear& —lucid. Wondering if you could go on Fox & if it would do any good
That all makes so much sence, thank you. as always. for such clear and concise analysis, it is so helpful to me =] FYI the question I sent to you may be too far off topic of the Lucid project and if so please feel free to skip it. I'm so grateful that you and the other experts are informing us all the way you do and are doing it so well =]
scary to think that 30% of any population is a kind of giant "sleeper cell".
Well said!
My thought, too. That % is too high for my taste.
That picture of tRump supporters at a Florence, AZ rally, really hit home, as I live not far from there. These people need to wear swastika arm bands so that society can see their true colors.
Put it on their MAGA red hats?
For many of us they don’t have to change their emblems (brand) MAGA (red branded caps) to swastikas. That is what we already see. MAGA = Fascism/authoritarianism.
The inability of people to humble themselves and accept that they are wrong(goes for myself at times as well) is keeping followers of Trump from accepting the reality of what he is and the danger he presents. Choosing instead to maintain an air of invincibility towards those of us who have read the indictments and believe (mostly) in the system of justice that exists in this country.
Part of the reason why fascist propaganda is so effective and people have serious problems changing their mindset about it, has to do with the Backfire Effect. Even after giving these people corrective information showing how wrong they are, they still reject it, doubling down on their original fantasy. The Backfire Effect is seen commonly in conservatives but rarely in liberals.
The “Backfire Effect” is an accurate way of describing those who refuse to accept reality!
This is a new term for me, so I looked it up. It's a cognitive bias. I'm familiar with those.
This I thought was interesting: How do you counter the backfire effect? You can use general debiasing techniques in order to counter it effectively. Such strategies include, for example, increasing people's awareness of this bias, using simpler explanations, and changing the way you present information (https://effectiviology.com/backfire-effect-facts-dont-change-minds/).
I think we all need to learn how to do that.
However, explaining people's bias can lead to a total shutdown of their wanting to listen to you, as they could feel that you are being condescending.
Yup!
The Backfire effect is all about 'cognitive dissonance'.
Thanks Steve for highlighting the backfire effect. Now if there was just a way to diminish it?
Spot on John, I have found myself 180 degrees from many of my long held positions simply because I was open to the truth, at 77 I’m still learning every day that I’m blessed to still be here. I’m totally open to having been wrong, none of us gets through life without having made mistakes, it’s course corrections that lead to our ultimate destinations. I joined the Lincoln Project as soon as Steve Schmidt founded it, and gave them money every month until Joe Biden was elected, I was a republican for 40 years, I’m much better informed now, and there is absolutely nothing that they espouse that I agree with today. My eyes have been opened to many things that I didn’t see in the past, Biden is easily the best president of my lifetime, we are lucky to have him in the WH.
Excellent. Thank you for your expertise Ruth.
I have always said Trump is sui generis in American politics. He is an example of the great man theory of history. No other personalty or figure could have transformed a major political party, a media ecosystem, created a leader cult, become President, been twice impeached, attempt a failed coup to stay in power after losing an election and then resurrect himself back into power as the GOP's leading candidate for President four years later based on a very big lie. All while being indicted on 91 counts of fraud and corruption. No one.
This is a testament that Trump is a genius at propaganda and a talented demagogue. He has succeeded in dividing the county and bringing it to the edge of democratic collapse. He is rallying his MAGA base with more extreme rhetoric, mirroring Nazi propaganda and promising to lead us into a neo fascism state if he should ever return to power.
I have long held that as a political figure, Trump is sui generis for all the reasons you noted. However, a coupla comments:
The seeds of the party transformation that he brought about were planted in '68 with Nixon's southern strategy (the Civil Rights Act of 1964 made THAT possible), and the media ecosystem was launched long before Trump was a political figure. It begins in 1987 with Rush Limbaugh. Right-wing talk radio exploded after him, and Fox News was launched in 1996. And the country has been divided long before Trump came on the scene as well, certainly since Obama won in '08.
His evil genius was recognizing that Republican voters hated John McCain and the Bushes long before any Republican party leader did and exploiting all of that for his personal lust for power and attention.
I’m not sure I agree that republican voters hated John McCain or the Bushes. I’m a veteran who used to vote republican, I revered McCain and still do, the Bushes I had a familial connection to and I can assure you that there was no hatred for either of them. Now as far as democrats hating them goes especially George W, there is ample evidence for that.
Of course it wasn't all Republican voters. But when Trump dissed MaCain - "I like heroes who don't get caught" - we Dems all thought, "Well that's it, he's finished in the R primary." And he wasn't.
When running for governor, Kari Lake cursed his name four days before the election. “We don’t have any McCain Republicans in here, do we? Alright, get the hell out.” She lost, fortunately, but barely. There were enough R voters to give her a near win.
"The sad part is that these followers eventually realize that the leader has used them for his benefit."
A few down, millions upon millions to go.
The sadder part would be, if this maniac successfully wins again, it will be too late for most of the other followers to do anything about it.
"I prefer to give thorough answers so I can only answer a few at a time." Thank you for providing thorough answers based on your research. Much better than a sentence or two of sound bites.
A workman who installed some blinds in my home started talking about how upset he is that he could have his gas stove taken away. He didn’t believe in global warming and brushed off scientists as not really knowing anything. He was so comfortably self confident that I literally marveled at it.
Afterwords it dawned on me that trump has succeeded in elevating people who have never garnered any respect. That must be exhilarating! He believes in himself because he believes in trump. Of course nobody would give up such reassurance! I felt as if I finally understood why so many average working people have bonded with that man. And truthfully I see this as a logical outcome in a country (us) that is so enamored with wealth and social success and so dismissive of our everyday workers. People quickly forgot how “essential” the people who make things work are.
Good insight re people who have never garnered any respect. I think Trump's never being accepted by the Manhattan elite who got into the Ivy League on their academic merits, unlike. him, is at the core of his resentment toward the elite. They were doctors and lawyers and professors. He was in real estate. Certainly their father's income and legacies helped, but all Trump had was his father's donations.
Re "Creating community is what authoritarian and populist parties do very well. from the chants, apparel, and rituals that create a sense of belonging . . .". I want to make a comment on this.
I was raised Catholic from the time the nuns still wore those habits that concealed all of their bodies except their face and hands, through Vatican II which was called because the Pope thought the Church needed updating and the anti-war movement where the Berrigan Brothers, both priests, protested the Viet Nam War, along with seven other Catholic protesters, and burned the records of the Catonsville, Maryland draft board with homemade napalm. I was active in that movement, and I left the Church soon after that.
Fast forward decades later. I was at my aunt's wake and the priest led us in Catholic prayers. We all knew the words and we all said them together. It felt like a chant, which I found very comforting. Yes, the chanting, the apparel and the rituals of authoritarian parties create a sense of belonging, but the desire to belong is a fundamental part of human nature. Authoritarian religions like Catholicism provided it for 2,000 years. How can we humans get that sense of belonging without the authoritarian organizations?
BTW, speaking of chant, there have been lots of studies since the 1990s that show the beneficial effects of Gregorian chant on the human nervous system.
People must like / favor repetition?
I'm unable to believe that Defendant Trump is any kind of "genius." Stephen Miller, Steve Bannon, Roger Stone, Mike Flynn and perhaps a few others are at the center of this quest for dictatorial power. The Defendant in Chief has been fading fast before our eyes, though he maintains the ability to draw crowds of varying sizes. It may be a JD Vance, or someone like him, who takes the reins from what's left of the defendant if he survives the 91 counts plus that are chasing him. I guess we'll find out.
Don’t leave out the biggest benefactors The Heritage Foundation and its Oligarchs.
And then, what? I'm troubled by the details and events occurring now just before the 2024 Presidential election. Am I skeptical to wonder whose money is behind (funding) so many 3rd party challengers to Biden campaign. I worry that we might have a recurrence of the Trump/Clinton Election with Jill Stein running 3rd Party spoiler.
Thanks, Ruth for the Q & A with Steven Hassan the week before last. I am now reading Steven Hassan's book "The Cult of Trump" Many of us are talking about how a strong fascistic leader operates and captures so many followers. I am intrigued by how this charismatic elderly and psychologically sick individual could possibly gain so many strongly loyal followers. In his book, Hassan says that we cannot just tell people they are wrong to believe Trump. He writes, "By attacking or belittling Trump's followers, political opponents and traditional media may be helping Trump to maintain his influence over his base...telling a person that they are brainwashed, that they are in a cult or that they are following a false god, is doomed to fail...puts them immediately on the defensive, confirms you are a threat...closes their mind to other perspectives. I've seen this happen over and over again. " (from The Cult of Trump by Steven Hassan)
Brilliant! Just imagine the impact of 30% of American voters having authoritarian tendencies;
With Trump---they have a match!--not one made in heaven!
Ruth's intention to halt academic writing and serve the common good by bringing this amazing trove of historic information (about authoritarianism) into public view is as timely as any writing can get. Good for her; good for us!
Excellent and to the point.