This perfectly describes my parents. They absolutely cannot hear objective truths if they don’t align with what they already believe, or if they threaten their loyalty to trump (which they believe is patriotism). Every bit of this article felt like an A HA to read.
It also allows me some clarity, and freedom from my previous hope that maybe one day they’d see the truth. They’re not going to. 😔
As a person that has grown up in an inner-city, listening to the culture war narrative pretty much my whole life, and watched as the warrior culture instituted over-policing, using warrior culture training and mass incarceration strategy... I wonder how long until the military will be turned on us to complete the whole founders nightmare, in the name of supporting "real" America's version of the founders ideal.
When it happens, listening to the narcissist's prayer read by America's craven surviving fourth estate will be the actual final betrayal, after watching the justifications for all the other methods of urban pacification to save the union in the name of rural idealization of agrarianism.
Still listening to America's craven fourth estate as they make up excuses, justifications or rationalize and, in some cases, pay millions in tributes to be allowed to keep pretending this is OK.
Prof. Timothy Snyder describes “Cryptofascism,” where leaders push for Fascism by describing their opponents as Fascists. That is why Russia calls Ukrainians Nazis (and Fascists). If their opponents are sufficiently awful, certainly extraordinary measures must be taken.
It’s more than mere Whataboutism and projection. It’s a propaganda technique that destroys all counter arguments by having you and your opponents arguing the exact same thing and each seeing the other side with the exact same villainy.
Trump’s whole initial appeal was that he would do things no one else would do and ignore all the rules. He would say the things “we’re all thinking,” and gain laughter and applause by shocking the sensibilities of Normies with suggestions of committing violent and illegal acts.
Trump’s greatest weapon is laughter. When the crowd is laughing, hormones are released that give pleasure. Being in a crowd where everyone feels good normalizes the situation and disarms notions that what Trump is saying is extremist. When questioned about what Trump has just said, they will insist it was just jokes. And you have no sense of humor.
The “Con” in “Con Artist” is Confidence. When the Con artist seems confident in their behavior, the Mark is more likely to favorably judge their Character.
With the Crowd judging Trump favorably, locked together by dynamics of the Crowd, high on endorphins from the laughter and shared outrage, they are given a sense of purpose. They start believing that everyone in the crowd is of good character. Thus, everything they are feeling is Right, because they feel that they themselves are moral people, so their cause, though unseemly, must be morally correct.
And people who do not relate to this sense of unity of outrage are incorrect. The more they indoctrinate themselves in MAGA, the more they start to see outsiders as immoral. Then, they find being around non-MAGA alienating. Then, they are in full Cult mode.
Well explained but as I got to the end where you describe the dynamics of the crowd, high in endorphins from laughter and shared outrage, sense of purpose etc. it’s no different than how I felt during the protests I’ve participated in against Trump. Also, many of us see them as immoral and have difficulty spending time with friends and family who are MAGA. However, I don’t believe we are in a cult any more than they would believe they are in a cult. I think the big difference is that we look in the mirror. We fact check, we aren’t running around in blue hats and raging and attacking our opposition. We are perfectly ok with criticizing our chosen president. We want to help others and accept diversity and reject racism. We are not black and white thinkers (narrow minded) we love facts. They hate them.
It’s all so interesting to witness. However, I would really like to get off of this ride. It’s scary! 🤣
How do we break the authoritarian mirror? How do we reach these people?
How do we talk to them to make them see the identity they've constructed and the virtues they've projected into authoritarian leaders are... fundamentally false?
My question as well. It’s good to be able to understand the MAGA mindset & why they won’t or can’t move from that thinking but what the hell then can we do about it? Is there a way to reprogram them?
they are morally reprehensible and not worth saving frankly...You can't fix morals that are THAT degenerate, debased and vile...OUTSIDE of psychological definition of authoritarianism, theirs ultimately is a MORAL failing...Quite simply they are bad people. Despite what might have 'caused' their authoritarianism...That they can't help themselves doesn't get them off the hook. We have the FUNDAMENTAL right (and obligation when vulnerable people are their targets) to protect ourselves from people so reprehensibly immoral. THESE are the people that make excuses for their church leaders who rape children...They can all FOAD as far as I'm concerned
Okay, there are some things I can understand and sympathize with, such as “east coast liberals” looking down on those without college degrees, and country folk scorning city folk for all their “book learning”, because as a country girl myself with no degree, I’ve come up against this. I can also sympathize with workers who lost their jobs due to outsourcing by greedy corporations (that is, shareholders). All these things need to be addressed and, somehow, solved and I wish I knew how this could be achieved. I’d love to see everyone have good food, a roof over their heads and meaningful work with wages that allow them to live good lives.
"I can understand and sympathize with, such as “east coast liberals” looking down on those without college degrees"
That's more of a self loathing thing I think. I'm a "country boy" without an advanced degree too but while I've been TOLD that east coast liberals look down on folks like us, I've never actually SEEN it. Educated liberals on the whole are really nice people...It definitely helps that I don't lean into presenting myself as a countrified redneck hick. Most of the folks I grew up around DID present that way, and its MEANT to send a F-U message out to 'city liberals'...its a DELIBERATELY antagonistic 'uniform'
Listening without arguing, exploring why they believe what they believe with no rebuttal. No judgement. No argument. I always ask people why they like Trump, I just listen. I tell them I just want to understand. People want to be heard. It’s the hallmark of customer service and works well with MAGA. Empathic listening, acceptance of their beliefs. Build some trust. After listening ask if they would mind hearing about what you are worried about with this administration. Or ask a deeper question on what they have shared. No negative reactions. Explore. Never argue. I always approach it as a friendly non judge-mental conversation. Don’t recite facts. I find it better to do a little devils advocate. Ask something like “I can’t imagine what it must be like to be black in a white dominated world”. Or “ can you imagine how confusing it must be as a kid who has attraction to same sex partners. It must be so awful to live with that due to the stigma. It must be very scary to a child to realize you’re different than your friends and family. It must be scary and lonely”.
This approach tickles a tiny bit of their empathy. It makes them think a little deeper.
I’ve been practicing this technique with an angry Republican patient I give long infusions to. We spend 4 days together every month 5 hours a day. We chat a lot during his infusions. In the beginning I could see how easily he was triggered by anyone “different” “woke” “DEI” etc. I started learning to listen more, talk less, share a story about someone I know who has suffered from overt racism, or being LGBTQ. I share my journey overcoming my racism and bigotry that I learned from my parents. Some MAGA folks have never truly known or hung out with a gay or trans person. They may never have had a black friend. They may never have spent time with an undocumented Latino who works in the fields. I have, so I can share my experiences with them. Maybe they had a really negative experience with someone different and just lumped all POC together as bad, or all gays bad.
I was at the home of a federal worker last night. They are furloughed. They have 2 medically expensive children and have gone without pay for weeks and are stressed. They are republicans. They voted for him. We’ve talked over the past year about what’s happening in a non judging, fact spitting way. I approach them more in a curious way. “ Are you guys worried about xyz? Why do you think he is doing that? What do you think will happen if he passes that law? How will that affect your lives. A lot of times they just don’t understand what it really means. Like Medicaid. It’s perceived as welfare, lazy POC, undocumented immigrants are on it etc. I never argue. I gently say something like Medicaid was created during this time, by this president for this reason and costs you personally X amount of dollars per paycheck. I say, what would you do if your child developed an autoimmune disease and the treatment costs 10,000 a month for life and your insurance won’t cover it? That’s where Medicaid steps in to help. What happens if your parent gets dementia and does not have any savings and you have to work full time and cannot care for them. Nursing home is 5-10,000 a month. How will you pay for that? Medicare helps people in this situation if they are low income with no assets. Helps them imagine it through their own family. Gently, not angrily or shamefully. It makes them think. Statistics, fact checks, defensiveness do not get through to them.
I have made progress with several Trumpers with this approach. It’s a slow process. The man who gets the 4 day infusion recent texted me and tanked me for all my “ psychobabble”. He said he is more aware and working on himself. Made my day!!
And its THEIR loss...remember that. Non-Maga and non-authoritarians are a stabilizing force in their rudderless joyless lives...They need YOU...You don't need THEM
When MAGA voters begin to feel the real personal pain of Trumps policies such as losing Medicaid coverage is there a possibility of a mind shift ? That's what I keep saying to myself....things will change when reality begins to hit home....
You're absolutely right to hope that reality might eventually break through, but the research complicates that hope. Decades of political psychology suggest that people high in Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) aren’t always authoritarian in practice. Their tendencies are often dormant until activated, usually by social upheaval, perceived threats to tradition, or fear of losing status.
We have seen shifts, like growing conservative support for same-sex marriage, which shows change is possible. But the danger is that these same voters can just as easily be pulled back into hardline stances if a leader stokes the right fears. When that authoritarian switch is flipped, they can support deeply harmful policies, even those that hurt them personally.
The real solution isn't just waiting for pain to create clarity. It's systemic. We have to fix the conditions that allow ultra-conservative populists to rise in the first place: disinformation, economic insecurity, and political structures that reward fear-mongering over policy. Only then can we lower the temperature and reduce the appeal of the authoritarian strongman.
Sorry to have such a late reply. I get a lot of comments. Here is a wonderful study on collective and national narcissism. You'll get chills reading this.
this one is NOT a brief read...essentially a 'book' online, but well worth nibbling through over time. Don't be fooled by its casual approach...His research is highly respected in the psych world
It absolutely is. I believe (my opinion) most Trumpers have a lot of unaddressed childhood trauma (they may not even realize they have trauma) and low emotional intelligence. They don’t seek therapy and don’t do a lot of self reflection. Many have heightened narcissistic traits, or may be actual narcissists. Narcissism is caused by childhood trauma. The ones who are “christian”are black and white thinkers and don’t see a lot of gray. Can be very Narrow minded. These people are drawn to religion. It gives them acceptance and a path to safety, heaven and Gods love. They have a biblical guide to get them to heaven and are surrounded by people who have the same beliefs. It’s a safe homogenous place for them. Everyone is so polite and morally superior. 🤮Traumatized people seek safety. Religion makes them feel morally superior and is a bit authoritarian if not taught by a humble introspective leader. If they walk the christian walk and talk the christian talk they are accepted and can get some yummy narcissistic supply from the congregation for their “good acts”. Add a authoritarian or far right religious leader who plays on their fears of LGBTQ, marginalized communities, non Christian’s, immoral abortion seekers etc. Now you have a feeding system to keep them in a state of fear, anger and exclusion of people who are not like them. I suffered childhood trauma from a borderline mom. (I also married a sociopath) She found religion when I was 12. It was my first experience with religion. I tried for 50 years intermittently to believe. I’ve always been so uncomfortable around Christian’s. I like the principles of the Bible (love thy neighbor, feed the poor, don’t judge etc.)but the hypocrisy was blaring and I can’t unsee it. This heritage foundation and christian nationalism has made me close the door. I’ve seen soooo much narcissism in the christian faith. These people are actors and actresses they are playing the part of the pious christian so well that everybody who lacks the ability to see through it admire them, believe them and supply them. Many pastors are narcissistic. This is Trumps administration. He is surrounded by narcissists, sociopaths and at least one psychopath. The rest are his narcissistic suppliers. Trying to win his favor. Praising him to a degree that is utterly astounding to me. It’s disgusting to watch and so damn triggering for me. MAGA is in a trauma bond and we are stuck on the scariest ride of our life with no seatbelt. We are the scapegoated children. Discarded, demonized, and Despised. My nervous system has been on fire since he was sworn in.
Use this spreadsheet as a resource to call/email/write members of Congress, the Cabinet and news organizations. Reach out to your own reps, as well as those in other states on a specific committee important to a topic you’re sharing. Use your voice and make some “good trouble.”
So basically people turn to authoritarianism because they feel like a need to keep their group identity preserved and then they tie their identity to a leader. So would that mean getting authoritarians to change their identity would help break it?
Yeah—I wish I could understand why someone who lives thousands of miles away from me thinks my way of life affects them in any way. Actually, I now live a very quiet low-profile life but when I was younger, I didn’t. How, for instance, can the life of a gay Black person on rhe west coast, have any effect on the life of a white supremacist christian, while the latter does nothing but complain and condemn the former. It’s beyond me!
Exactly. I forget who put it this way, maybe Lakoff, maybe Altemeyer.
For the the 'liberal' mind aka Enlightenment Reasoning mind, they believe what can be proven with evidence, facts and reason to be true (or accepted until new or better information prompts a reexamination). For the 'conservative' or 'traditionalist' authoritarian follower, it is true BECAUSE they believe it.
This shows up in virtually every attempt at discussion, debate or argument with them online, when after the 'liberal' presents facts and logic to make a point, they simply say, "I'm enitled to my opinion, why can't you accept that. You're the intolerant one!"
That means they lost the argument. But winning an argument is meaningless, it is seen only as an attack on their beliefs. And further increases their resentment, even hate, against 'those elitist libtards.'
It is not possible or worth the effort to try to reach them. At all. Ever. In fact, it is massively counterproductive.
Experts in cult deprogramming have developed some methods to pull individuals out, but it is intensive, individualized, and requires basically taking them captive. Not practical on a large scale, and such an attempt would come dangerously close to 're-education camps' and a different form of authoritarianism.
The hypocrisy is overwhelming! The absolute refusal to check claims and policies against reality is sickening. This is social psychosis. You are describing a commitment to "sameness" and victimhood over democratic plurality and equality. I thought understanding would bring compassion. Not this time. I'm more appalled than ever.
good catch...like narcissism and sociopathy which are almost impossible to treat, authoritarianism 100% shares that resistance...All that's lacking is an official DSM-5 acknowledgment and classification. LOL!
An absolutely brilliant analysis. What I find so fascinating is the intractable nature of hoping that MAGA looking in the mirror will change nothing. Our traumas define us.
Its nice to have a better understanding of them, but that still doesn't EXCUSE them. And if you took the internet away from them 90% of their BS would dry up and blow away...They aren't CAPABLE of navigating a world with the internet in it. They would be SO MUCH HAPPIER without it, but like heroin for a junkie, you'd have to TAKE it away from them. They wouldn't give it up on their own...you know...like a junkie
This perfectly describes my parents. They absolutely cannot hear objective truths if they don’t align with what they already believe, or if they threaten their loyalty to trump (which they believe is patriotism). Every bit of this article felt like an A HA to read.
It also allows me some clarity, and freedom from my previous hope that maybe one day they’d see the truth. They’re not going to. 😔
This article is my husband, spot on.
Update...EX spouse
This explains my father and stepmother to a T.
As a person that has grown up in an inner-city, listening to the culture war narrative pretty much my whole life, and watched as the warrior culture instituted over-policing, using warrior culture training and mass incarceration strategy... I wonder how long until the military will be turned on us to complete the whole founders nightmare, in the name of supporting "real" America's version of the founders ideal.
When it happens, listening to the narcissist's prayer read by America's craven surviving fourth estate will be the actual final betrayal, after watching the justifications for all the other methods of urban pacification to save the union in the name of rural idealization of agrarianism.
Well that rubicon was crossed in LA.
Yeah.
Took a little over a week.
Still listening to America's craven fourth estate as they make up excuses, justifications or rationalize and, in some cases, pay millions in tributes to be allowed to keep pretending this is OK.
Prof. Timothy Snyder describes “Cryptofascism,” where leaders push for Fascism by describing their opponents as Fascists. That is why Russia calls Ukrainians Nazis (and Fascists). If their opponents are sufficiently awful, certainly extraordinary measures must be taken.
It’s more than mere Whataboutism and projection. It’s a propaganda technique that destroys all counter arguments by having you and your opponents arguing the exact same thing and each seeing the other side with the exact same villainy.
Trump’s whole initial appeal was that he would do things no one else would do and ignore all the rules. He would say the things “we’re all thinking,” and gain laughter and applause by shocking the sensibilities of Normies with suggestions of committing violent and illegal acts.
Trump’s greatest weapon is laughter. When the crowd is laughing, hormones are released that give pleasure. Being in a crowd where everyone feels good normalizes the situation and disarms notions that what Trump is saying is extremist. When questioned about what Trump has just said, they will insist it was just jokes. And you have no sense of humor.
The “Con” in “Con Artist” is Confidence. When the Con artist seems confident in their behavior, the Mark is more likely to favorably judge their Character.
With the Crowd judging Trump favorably, locked together by dynamics of the Crowd, high on endorphins from the laughter and shared outrage, they are given a sense of purpose. They start believing that everyone in the crowd is of good character. Thus, everything they are feeling is Right, because they feel that they themselves are moral people, so their cause, though unseemly, must be morally correct.
And people who do not relate to this sense of unity of outrage are incorrect. The more they indoctrinate themselves in MAGA, the more they start to see outsiders as immoral. Then, they find being around non-MAGA alienating. Then, they are in full Cult mode.
Well explained but as I got to the end where you describe the dynamics of the crowd, high in endorphins from laughter and shared outrage, sense of purpose etc. it’s no different than how I felt during the protests I’ve participated in against Trump. Also, many of us see them as immoral and have difficulty spending time with friends and family who are MAGA. However, I don’t believe we are in a cult any more than they would believe they are in a cult. I think the big difference is that we look in the mirror. We fact check, we aren’t running around in blue hats and raging and attacking our opposition. We are perfectly ok with criticizing our chosen president. We want to help others and accept diversity and reject racism. We are not black and white thinkers (narrow minded) we love facts. They hate them.
It’s all so interesting to witness. However, I would really like to get off of this ride. It’s scary! 🤣
Very well said!
How do we break the authoritarian mirror? How do we reach these people?
How do we talk to them to make them see the identity they've constructed and the virtues they've projected into authoritarian leaders are... fundamentally false?
My question as well. It’s good to be able to understand the MAGA mindset & why they won’t or can’t move from that thinking but what the hell then can we do about it? Is there a way to reprogram them?
they are morally reprehensible and not worth saving frankly...You can't fix morals that are THAT degenerate, debased and vile...OUTSIDE of psychological definition of authoritarianism, theirs ultimately is a MORAL failing...Quite simply they are bad people. Despite what might have 'caused' their authoritarianism...That they can't help themselves doesn't get them off the hook. We have the FUNDAMENTAL right (and obligation when vulnerable people are their targets) to protect ourselves from people so reprehensibly immoral. THESE are the people that make excuses for their church leaders who rape children...They can all FOAD as far as I'm concerned
Okay, there are some things I can understand and sympathize with, such as “east coast liberals” looking down on those without college degrees, and country folk scorning city folk for all their “book learning”, because as a country girl myself with no degree, I’ve come up against this. I can also sympathize with workers who lost their jobs due to outsourcing by greedy corporations (that is, shareholders). All these things need to be addressed and, somehow, solved and I wish I knew how this could be achieved. I’d love to see everyone have good food, a roof over their heads and meaningful work with wages that allow them to live good lives.
"I can understand and sympathize with, such as “east coast liberals” looking down on those without college degrees"
That's more of a self loathing thing I think. I'm a "country boy" without an advanced degree too but while I've been TOLD that east coast liberals look down on folks like us, I've never actually SEEN it. Educated liberals on the whole are really nice people...It definitely helps that I don't lean into presenting myself as a countrified redneck hick. Most of the folks I grew up around DID present that way, and its MEANT to send a F-U message out to 'city liberals'...its a DELIBERATELY antagonistic 'uniform'
Listening without arguing, exploring why they believe what they believe with no rebuttal. No judgement. No argument. I always ask people why they like Trump, I just listen. I tell them I just want to understand. People want to be heard. It’s the hallmark of customer service and works well with MAGA. Empathic listening, acceptance of their beliefs. Build some trust. After listening ask if they would mind hearing about what you are worried about with this administration. Or ask a deeper question on what they have shared. No negative reactions. Explore. Never argue. I always approach it as a friendly non judge-mental conversation. Don’t recite facts. I find it better to do a little devils advocate. Ask something like “I can’t imagine what it must be like to be black in a white dominated world”. Or “ can you imagine how confusing it must be as a kid who has attraction to same sex partners. It must be so awful to live with that due to the stigma. It must be very scary to a child to realize you’re different than your friends and family. It must be scary and lonely”.
This approach tickles a tiny bit of their empathy. It makes them think a little deeper.
I’ve been practicing this technique with an angry Republican patient I give long infusions to. We spend 4 days together every month 5 hours a day. We chat a lot during his infusions. In the beginning I could see how easily he was triggered by anyone “different” “woke” “DEI” etc. I started learning to listen more, talk less, share a story about someone I know who has suffered from overt racism, or being LGBTQ. I share my journey overcoming my racism and bigotry that I learned from my parents. Some MAGA folks have never truly known or hung out with a gay or trans person. They may never have had a black friend. They may never have spent time with an undocumented Latino who works in the fields. I have, so I can share my experiences with them. Maybe they had a really negative experience with someone different and just lumped all POC together as bad, or all gays bad.
I was at the home of a federal worker last night. They are furloughed. They have 2 medically expensive children and have gone without pay for weeks and are stressed. They are republicans. They voted for him. We’ve talked over the past year about what’s happening in a non judging, fact spitting way. I approach them more in a curious way. “ Are you guys worried about xyz? Why do you think he is doing that? What do you think will happen if he passes that law? How will that affect your lives. A lot of times they just don’t understand what it really means. Like Medicaid. It’s perceived as welfare, lazy POC, undocumented immigrants are on it etc. I never argue. I gently say something like Medicaid was created during this time, by this president for this reason and costs you personally X amount of dollars per paycheck. I say, what would you do if your child developed an autoimmune disease and the treatment costs 10,000 a month for life and your insurance won’t cover it? That’s where Medicaid steps in to help. What happens if your parent gets dementia and does not have any savings and you have to work full time and cannot care for them. Nursing home is 5-10,000 a month. How will you pay for that? Medicare helps people in this situation if they are low income with no assets. Helps them imagine it through their own family. Gently, not angrily or shamefully. It makes them think. Statistics, fact checks, defensiveness do not get through to them.
I have made progress with several Trumpers with this approach. It’s a slow process. The man who gets the 4 day infusion recent texted me and tanked me for all my “ psychobabble”. He said he is more aware and working on himself. Made my day!!
you don't. you cut them out of your life...
And its THEIR loss...remember that. Non-Maga and non-authoritarians are a stabilizing force in their rudderless joyless lives...They need YOU...You don't need THEM
When MAGA voters begin to feel the real personal pain of Trumps policies such as losing Medicaid coverage is there a possibility of a mind shift ? That's what I keep saying to myself....things will change when reality begins to hit home....
You're absolutely right to hope that reality might eventually break through, but the research complicates that hope. Decades of political psychology suggest that people high in Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) aren’t always authoritarian in practice. Their tendencies are often dormant until activated, usually by social upheaval, perceived threats to tradition, or fear of losing status.
We have seen shifts, like growing conservative support for same-sex marriage, which shows change is possible. But the danger is that these same voters can just as easily be pulled back into hardline stances if a leader stokes the right fears. When that authoritarian switch is flipped, they can support deeply harmful policies, even those that hurt them personally.
The real solution isn't just waiting for pain to create clarity. It's systemic. We have to fix the conditions that allow ultra-conservative populists to rise in the first place: disinformation, economic insecurity, and political structures that reward fear-mongering over policy. Only then can we lower the temperature and reduce the appeal of the authoritarian strongman.
"t's systemic. We have to fix the conditions that allow ultra-conservative populists to rise in the first place"
spot on...We would LITERLLY have to completely ban the entire RW 'news' media...Like literally literally...
"people high in Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) aren’t always authoritarian in practice. Their tendencies are often dormant until activated"
fascinating...I've been saying for a while that conservatism is the sleeper cell phase of all fascist uprisings...LOL! looks like I was right
"begin to feel the real personal pain of Trumps policies such as losing Medicaid coverage is there a possibility of a mind shift ?"
No...that's what makes them 'them'...Its rather the deciding factor in fact
IOW, you can treat outbreaks but there IS no cure
Am I the only one who sees parallels with narcissistic personality disorder here? It’s basically collective NPD enacted on a societal scale.
collective narcissism is a real phenomenon addressed by the psych world...just been reading about it lately
Could you share links for some of the things you’ve been reading? I’m interested.
Sorry to have such a late reply. I get a lot of comments. Here is a wonderful study on collective and national narcissism. You'll get chills reading this.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13684302241240689
Thanks! 😊
https://therationalleague.substack.com/p/they-dont-see-it-because-they-need
that one^ recently...And DEFINITLY this:
https://theauthoritarians.org/
this one is NOT a brief read...essentially a 'book' online, but well worth nibbling through over time. Don't be fooled by its casual approach...His research is highly respected in the psych world
Thanks! 😊
(:
It absolutely is. I believe (my opinion) most Trumpers have a lot of unaddressed childhood trauma (they may not even realize they have trauma) and low emotional intelligence. They don’t seek therapy and don’t do a lot of self reflection. Many have heightened narcissistic traits, or may be actual narcissists. Narcissism is caused by childhood trauma. The ones who are “christian”are black and white thinkers and don’t see a lot of gray. Can be very Narrow minded. These people are drawn to religion. It gives them acceptance and a path to safety, heaven and Gods love. They have a biblical guide to get them to heaven and are surrounded by people who have the same beliefs. It’s a safe homogenous place for them. Everyone is so polite and morally superior. 🤮Traumatized people seek safety. Religion makes them feel morally superior and is a bit authoritarian if not taught by a humble introspective leader. If they walk the christian walk and talk the christian talk they are accepted and can get some yummy narcissistic supply from the congregation for their “good acts”. Add a authoritarian or far right religious leader who plays on their fears of LGBTQ, marginalized communities, non Christian’s, immoral abortion seekers etc. Now you have a feeding system to keep them in a state of fear, anger and exclusion of people who are not like them. I suffered childhood trauma from a borderline mom. (I also married a sociopath) She found religion when I was 12. It was my first experience with religion. I tried for 50 years intermittently to believe. I’ve always been so uncomfortable around Christian’s. I like the principles of the Bible (love thy neighbor, feed the poor, don’t judge etc.)but the hypocrisy was blaring and I can’t unsee it. This heritage foundation and christian nationalism has made me close the door. I’ve seen soooo much narcissism in the christian faith. These people are actors and actresses they are playing the part of the pious christian so well that everybody who lacks the ability to see through it admire them, believe them and supply them. Many pastors are narcissistic. This is Trumps administration. He is surrounded by narcissists, sociopaths and at least one psychopath. The rest are his narcissistic suppliers. Trying to win his favor. Praising him to a degree that is utterly astounding to me. It’s disgusting to watch and so damn triggering for me. MAGA is in a trauma bond and we are stuck on the scariest ride of our life with no seatbelt. We are the scapegoated children. Discarded, demonized, and Despised. My nervous system has been on fire since he was sworn in.
I hear you ❤️🩹 sending hugs 🤗
Well researched and enlightening article. Can you write a Part 2 on what sane citizens can do to stop what you have described please?
Not a part 2, but a whole article on what can be done. I released it last night.
https://therationalleague.substack.com/p/breaking-magas-spell-a-strategy-to
thanks!
Link goes to “article not found “
Once again...NAILED!
This is the single best post I’ve ever seen on Substack. To its authors: thank you.
Use this spreadsheet as a resource to call/email/write members of Congress, the Cabinet and news organizations. Reach out to your own reps, as well as those in other states on a specific committee important to a topic you’re sharing. Use your voice and make some “good trouble.”
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13lYafj0P-6owAJcH-5_xcpcRvMUZI7rkBPW-Ma9e7hw/edit?usp=drivesdk
So basically people turn to authoritarianism because they feel like a need to keep their group identity preserved and then they tie their identity to a leader. So would that mean getting authoritarians to change their identity would help break it?
Yeah—I wish I could understand why someone who lives thousands of miles away from me thinks my way of life affects them in any way. Actually, I now live a very quiet low-profile life but when I was younger, I didn’t. How, for instance, can the life of a gay Black person on rhe west coast, have any effect on the life of a white supremacist christian, while the latter does nothing but complain and condemn the former. It’s beyond me!
In the absence of racism, the concept of whiteness loses its significance.
their rigidity and predictability makes them vulnerable to scammers and con artists.
When what you believe is more important than the truth.
exactly. their belief, no matter how cruel and full of hypocrisy is stronger than facts:(
Exactly. I forget who put it this way, maybe Lakoff, maybe Altemeyer.
For the the 'liberal' mind aka Enlightenment Reasoning mind, they believe what can be proven with evidence, facts and reason to be true (or accepted until new or better information prompts a reexamination). For the 'conservative' or 'traditionalist' authoritarian follower, it is true BECAUSE they believe it.
This shows up in virtually every attempt at discussion, debate or argument with them online, when after the 'liberal' presents facts and logic to make a point, they simply say, "I'm enitled to my opinion, why can't you accept that. You're the intolerant one!"
That means they lost the argument. But winning an argument is meaningless, it is seen only as an attack on their beliefs. And further increases their resentment, even hate, against 'those elitist libtards.'
It is not possible or worth the effort to try to reach them. At all. Ever. In fact, it is massively counterproductive.
Experts in cult deprogramming have developed some methods to pull individuals out, but it is intensive, individualized, and requires basically taking them captive. Not practical on a large scale, and such an attempt would come dangerously close to 're-education camps' and a different form of authoritarianism.
Tl:dr version: We're fucked.
And THAT is their biggest moral failing
The hypocrisy is overwhelming! The absolute refusal to check claims and policies against reality is sickening. This is social psychosis. You are describing a commitment to "sameness" and victimhood over democratic plurality and equality. I thought understanding would bring compassion. Not this time. I'm more appalled than ever.
good catch...like narcissism and sociopathy which are almost impossible to treat, authoritarianism 100% shares that resistance...All that's lacking is an official DSM-5 acknowledgment and classification. LOL!
An absolutely brilliant analysis. What I find so fascinating is the intractable nature of hoping that MAGA looking in the mirror will change nothing. Our traumas define us.
Perception is everything.
Lucid, comprehensive, frightening analysis.
So how are you going to save yourselves?
In other words, self justifying , narcissistic NAZIS.
QED
bingo.
Its nice to have a better understanding of them, but that still doesn't EXCUSE them. And if you took the internet away from them 90% of their BS would dry up and blow away...They aren't CAPABLE of navigating a world with the internet in it. They would be SO MUCH HAPPIER without it, but like heroin for a junkie, you'd have to TAKE it away from them. They wouldn't give it up on their own...you know...like a junkie