Actually, I think he reflects the kind of man many people have in their lives and he epitomizes toxic masculinity. People who support him often can't see his disturbed personality because either they are like him, or he is like their fathers, sons, brothers, etc. To see how disturbed he is means a person would have to acknowledge how dis…
Actually, I think he reflects the kind of man many people have in their lives and he epitomizes toxic masculinity. People who support him often can't see his disturbed personality because either they are like him, or he is like their fathers, sons, brothers, etc. To see how disturbed he is means a person would have to acknowledge how disturbed they themselves are or how damaged the men around them are. On top of that, he has given permission to many people to openly express their basest selves, which was hidden beneath a thin veneer. Our culture also celebrates this kind of childish, boorish behavior in men. We often give these kind of man a pass.
I have been writing a series of posts that try to explain how and why so many Americans have fallen into the Trump Trance. There isn't just one MAGA voter; there are several subsets, and I think you've raised an important point of psychological identification with Trump's "toxic masculinity." You reminded me of his series of NFTs (?) with all his Macho Man costumes and poses.
I think I'll write a post along these lines too. Wondering if you've got some good sources: books, sites, etc? I like to put some research behind my writing. thanks again for your insight.
I was a psychotherapist in my work life- now retired. So I studied many psychological and social theories, as well as working with people who struggled with this kind of presentation and teaching clinical theory, so my analysis is the result of a compilation of all of that. There are feminists who've written about male psychological development, like Nancy Chodorow. Robert Jenson http://robertwjensen.org/ is a retired professor who writes about feminism and how men have been hurt by our sexist system. I work from a theory of psychotherapy called Control Mastery Theory offered by the San Francisco Psychotherapy Research Group sfprg.org a theory supported by 60 years of research that explains how kids identify with their abusive parents and why they behave in adulthood like those parents. It also helps explain why so many people continue the abusive behavior toward others, as well as not allowing themselves to see that what they experienced in childhood was abuse. It helps explain also why so many MAGAs don't or can't see the disturbed behavior for what it is.
I have noticed the MAGA men i know, display a noticeable air of arrogance about them. Some of them order their wives around like they were slaves to them. I do not associate with them any longer, as i can't stand to be around them and their ''know it all'' attitude.
probably why Trump has to claim to be the "greatest" at whatever he does. And who but someone who doubts his own maturity and intelligence would claim to be a "stable genius". He's the textbook example of over-compensation.
His over-compensation is aided by outrageous lying to assist all of his imagined greatness. He says he can do difficult tasks that sometimes takes months to accomplish, in ''ONE'' day.
thanks for that informative reply, much appreciated as I try to understand how so many Americans have fallen into Trump's trance; i guess when they're in it they can't see it clearly.
Yes. Cons work because people are vulnerable to the con. It's a two way street. And much of what shapes our behavior is unconscious, so we are often unaware of how we might be hurting ourselves and others.
Wonder what you think of Fromm's "Escape from Freedom"?
He shows the development of the "authoritarian personality"; how some people come to surrender their freedom of thought, and hand their thinking over to a Higher Power or Supreme Leader who will do their thinking for them, who will be their voice. He was writing (in 1941) about how and why so many of his German countrymen surrendered themselves to Hitler and the Nazis, but I think it applies to a lot of MAGA folks today:
Oh yes. You might read Alice Miller's work on the same topic. "For Your Own Good", and others. She was an Austrian psychoanalyst who gave an elegant psychological explanation for the same thing. From her perspective it wasn't just the conscious process of thinking, it was the unconscious as well, and the German child rearing strategies of the time. She also wrote "Drama of the Gifted Child".
lately the main thrust of my newsletter (my main outlet for writing these days) has been examining the how & why of so many millions of Americans falling for this guy's BS. He's clearly pushing the right buttons - they no only follow him, they love him - so I'm asking: what are those buttons.
Fisher's Law is kind of a facetious poke at MAGA-hatters; the other book reviews try to dig deeper.
Since Trump announced his candidacy for the presidency in 2015, I have been trying to understand how and why America (at least a large swath of America) made the choice to elect him to the highest office in the land. I have read many, many books in an attempt to understand what has happened to the country, starting with "Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man" by Mary Trump, as well as "The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump," edited by Bandy X. Lee, "American Psychosis" (excellent) by David Korn, "Strongmen" by Ruth Ben-Ghiat (also excellent), "Prequel" (outstanding!) by Rachel Maddow in addition to countless other titles. Perhaps one of the most illuminating moments was an interview with Trump supporters prior to the Iowa caucus who basically stated that following Trump was akin to being a member of a religion. Quite frankly, that made my blood run cold. I can only come to the conclusion that people have many reasons for their infatuation with Trump but most are based on a steady diet of disinformation - heartbreaking!
Michele, like you I've been reading and studying in an attempt to UNDERSTAND how and why so many Americans have fallen into this Conman's web of lies and deceit.
That's an impressive book list you mentioned, and I've read several of them. On my "Warning" site I've provided short reviews of some other books that shed some light on Trump's hold over so many.
I don't think there's one single answer because MAGA is composed of several subsets of followers, each with their own reasons.
But one book (Richard Hofstadter's "The Paranoid Style in American Politics") published in the early 1960s about the rise of the "Radical Right", Sen. Joe McCarthy, Goldwater, etc, provided the "illuminating moment" for me, because his presentation is so eerily prophetic of what's happening today. It could have been written today, and would fit directly into your list.
I hope my short review adds to your understanding like it did to mine.
Abraham, thanks!!! I have read so very much more than I listed in the comments, including the works by Madeleine Albright and Timothy Snyder. I'm now finishing up Liz Cheney's "Oath and Honor". But the book by Richard Hofstadter is one I don't yet know and I am very eager to read it. From your description, it sounds like a companion volume to David Korn's "American Psychosis: A Historical Investigation of How the Republican Party Went Crazy". The fact that so many Trump supporters are being so ginned up and are turning to violence is beyond alarming. If he is convicted in any of the forthcoming criminal cases, what will they do? What if he is removed from the ballot as the Republican presidential candidate? Or what if he runs in November and loses again? I sadly no longer recognize the country in which I grew up. Anyway, profound thanks for your recommendation and I'll send you word after I've read it!
thanks for your comment; it's actually a collection of essays, and some go way way back to show the periodic occurrence of these episodic periods of insanity. But particularly in the first couple chapters, he could be writing about today. MAGA is not new, and the reasons are not new. Communism, as a unifying threat, has been replaced by a more generic "they" - anyone the Right hates - but Hofstadter's insight into "status politics" is crucial for understanding today's political arena: people will vote against their economic interests because their "status" needs run deeper: I'm more American than you! Look how MAGAs dress in the flag. Hofstadter was onto something then that totally applies now, and is probably the most single insightful author for today's MAGA madness.
I hope you read my review first, and your comments there are welcome.
Actually, I think he reflects the kind of man many people have in their lives and he epitomizes toxic masculinity. People who support him often can't see his disturbed personality because either they are like him, or he is like their fathers, sons, brothers, etc. To see how disturbed he is means a person would have to acknowledge how disturbed they themselves are or how damaged the men around them are. On top of that, he has given permission to many people to openly express their basest selves, which was hidden beneath a thin veneer. Our culture also celebrates this kind of childish, boorish behavior in men. We often give these kind of man a pass.
very insightful, J.
I have been writing a series of posts that try to explain how and why so many Americans have fallen into the Trump Trance. There isn't just one MAGA voter; there are several subsets, and I think you've raised an important point of psychological identification with Trump's "toxic masculinity." You reminded me of his series of NFTs (?) with all his Macho Man costumes and poses.
I think I'll write a post along these lines too. Wondering if you've got some good sources: books, sites, etc? I like to put some research behind my writing. thanks again for your insight.
I was a psychotherapist in my work life- now retired. So I studied many psychological and social theories, as well as working with people who struggled with this kind of presentation and teaching clinical theory, so my analysis is the result of a compilation of all of that. There are feminists who've written about male psychological development, like Nancy Chodorow. Robert Jenson http://robertwjensen.org/ is a retired professor who writes about feminism and how men have been hurt by our sexist system. I work from a theory of psychotherapy called Control Mastery Theory offered by the San Francisco Psychotherapy Research Group sfprg.org a theory supported by 60 years of research that explains how kids identify with their abusive parents and why they behave in adulthood like those parents. It also helps explain why so many people continue the abusive behavior toward others, as well as not allowing themselves to see that what they experienced in childhood was abuse. It helps explain also why so many MAGAs don't or can't see the disturbed behavior for what it is.
I have noticed the MAGA men i know, display a noticeable air of arrogance about them. Some of them order their wives around like they were slaves to them. I do not associate with them any longer, as i can't stand to be around them and their ''know it all'' attitude.
For what it's worth, that behavior you describe is usually all compensatory to mask a deep-seated feeling of inadequacy.
probably why Trump has to claim to be the "greatest" at whatever he does. And who but someone who doubts his own maturity and intelligence would claim to be a "stable genius". He's the textbook example of over-compensation.
I would suggest that he also fears that he's inadequate as a man, thus having to assault and objectify women.
His over-compensation is aided by outrageous lying to assist all of his imagined greatness. He says he can do difficult tasks that sometimes takes months to accomplish, in ''ONE'' day.
Pure and constant over-compensation; he just has to be the "greatest" at whatever it is.
My favorite Trump over-compensation is this: “I’m actually a very modest person, probably more modest than anybody.”
Even in the humility department, he's "more modest than anybody."
it also explains why so many MAGAs parade around with army clothes and big guns - don't mess with me, i'm a big macho-man.
And there's Trump photo-shopping his head onto all those he-man trading cards.
And women who question Trump? Nasty.
thanks for that informative reply, much appreciated as I try to understand how so many Americans have fallen into Trump's trance; i guess when they're in it they can't see it clearly.
Yes. Cons work because people are vulnerable to the con. It's a two way street. And much of what shapes our behavior is unconscious, so we are often unaware of how we might be hurting ourselves and others.
Wonder what you think of Fromm's "Escape from Freedom"?
He shows the development of the "authoritarian personality"; how some people come to surrender their freedom of thought, and hand their thinking over to a Higher Power or Supreme Leader who will do their thinking for them, who will be their voice. He was writing (in 1941) about how and why so many of his German countrymen surrendered themselves to Hitler and the Nazis, but I think it applies to a lot of MAGA folks today:
https://neofascism.substack.com/p/erich-fromms-escape-from-freedom
Oh yes. You might read Alice Miller's work on the same topic. "For Your Own Good", and others. She was an Austrian psychoanalyst who gave an elegant psychological explanation for the same thing. From her perspective it wasn't just the conscious process of thinking, it was the unconscious as well, and the German child rearing strategies of the time. She also wrote "Drama of the Gifted Child".
thanks, i'll look into these titles.
lately the main thrust of my newsletter (my main outlet for writing these days) has been examining the how & why of so many millions of Americans falling for this guy's BS. He's clearly pushing the right buttons - they no only follow him, they love him - so I'm asking: what are those buttons.
Fisher's Law is kind of a facetious poke at MAGA-hatters; the other book reviews try to dig deeper.
This one rings a lot of bells for me:
https://neofascism.substack.com/p/the-paranoid-style-in-american-politics
thanks again for the suggestions
Since Trump announced his candidacy for the presidency in 2015, I have been trying to understand how and why America (at least a large swath of America) made the choice to elect him to the highest office in the land. I have read many, many books in an attempt to understand what has happened to the country, starting with "Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man" by Mary Trump, as well as "The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump," edited by Bandy X. Lee, "American Psychosis" (excellent) by David Korn, "Strongmen" by Ruth Ben-Ghiat (also excellent), "Prequel" (outstanding!) by Rachel Maddow in addition to countless other titles. Perhaps one of the most illuminating moments was an interview with Trump supporters prior to the Iowa caucus who basically stated that following Trump was akin to being a member of a religion. Quite frankly, that made my blood run cold. I can only come to the conclusion that people have many reasons for their infatuation with Trump but most are based on a steady diet of disinformation - heartbreaking!
Michele, like you I've been reading and studying in an attempt to UNDERSTAND how and why so many Americans have fallen into this Conman's web of lies and deceit.
That's an impressive book list you mentioned, and I've read several of them. On my "Warning" site I've provided short reviews of some other books that shed some light on Trump's hold over so many.
I don't think there's one single answer because MAGA is composed of several subsets of followers, each with their own reasons.
But one book (Richard Hofstadter's "The Paranoid Style in American Politics") published in the early 1960s about the rise of the "Radical Right", Sen. Joe McCarthy, Goldwater, etc, provided the "illuminating moment" for me, because his presentation is so eerily prophetic of what's happening today. It could have been written today, and would fit directly into your list.
I hope my short review adds to your understanding like it did to mine.
https://neofascism.substack.com/p/the-paranoid-style-in-american-politics
Abraham, thanks!!! I have read so very much more than I listed in the comments, including the works by Madeleine Albright and Timothy Snyder. I'm now finishing up Liz Cheney's "Oath and Honor". But the book by Richard Hofstadter is one I don't yet know and I am very eager to read it. From your description, it sounds like a companion volume to David Korn's "American Psychosis: A Historical Investigation of How the Republican Party Went Crazy". The fact that so many Trump supporters are being so ginned up and are turning to violence is beyond alarming. If he is convicted in any of the forthcoming criminal cases, what will they do? What if he is removed from the ballot as the Republican presidential candidate? Or what if he runs in November and loses again? I sadly no longer recognize the country in which I grew up. Anyway, profound thanks for your recommendation and I'll send you word after I've read it!
thanks for your comment; it's actually a collection of essays, and some go way way back to show the periodic occurrence of these episodic periods of insanity. But particularly in the first couple chapters, he could be writing about today. MAGA is not new, and the reasons are not new. Communism, as a unifying threat, has been replaced by a more generic "they" - anyone the Right hates - but Hofstadter's insight into "status politics" is crucial for understanding today's political arena: people will vote against their economic interests because their "status" needs run deeper: I'm more American than you! Look how MAGAs dress in the flag. Hofstadter was onto something then that totally applies now, and is probably the most single insightful author for today's MAGA madness.
I hope you read my review first, and your comments there are welcome.