"The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the convinced communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction (i.e. the reality of experience) and the distinction between true and false (i.e. the standards of thought) no longer exist."
"In fact, the roots of totalitarianism are shaped by a type of thoughtlessness: an inability or unwillingness to think, and the abdication of self-reflection and critical thinking."
Narcissism, Grandiosity and Lack of Empathy: Trump's "God-Complex" MD Exposes Trumps' God Complex (w/ Dr. Justin A. Frank)
It would appear that Donald Trump has a deeply embedded unconscious belief that he is invincible all-knowing, and should be omnipotent - in essence that he is "God." He has said, "I am the King of the Jews" and "I am the Chosen One" and has stated that he would "obliterate Iran" Immersed in their personal myth of greatness, one of the characteristics of such a person is that they feel "above it all." With both intellect and emotional life severely diminished, nothing can reach him. Given his extreme narcissism and focus on himself, Trump demonstrates a profound inability to empathize with others' pain and suffering.
Grandiose people do not feel they need anyone, but unconsciously Trump knows that he needs his base. Thus, his behavior (discouraging social distancing etc. at rallies) reflects his (seemingly contradictory) unconscious wish to destroy them. In this way Trump banishes feelings of depending on others and, therefore, anxiously vulnerable; in his own mind he remains triumphant.
Facts
As Frank says, "Facts don't matter and can be easily dismissed." People with these traits distort reality to suit their psychological state, attacking facts and those who convey them, such as journalists and scientists. Clearly, Trump's grandiosity causes him to be unable to tolerate view different from his own - believing he is being attacked - and leading to rage reactions and paranoia, He is not the type of person who will learn from and listen to others; he wants others to listen to him. He uses the defense of projection to locate his own wrong-doing in others: that is, accusing someone else of what you are doing - or doing to them - as when he casts immigrants as criminals and rapists.
The categories in which he regards people in his world appear to be limited to:
1) those who worship him,
2) those seen as someone to be manipulated,
3) Those to be crushed, and
3) those seen as utterly irrelevant.
As Martin Buber would conceptualize these relationships - others are seen in an "I-It" context. The alternative - "I-Thou" relationships - simply would make no sense to Trump.
Winners and Losers
Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).