Palin is fascinating for some/many because she has a Personality Disorder.

[PCIntern]

Admit it...all your life you've been drawn to the personality-disordered individual in school, at camp, at work...it doesn't mean you wanted to be friends or even casual acquaintances, but there is no doubt that these people possess a certain magnetism which is why, WHICH IS WHY, many people get themselves into trouble romantically, fiscally, politically, or religiously. Maybe you didn't: maybe you saw these people for what they were: disruptive, unusual, disturbed. You are among the fortunate few.

People are drawn to these individuals like moths to a flame...

I have come to this conclusion from 'interviewing' many individuals who don't agree with her politics but 'concede' that she's 'great' or 'not that bad'. Each and every one of these individuals to whom I've spoken who are in this category are, and I'll be polite, "quirky". Those who DO agree with her 'stances on political matters' (as if they could figure out WTF her stances really are), are in awe of her reminiscent of those who blindly follow cult leaders and rock stars.

It's how it works. It's "human nature".

ON EDIT: I changed the subject line...I suppose that I have to be more exacting in my prose...I will endeavor to do so in the future...

[Are_grits_groceries]

1. I believe she also has ADD.

She jumps around like a frog with a sunburned ass.

[Teaser]

2. human nature needs an overhaul

.

[fasttense]

3. I think it's more than a personality disorder, it's a mild psychosis,

and the bush had one too. It seems Republicons are more attracted to these psychotics than the average person.

[Raspberry]

4. Yup.

And there are peopple who think Obama is a malignant narcissist.

Armchair psychology is so much fun. :eyes:

[ixion]

5. I don't like her politics, and I don't think she's great at all

in fact, I think she both sucks and blows and is a lame excuse for a human being.

[PCIntern]

6. You're absolutely right...

but here we all are, talking about her. That's what they do best: they garner attention.

[ixion]

13. fair enough... yeah, that's why I try to avoid using the 'P' word

but I understand your point, and you're right.

[get the red out]

7. Like a 4 car pile up on the way home from work

The woman is a walking reality show! People want to see what happens next. What will Levi expose? Will another daughter get pregnant? Is Trigg her son? Is she boinking anyone but Todd? Can Todd read and write or even talk?

Walking, talking, soap opera.

[Orsino]

8. Impossible.

She would have to have a personality.

[freeplessinseattle]

9. 60 yr old dude at book signing never voted before Palin

but found her so special and magical he felt drawn to vote for some odd reason. The tingling in his groin, perhaps, or maybe it was just voting against the black man. In any case, this guy certainly came across as not all there, as did most of the people interviewed at her signings.

Maybe there's a certain something in her voice that only fellow nutty folks can hear. To the rest of us sounds like nails on a chalkboard, her words even worse.

[Fly by night]

10. Palin is as fascinating as a drunk bimbo at the end of a bowling alley bar, trolling for ...

... tube steak.

[PCIntern]

14. Step back from the vituperative vantage point

if you can...

She obviously appeals to a group of individuals with whom we don't agree politically...I'm not referring to her politics, I'm referring to her persona and HERE YOU ARE POSTING ABOUT HER. You can be as dismissive as you want, but here you are, 'wasting' bandwidth talking about a 'nobody'. And here I am.

[Fly by night]

32. So? You post a "fascinating" OP about Palin and several DUers respond re: how she "fascinates" us.

What exactly did you expect? Really.

If five people hadn't recommended this thread (for whatever reason), I wouldn't have even seen it. But any DU OP that makes it to the "Greatest" page with "Palin" and "fascinating" in the same title deserves at least a "WTF?!?" response from many of us.

As for me, I know no one who is "fascinated" by her. My Repub friends here in Tennessee are frankly embarrassed by her. Of course, my Repub friends have brains.

Frankly, I have sometimes thought that McCain picked her because a) he was as concerned as the rest of us about the reich-wing, anti-intellectual, Dominionist, un-American direction of his party and b) he expected that selecting the Wasilla bimbo would ensure his defeat (which polls during and after the election confirmed). McCain may have hoped that their defeat might allow the GOP ship to right itself from its reich-wing list. (That doesn't appear to be happening, but hope springs eternal, at least among my moderate Republican friends with brains.)

If you are disturbed by my impression of the loud, floozy drunk at the end of the bowling alley bar, then maybe you shouldn't ask for our opinions here on DU about your "fascinating" OP subject.

'K?

[PCIntern]

42. Nice response...

So what you're saying is that no one is interested in her, her 'family', her machinations, her lies, her political'career', her flute playing, her representation by Tina Fey, and everything else is of no interest to anyone.

OK.

..."please" do not lecture me on what I can and cannot expect here.

[Fly by night]

44. Of course, I am not saying any of those things.

But then you know that, don't you.

BTW, I wasn't lecturing you -- just telling you why I bothered to respond to your OP, just in case you are really interested.

Either way, have a nice day. Or not.

[PCIntern]

46. Yes you are, and you don't fool me for one instant.

you simply gainsay what I said and then attempt, a la the Faux crowd, to insist that you hadn't.

You're not fooling me for one instant, 'pal'.

[Fly by night]

50. Thank the Goddess (and DU) for the "ignore" button.

Congratulations. You are only the fourth person in five years that I've chosen to "ignore". Anyone who picks fights with dozens of DUers in defense of Sarah Palin is obviously in the wrong forum.

See ya'. Bye.

[PCIntern]

51. I know you're reading this...your type never 'ignores'

Are you off your meds or what?

Your posts and attitude are very disturbing, but becoming more prevalent than ever here at DU...

[marmar]

11. Sorry, but I don't find her fascinating at all.....

..... Intellectually incurious and vapid, yes. Fascinating? About as fascinating as an outlet mall.

[PCIntern]

15. Jeez...

OK, just b/c YOU don't, doesn't mean, obviously, that others DO. that was my point...

[gkhouston]

29. Spend some Real Life time near one of these people and see up close and personal

how much they can fuck up the lives of those in their orbit. It will cure you of that fascination, but quick.

[PCIntern]

30. did you read my OP??

don't you think that the whole point of the post is that these malignant individuals do exactly what you say? Why are you basically accusing me of being ignorant and taken in by the likes of Palin?

[gkhouston]

35. I read the OP. How someone like that could still be "fascinating", either in an

attractive or a repulsive manner, once you know how damaging they are, eludes me.

[PCIntern]

38. It may elude you...

but the fact of the matter is that these people attract others. Not you, not me.

But then again, here we are posting about Palin...so there you go.

[bobburgster]

12. I believe more of the problem with her followers is....

because they do not THINK, or are incapable of thinking.

[liberal N proud]

16. Lack of thought is the primary difference between liberal and conservative

Liberals think for themselves and come to their own conclusions where conservatives allow themselves to be told what to say and do.

It is the only reason Republicans win elections and Democrats can't get anything done even when they are in power.

[bobburgster]

54. Wish there was a way....

"It is the only reason Republicans win elections and Democrats can't get anything done even when they are in power."

I agree with the above statement, I just wish there was a way dems could find a way to be free thinkers, and still have the flexibility to compromise so we can accomplish something.

[Vinca]

17. I think it's more like a car crash on the highway.

When you come upon the crumbled metal and flashing lights, you just have to stop and look.

[Hepburn]

18. Doesn't one need to have a personality in order to have a disorder of the same?

Just curious...:evilgrin:

[Lint Head]

19. She needs to be ignored, IGNORED.

[nashville_brook]

20. wow -- rings quite true. however, that's why i'm repulsed, rather than attracted.

on a base level, something inside me says run! her manner of lying is completely obvious to me, the way Bush's manner of lying was. and so, i think you have hit the nail on the head.

[elocs]

21. DU certainly has an obsession with her from the time McCain chose her for his VP. n/t

[zazen]

22. do you think it's Narcissism, or Narcissistic Borderline?

She's got the splitting, multiple career/identity changes, seeming fear of being alone, and instability in personal relationships, and an anger at rejection--all supposed symptoms of BPD, but the anger seems more of a narcissistic type of rage stemming from entitlement than an utter terror at abandonment. And she seems to lack the compassion and soul that one finds in many borderlines. She seems more like a narcissist to me, with the splitting a result of a complete cutting off of people who don't worship her.

I've always been surprised at how narcissistic women in particular seem to attract a certain type of weak personality to them. I've known maybe three of these women in my life--it does take a certain kind of chutzpa I think to be a full-blown narcissist when you're raised female, because it's so easy to slip into codependent self-hatred with the many messages females traditionally get growing up. I find narcissistic women frightening and insufferable in an equal but different way than I do men with this issue, but they really seem to be able to win over weak personalities with their ability to dispense this sort of self-important "approval" and to threaten to withdraw that royalty-like approval as well. My Dad was a narcissistic borderline--the acting out type--so I know their vampirific strategies well. I think the women are maybe better at manipulating weaker folk into worshipping them, so they camouflage better.

Since we're all playing armchair therapist here (I'm as guilty as any), I'm curious what your diagnosis is (recognizing all of the caveats about the social construction of the DSM, yada yada yada) . . . .

[PCIntern]

24. I'm not a mental health professional...

my guess would be the second...but what do I know???

[Javaman]

41. Her personality is a lot like my sisters...

who is a Narcissistic Borderline type.

I no longer speak to my sister to maintain my sanity.

[clear eye]

52. See my comment on an earlier thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7032288&mesg_id=7035652

In short I vote for BPD. Since she manipulated her way into her high school power structure, from what I've read, she learned to use crushing anyone who wasn't taken in by her as part of her arsenal. Doesn't mean deepdown she feels entitled, only that playing entitled popular cheerleader got her much of what she wanted, so she keeps doing it.

Put the power of the U.S. Presidency behind that, and it would be truly scary. Think arbitrary despot, like Stalin.

[clear eye]

53. I meant Borderline Personality Disorder,

not bi-polar disease. Just realized they have the same initials.

[mitchum]

23. She has no charisma and is only fascinating in the same way as a carnival geek...

biting the heads off chickens

[Blue Meany]

25. OPD

Obnoxious Personality Disorder

[VWolf]

26. True that. People are also fascinated by

train wrecks and highway accidents.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

27. Personality Disorders

I can vouch for what you're talking about.

I was going to go into it all, but.... eh, never mind. My mother was BPD. Untreated, severe, very extreme in behavior swings; cloying, angelic, rageful, violent, self-obsessed, pathetic. Judging from the fact that he was with her, and a later relationship with a scheming, dangerous psychopath after her death, I'd say my Dad was affected too. Some vague references I'd heard a couple of times over the years about my paternal grandmother sound like my Dad's mother was seriously disordered.

I've had to learn how to recognize abnormal behavior and steer clear of it, after a number of involvements with BPD's, Psychopaths and Narcissistic Personality Disordered people.

They are charming but shallow, manipulative and very dangerous. I've never watched Palin or her family, so I haven't seen her kids behaviors or their personas, but I read here when someone mentioned Bristol looked very sad. That would be the appearance of someone living with an awful reality behind closed doors.

People who admire Palin or are drawn to her probably have some kind of inability to recognize or react self-protectively to the warning signs; an ability that I've had to learn with much effort, and that "normal" people internalize during their upbringing.

For the rest of the people who are fascinated with her? Freak show.

[Generic Other]

28. the Harlequin Romance crowd will buy her book

and make it through 10 pages before they put it back on the shelf and go back to eating their bon bons and listening to Rush.

[Tutankhamun]

31. Betwen them, she and Bush have enough disorders to keep a team of

mental health care professionals busy around the clock.

[DU GrovelBot]

33. ## PLEASE DONATE TO DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND! ##

This week is our fourth quarter 2009 fund drive. Democratic Underground is
a completely independent website. We depend on donations from our members
to cover our costs. Please take a moment to donate! Thank you!

[Odin2005]

34. Histrionic Personality Disorder. Definitely.

[ecstatic]

36. I'm in awe of her self delusion--I almost envy it

SHE thinks she can be president? She wasn't even qualified to be mayor, much less governor and even much less VP!!! At the same time, as someone who was actually intelligent for many years (I believe most of it is wasted away now lol), I can't help but wonder where I'd be right now if I had that type of confidence (especially if it was laced with a little delusion).

[rocktivity]

37. I disagree--Palin does not have a personality disorder

Palin has a PAIR of personality disorders!


rocktivity

[Jester Messiah]

39. Wait, what? Are you trying to imply that Palin has a personality??

:evilgrin:

[snooper2]

40. you are reading way too much into it...

There are a lot of people out there who just aren't very bright...period...

They think she is one of them...

Check out this video...Of course this fucking idiot wanted HRC for President for whatever reason..but it gives you the mentality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIcV4N1qvss

[PCIntern]

43. I respectfully disagree with you.

This is all very complex sociologically and psychologically,psychiatrically.

[OneBlueSky]

45. Palin has a personality? . . . n/t

[Blue_In_AK]

47. I agree.

I was married to one for 17 years. She is exactly like that.

[PCIntern]

48. Thank you Blue....your post is appreciated...

I'm getting a wee bit tired of those who, upthread, IMO deliberately don't 'get' the OP and then argue that Palin's not 'fascinating' because she's not 'fascinating' to them. Ostensibly. I find it argumentative and disruptive. Maybe I'm wrong...right now, I don't think so.

[Blue_In_AK]

49. It's hard to deny that there is a fascination with her,

whether you're on the right or on the left. Of course, we're fascinated in entirely different ways.

What fascinates me is that no matter what we throw at her, she's still standing and still draws crowds. The examples of her mal- and misfeasance as Alaska's governor, the multiple examples of her lies and questionable ethics ... even the fact that Alaska's Republicans widely regarded her policies as "socialist" ... just seem to roll off her like water off a duck's back as far as her followers are concerned.

It makes no sense to me at all.

And as much as we try to ignore her, she keeps popping back up like whack-a-mole. People upthread can try to ignore her all they want, but she's not going to go away. Even if it's revealed that Trig is the love child of Sarah and Levi, her die-hard followers will still see her as Queen Esther. It's really just mind-boggling.

[NJCher]

57. true enough

What fascinates me is that no matter what we throw at her, she's still standing and still draws crowds.


I'll bet McCain could kick himself for this never-ending "gift" to the nation.

On another topic, but Palin-related, try this sometime:

Watch how Palin says something on TV. Then say whatever she just said in your own tone of voice. It is the weirdest thing. Very soon you will learn that Palin shouts everything and says everything with a good deal of confidence.

Palin would say, "I have a big fat bump on the side of my face" with all the confidence that one might say "I won the election."

Despite her drifter/grifter approach to her education, she was a communication major. As a teacher of communication, I know I'd have brought this speech oddity to a student's attention. It would have come up in a "variation" or "tone" of voice assessment of a speech.


Cher

[ddeclue]

55. NPD...nt

[marshall]

56. These days Narcissitic Personality Disorder is practically a requirement for high public office

It's the New Age conversion of Plato's Republic.

[ThoughtCriminal]

58. Fascinating... in a Lester Maddox kind of way

or a really spectacular train wreck.