'Shared psychosis': Mental health expert dissects Trump voters' unwavering support

[JonLP24]

‘Shared psychosis’: Mental health expert dissects Trump voters’ unwavering support that ‘defies rationality’

Yesterday, Donald Trump gave a 46-minute speech that alarmed many. Here are some of the things he said: “We were leading in all swing states far greater than they ever thought possible.” “Millions of votes were cast illegally[, and] I went from leading by a lot, to losing by a little.”

Those who still have their rationality intact will not find anything compelling about his repetitive arguments and will rather find only his persistence puzzling. But he is conditioning the minds of his followers to take up his cause as their own and going so far as to give implicit orders. I have stated on a number of occasions that mental symptoms can be more persuasive than rational strategy because of their emotional drive. They can recruit you into an alternative system of thinking that defies rationality.

Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, and his former attorney have already suggested that he step outside the Constitution to force some sort of military-supervised re-vote. In addition to their corruption, opportunism, and criminal disposition, a powerful emotional drive underlies this alignment. This is an example of what is called “shared psychosis,” or “folie à plusieurs” (madness in several), which is a well-documented phenomenon whose power not be underestimated.

Its impact and danger are huge, as it divides the whole nation into those who are living in reality and those who are not, as we confront two immediate crises: the election and a pandemic that is now killing Americans at the rate of one 9/11 per day.

https://www.rawstory.com/2020/12/shared-psychosis-mental-health-expert-dissects-trump-voters-unwavering-support-that-defies-rationality/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

[Thomas Hurt]

1. I am thinking they are all to one degree or another, amoral narcissists like Trump.

persistent greed, fear, anger, hatred and insecurity are how they go through life too.

[AmericanCanuck]

2. A white man unabashedly attacking their long term perceived enemies

i.e. blacks, latinos, immigrants, asians, women, jews and homosexuals is what drives the crowd -- they don't care if he is flawed, incompetent, a womanizer or a con man - he is doing the bidding they secretly wanted.

No amount of economic relief will change these people. They want an America controlled by white male christians - even if it costs them their jobs, retirement, housing and healthcare.

The only way to bring this to a dialogue is to do what Donahue did. He did shows where Americans and Russians gathered and expressed openly what their biases were - it had some effect.

[milestogo]

3. The rest of the world must think we're all insane to tolerate having this man in office.

And they are right.

[Midnight Writer]

4. You cannot win an argument with an irrational person.

The GOP knows this, and they are using it.

Faith based (whether religious or not) voters are immovable.