One strong correlation that's become increasingly apparent over the past few years is that the most rabid Trump-haters tend to be those who are in fact most like him, character-wise: narcissistic personalities.
I'm not talking about those who simply dislike Trump. A lot of people, even his political supporters, fall into that category.
I'm talking about the people who cannot talk about him without almost frothing at the mouth.
Psychologists always say that what people hate most is what they dislike about themselves. It's why stupid people always castigate others for being dumb, why habitual liars always suspect others of dishonesty, and why those who lecture others about global warming are usually the biggest environmental sinners themselves.
In that sense, Trump is a Rorschach test.
Eric Schneiderman used to be one of the most prominent Trump haters. As New York State Attorney General, instead of ferreting out corruption in Albany, he focused his energy on attacking Trump. He brought suit against Trump University, sued to force the release of Trump's tax returns, and, along with several other attorneys general, sued to prevent Trump's Muslim immigration ban.
When the initial allegations against Harvey Weinstein first broke, Schneiderman, a vocal supporter of the #MeToo movement, said, “We have never seen anything as despicable as what we’ve seen right here.”
Schneiderman, of course, was forced to resign after it emerged that he had physically abused at least four former girlfriends, slapping several of them hard across the face, and calling one of them his "little brown slave."
The interesting question is, how self-righteous Schneiderman felt about his virulent hatred of Trump (and Weinstein). Did he see himself as a knight in shining armor fighting the good fight against the twin scourges of racism and sexism? Did he see himself as one of the good people, trying to fend off the evil that Trump represented?
Narcissistic personalities are capable of that kind of hypocrisy.
When Harvey Weinstein initially defended himself by saying he was "just an old dinosaur" who had come of age during the "free love era," he also suggested that his critics focus on fighting "the real enemy, Donald Trump."
Did he see himself, perhaps, as Brad Pitt fighting the Nazis in Inglourious Basterds? As Frodo trying to save the world from the evil Sauron? As Nelson Mandela fighting for justice and equality in Long Walk to Freedom?
Weinstein, as I explained here, is a sociopath. And all sociopaths are, by definition, also narcissistic personalties.
Think of some of the politicians who are the most virulently anti-Trump: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, and Jerrold Nadler.
Think of some of the biggest Trump-haters in the media and in show business: Michael Moore, Jim Carrey, Madonna, Lena Dunham, Joy Behar, Alyssa Milano, George Clooney, Chelsea Handler, Miley Cyrus, Debra Messing, and Alec Baldwin.
Judge for yourself whether each of these people are narcissistic personalities.
Think of the most rabid Trump-haters you know. Are they not narcissistic personalities themselves?
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12 comments:
"Psychologists always say that what people hate most is what they dislike about themselves."
I saw this in wife's family. The father favored one of her brothers over the other. The one he slighted was his spitting image, only younger. Not that he hated him, or that it was overly overt, but you could tell it was a thing.
Lowly --
So true.
I saw it a lot on this blog. Aspies would accuse me of having Aspergers, gays would accuse me of being gay, a sociopath once accused me of "getting a buzz out of other peoples' misfortunes," and dummies accused me of being stupid. In each case, it seemed to be the worst insult they co.d come up with.
I think also explains part of the phenomenon:
"Moral indignation is a standard strategy for endowing the idiot with dignity."-- Marshall McLuhan.
Saying "I am so angry" is easier than making a coherent argument. Most people cannot reason incisively; anyone can claim to be angry.
Craig Henry --
Yes, and "I am offended by..." is a standard Leftist response to a statement they can't refute with facts these days as well. The other standard response is to call someone names (Nazi, racist, homophobe, etc.) in lieu of a reasoned argument.
I have a relative who is short tempered, condescending and very argumentative. When he is in argumentative mode, no one is allowed to have their own opinion. If one does, he dismisses them as stupid or mentally ill. He usually whines about others as being condescending and argumentative. Good analysis, John.
Yeah, the virulent anti Trumpers are inadvertent comedians. They have become a parody of themselves. I surf through their Facebook page when I need a good laugh. Whatever credibility that they may have had before 2016 is long gone. TDS started out as tongue-n-cheek, but it has morphed into a reality. I have never seen such self importance in my life. In other words, if you dare to think differently than me, you're casted out.
Gotta question for anyone. Do you know anyone who voted for Trump and now regrets the vote? I know it is anecdotal, but I don't know one single person. I actually know a few people who were on the sidelines in 2016, but now plan on voting for Trump in 2020.
Spartan
Thank you Spartan.
Agreed, the whole TDS phenomenon is very revealing in what it shows about those who suffer from it. If you look at how they act when they're not discussing politics, it's usually all of a piece.
I know exactly one person who says she regrets voting for Trump in 2016 (he's not environmentally-minded enough for her), but when I listen to her talk politics these days, she mostly expresses disgust with the way the Democrats have been comporting themselves, so I suspect she'll vote for Trump again next year.
Not sorry one bit that I voted for Trump. The Dems are anti USA, wanting to shred the Constitution to pieces.
- Conservative Woman
Conservative Woman --
I can't think of another country in history where a major political party seemed to favor the interests of foreigners over their own. I suppose there have been some countries that were defeated in war which had to pay lip service to the positions of their conquerors, but certainly not voluntarily. And with those countries that were defeated, the point is, they were defeated in war, they didn't just voluntarily decide to erase their own borders and allow their conquerors to come streaming in.
I was pretty much apolitical until the last Presidential election. That was when I woke up to the far left's agenda. The Democratic party is the NWO Globalist party. That's how I refer to the Democratic party these days.
- Conservative Woman
Conservative Woman --
Good description.
I never hear anyone talk about sovereignty anymore. It seems like it’s a lost concept for the left.
Smallberries Worldwide --
It doesn't fit with their narrative. Their goal is to keep importing more black and brown people who will vote Democrat until they have a permanent majority.
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