a bit more than themselves.

Different mental health professionals have different theories, but Dr. Jerrold Post (psychiatrist and CIA political profiler, author of "Dangerous Charisma&quot argues both Trump and his followers are damaged, but in different ways, not in like ways. The followers are damaged in a way that makes them crave an authoritarian "father" figure who can make their psychic distress go away, usually by promising to alleviate real world "problems" that they mistakenly believe are the cause of their distress.

"The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump" contains many essays that basically say Trump was damaged very early. He could not tolerate the emotion of shame so he produced an arsenal of defense mechanisms that shield him from the truth and lead him to crave approval. His followers provide exactly the narcissistic fuel he requires to maintain his fantasies of unlimited success

Both of those books are quite extraordinarily, but IMO "Dangerous Case" covers far more ground and is the better of the two books.

PS: I don't know if either Trump or his supporters have enough insight to "hate themselves." I know Trump could never admit that to himself. Their grievances are external, but of course they are diversions from immense internal anxiety they cannot face.

It’s just ironic to me that every single mf45 cult member I know has told me of their lousy childhoods. They are such victims and blame everyone butgheselves for the problems they encounter in life.

It completely fascinates me. I always want to know why people are the way they are.

I’ll say up front there’s danger in broad brushing and it’s always more complicated than you can even put in a book, but it’s a common tendency for people who are afraid or insecure—and sometimes understandably so—to look for someone who will make things better for them. When a damaged, survival oriented, empathically inept person like 45 comes along, one with real talent at conning those frightened people, you get what we see now.

What surprises me is the fear and lack of conscience among the GOP who won’t stand up to him.

It is really appreciated with someone with expertise in a particular areas contributes to these conversations.

When you say "lack of conscience" in reference to the GOP, do you mean literally? As in "lacking a conscience" or just in a situational sense, that they have consciences but are going against them?

They all share a will to power, (directly or vicariously) and the hatred is both a symptom and a tool for getting it. They bundle their sticks together from the same tree.

There's this idea floating around that Trump's followers are disgruntled because they feel powerless and alienated. Maybe you're onto something, if I'm interpreting it correctly, in suggesting Trump becomes their conduit to experience (vicariously) a sense of power, which is actually just childishly-directed anger.

That is correct and seems to fit in the social psychology of the magnet he becomes for that. I think that's what makes them so prone to this and may even add to the appeal to authority of some populist movements.

because their hubris won't allow them to take responsibility for their failures. Rather, they'd rather blame others.

Trump reflects their racism and bigotry. They are damaged just as he is.

Also they have been conditioned for someone like him. How long have they had talk radio and news telling them it's all liberal biased and that they news is a lie. The Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck, and O Reiley just keep fueling them and now they wont even consider they can be wrong. It's a dangerous combination of fear, hate and ignorance.

absolutely influenced and shaped millions of followers with lies and propaganda as intended. Joe Goebbels, Father John Coughlin, the 'radio priest' in the 1930s and the grand father of hate radio and others live on.



- Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels

that's all they have...

If it's always somebody else's damn fault then you're never wrong, right?

Act like the cruel father he had and dress him down. Talk down to him. Don't just call him on his lies. Go deeper than that. Discuss his chronic narcissism. Bait him. Make him melt down. Be psychological.

Daddy was cold.

Daddy was violent.

Daddy was a drunk.

Daddy wasn't there.

I'm not trying to minimize the damage these short and snippy-sounding statements imply. I have close friends who've absorbed lasting damage by one or more of the situations described above. Some have dealt well and gotten on with living, some are still dealing, or trying to.

I was lucky - and I'm old enough to realize that now. My parents had their own problems (don't we all?) but they were always there for us, and getting older helped me realize that my own issues weren't really that horrible. They were doing the best they could, and they did pretty well, all things considered.

The issue to me is that, at some point, you have to move on with your own life and stop looking for Daddy, or waiting for some Hallmark-style reunion. He's not in the pulpit nor depicted in the stained-glass window, he's not the head of your fraternity, he's not the CEO or your professor, and he sure as shit isn't in the White House.

Are all in the cult and Daddy was cruel to them growing up.

There is a psychological deficit in their souls.

Trump's base is essentially a bunch of internet trolls who can't get along with people and don't understand why people get mad and shun them when they act like assholes.