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Miles Archer

(21,838 posts)
Sun Jan 4, 2026, 07:41 PM Jan 4

A theory about Trump you've seen many, MANY times, but you'll like the brevity and word choices used here... [View all]

In the Donald Trump era — praise be! — so much is possible that previously no one had ever even imagined. For instance, not only has “the late, great Hannibal Lecter” come back to life, he might even join Trump’s cabinet.

It’s not simply that Trump is unique (i.e., uniquely crazy). He definitely is, but he’s also American to the core. Under his leadership, our political structure is naked and exposed, stripped of its political correctness. The emperor has no clothes! Suddenly we can’t avoid seeing this.

Indeed, we can’t avoid seeing ourselves. As psychologist John Gartner has pointed out, Trump is not only a malignant narcissist, but — as has been clear in his second term — he’s slithering ever more deeply into dementia. Yet people still support him — enough people to let him win elections. Why?

Because, Gartner notes: “He’s beating up on their shared enemies. There’s a psychological appeal that a Hitler-like character has. Someone who feels disempowered feels re-empowered by someone who, in a punitive way, is attacking their shadow enemies and making them feel powerful and entitled to dominate.”


https://www.rawstory.com/donald-trump-2674843527/?utm_source=opinion
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