Anti-Trumpism is Fanaticism

Anti-Trumpism is Fanaticism.

Trump’s supporters have been called a cult (among other things) for defending the sitting president, or for finding no fault where others find all sorts of outrage. Sometimes the criticism is valid. But I have to wonder why the uncompromising, obsessive, and paranoid anti-Trumpists seem more likely to drink the cyanide kool-aid.



First, a note about the quality of the arguments and outrage: Anti-trumpism is the fast food of moral posturing. What comes out of it is always prepackaged, limp, soft, and stomach-churning, but customers are still lovin’ it as much as they did when they had their first taste. We can turn on the TV to watch the same late-night television host (notwithstanding their political donations and affiliations) flip the same mediocre, tasteless, and overplayed burgers, to the same clone of an easily satisfied consumer. The vain attempts to horde snigggers by way of bullying and snide cruelty are too contrived, too forced, thrown together with a stack of stale and fake ingredients, and sold to dupes and addicts through a multi-million dollar public relations budget.

But that’s just me. The mediocrity and moral turpitude of anti-Trumpism is a matter of taste, after all, and ridiculing the tastes of an anti-trumpist is like ridiculing a teenage girl for liking Justin Bieber. On the other hand, perhaps it isn’t a matter of taste, but a coping mechanism for deeper issues.

According to the American Psychological Association, Post-Election Stress Disorder is a real phenomenon. More than half of Americans reported that the 2016 US election was stressful and led to stress-related symptoms. 72% of Democrats and 26% of Republicans reported that the outcome—Trump’s win—was a significant source of stress. 66% of Americans (both Democrats and Republicans) reported that thoughts regarding the future of the nation was another significant headspring of their tensions. In combination with social media, which only aggravates stress further, a significant amount of anti-Trump folks are ripe for the physical, emotional and behavioural problems associated with stress.

And who can blame them? Trump’s presidency and the future of the country has been thrown into dystopian status by unaccountable journalists, intellectuals, unelected bureaucrats, and celebrities. Prophecies of fascism, internment camps, Nazis, religious persecution, race wars, nuclear war, civil war and Hitler, were beaten into the heads of trusting media consumers. Any positive reporting throughout the campaign, or anything that is positive in outlook towards the future, is near impossible to find. With the media’s depressing fortune-telling, in combination with the manic attempts of comedians and satirists to evoke complacent laughter, a bi-polar wave crashes over the shore of paranoia.

Effectual methods of coping with stress include adopting a positive outlook, or finding commonality with others, but finding commonality with a mortal enemy is difficult. The APA suggests cutting back on the intake of news, but such is impossible when the news is the source of everything one knows and holds dear. Thus the retreat into the ineffectual methods of coping with stress: denial, blame, anger, magical thinking, projection and worse.

“Historians in the near future will mark today, March 28, 2017, as the day the extinction of human life on earth began, thanks 2 Donald Trump” - Michael Moore

"But Michael, if humans are extinct, how will historians mark the day?"

Turn on social media to discover an unhealthy obsession with Trump’s tweets, which has been the top story of even the most professional news outlets for too long. Given the claims of his cult of personality and thin skin, one might expect an army of fawning sycophants praising their dear leader in the feed, while the critics remain banned or blocked from responding. Instead, it is the exact opposite: a myriad of fame-seeking backbiters clamouring for exposure, vying for top spot on the anti-trump gravy train like too many have done before them. Whether for followers or for coping with stress, at what point is this obsessive-compulsive?

Philosopher George Santayana once wrote “Fanaticism consists in redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim”. And who remembers the aim of anti-Trumpism? It had something to do with Mexican rapists, sexual assault and Vladimir Putin (or was it Rosie O’Donnel?). Each outrage was forgotten about in days and replaced by a brand new one, while any evidence to the contrary, the clarifying statements, the explanations, the other side of the story, and anything that might shed doubt on their narrative, was conveniently missing in favour of the yellow journalism they are now wedded to. In the last analysis, they have only redoubled their efforts. And their aim? To cope with the self-induced stress they are now left to deal with.

We have protesters, activists, and their celebrity handlers operating under the delusion they are fighting against oppression, or at least some future form of it, when they couldn’t point to an oppressive thing outside their own emotions, their reaction to words, their puerile prophecies, and the sensationalism that exploits them. Anti-Trumpism is fanaticism.



Than you for reading,

LesMis

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

Star and flag!

This is why recreational drugs is bad. There's a reason China declared war on Britain in the Opium war.

Can you make one next for the obama disease, but seriously all that hard work you put into this, to end up just being pure propaganda and your own opinion man.



Oh i forgot to add, if you take out a few words, this would fit perfectly with for the obama haters.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

Seems like the leftists didn't get their way, crying and bitching about it is the only thing they can do.

Get on with life, Trump is pres, Hillary the faint lost. The deal is done.

If I were a leftist I would gather my "troops" and rebuild. They need new leaders, seems like the ones in power are a little long in the tooth.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

No we just recognize a lying thieving scumbag when we see & hear one.

K~

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

All part of the regular schedule programming. It's quite simple, they don't want a united country because that would ultimately be their demise. They've already reached the point of no return imo.

originally posted by: knowledgehunter0986
a reply to: LesMisanthrope

All part of the regular schedule programming. It's quite simple, they don't want a united country because that would ultimately be their demise. They've already reached the point of no return imo.

Dude seriously., its like you guys forgot the past 8 years, just wow.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

Great read. Unfortunately however, the cyanide drinkers will keep drinking the poison. Although, it's always refreshing to know that there are some people still in existence whom are grounded in reality.

a reply to: dukeofjive696969

Obama cost a lot of Americans a ridiculous amount of money. To date, Trump has not.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

That was amusing and....

a reply to: LesMisanthrope
Hear that OP?
That "Reeeeeeeee!" you hear heading this direction is for you Sir.
Good luck!

a reply to: JAY1980

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

Liberalism is an anti-American mental illness.
Funny you should choose that screaming woman for your example of fanaticism, she looks like Michael Moore.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

I can't say I am pro-Trump but I had to give you s&f for the answer to Michael Moore.

Logic isn't very strong in people promoting humanistic liberal values and then saying things like "he doesn't deserve respect" "not my president" etc, he won the vote, his voters are humans with reasons for their decision.
But if one tries to point that out one is trolling and deplorable.
So sad I'm ideologically homeless, because they've turned into hateful zombies.

a reply to: dukeofjive696969

Do you mean the extra 10 trillion in debt, the extra racial division, pushing Islam in schools, Benghazi, the state department corruption, FBI corruption, IRS corruption, citizen groups and Conservative targeting, etc. Need I go on?

Cheers - Dave

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: dukeofjive696969

Obama cost a lot of Americans a ridiculous amount of money. To date, Trump has not.

He also installed sharia law, took all your guns, forced you to become muslim, living in your fema camp. i forgot a bunch im sure.

But yea we get it, its victim mode again for the poor oppressed republicants.

originally posted by: aethertek
a reply to: LesMisanthrope

No we just recognize a lying thieving scumbag when we see & hear one.

K~

All other Trump voters recognized Hillary as a lying, thieving scumbag as well.
Thank you for pointing that out and......Welcome aboard fellow Trump supporter!!

originally posted by: bobs_uruncle
a reply to: dukeofjive696969

Do you mean the extra 10 trillion in debt, the extra racial division, pushing Islam in schools, Benghazi, the state department corruption, FBI corruption, IRS corruption, citizen groups and Conservative targeting, etc. Need I go on?

Cheers - Dave

And that has what to do with this supposed left fanaticism lol.

I know i know, obama drove over your dog

a reply to: Peeple

So sad I'm ideologically homeless, because they've turned into hateful zombies.

When in doubt, stand with the proles.