The, “how do we fix this” is perhaps the most important question we face as a country. To the extent that it can be fixed, it starts with framing and language used to describe the problem/solution. The “deprogramming” and “brainwashed” verbiage has to be eliminated. 1/
Great analysis. Now, what do we do about it. Do we need to \u2018reprogram\u2019 minds of those who\u2019ve fallen into a veil of deception? Do we treat these folks as cult victims? When it is a group narcissism, folks have to \u2018kill off\u2019 a part of themselves to escape, not easy recovery.
— Ponder (@Washyourowndish) April 23, 2021
...or 2), a combination of: everything is a lie, therefore nothing is a lie\u2026.that lying is a necessary tactic to win or to compete against evil enemies (Libs/media) who are lying,\u2026or that they\u2019re in a Darwinian fight for survival where lying is a law of the political jungle.13/
— Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych (@Nick_Carmody) July 6, 2019
That tone in Tucker's voice when he says "that's so well put...." is Carlson having an epiphany that Kelly just provided him justification/talking points for running a fascist campaign for president in 2024/2028.
— Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych (@Nick_Carmody) March 26, 2021
The classic narcissistic/sociopathic, "you made me do this"... 1/ https://t.co/ZU2JPFOaOD
When people no longer believe they can compete or \u201cwin\u201d within the context of a specific \u201cgame\u201d, they either choose to stop playing\u2026..or in extreme cases, may even "up-end the game board" and scatter playing pieces everywhere. This is what the GOP is doing to democracy. 1/ https://t.co/V1izQSsxRG
— Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych (@Nick_Carmody) November 13, 2019
People who possess a \u201cbinary orientation\u201d often struggle or are uncomfortable w/abstraction, & will steam roll over nuance\u2026if they recognize it at all. This is an important point in a global political climate that is trending towards fascism/tyranny. 32/ https://t.co/bnMvdBFRvR
— Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych (@Nick_Carmody) August 12, 2019
This makes them less willing to compromise or change their position on issues. 10/
“Remember that when they come for you, and they will....”
This causes even the slightest challenge, disagreement, or criticism to immediately trigger their “binary orientation”…..
15/
....but it also inhibits their ability to process moderate, compromising solutions to difficult societal issues and problems. 16/
...prohibiting hate speech or insurrectional incitements are equated to silencing “conservative” viewpoints, etc.
It’s all or nothing.
17/
But in the case of the political climate, even if there is progress/growth/healing on an individual level,…
21/
It’s a very difficult (impossible?) situation to fix.
I\u2019ve used a \u201ccircuit breaker\u201d analogy to explain why some people revert to not just their previous position when confronted with potentially moderating information about both sides of an issue, but to an even more extreme position than they held before hearing both side. 10/
— Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych (@Nick_Carmody) February 6, 2021
Fear is a major factor in the Us-vs-Them dynamic. Fear organizes. Fear controls. Fear motivates. Another factor is that people often define themselves by their enemies. 1/ https://t.co/Ndu1nEXRyw @rory20s @HarveySlave pic.twitter.com/Yj1HXoGXnf
— Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych (@Nick_Carmody) August 12, 2019
Coulter, Hannity, Rush, etc., are "media authoritarians" who manipulate and indoctrinate their authoritarian followers by convincing them that they alone can inform them, they alone tell the truth, they alone can prevent the political and informational apocalypse.....1/
— Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych (@Nick_Carmody) March 2, 2019
The reaction to Chauvin's trial is not only another data point in the Right\u2019s "secession" from the rule of law, it highlights underlying psychological dysfunction:
— Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych (@Nick_Carmody) April 22, 2021
The Right is projecting.
Let\u2019s examine their "secession\u201d, & the recent incidents of Right Wing \u201cmob justice\u201d. 1/ https://t.co/ui1jcrEiFf
In the past, the political discourse consisted of two opposing philosophies/ideologies disagreeing over the interpretation of one set of facts. But in the current \u201cfake news\u201d/"alternative facts""post truth"/anti-intellectual honesty climate,......1/2
— Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych (@Nick_Carmody) November 2, 2018
......the two opposing ideologies are operating from two different sets of facts. The former (one set of facts) was extremely challenging\u2026\u2026\u2026the latter is damn near impossible, and a recipe for disaster. 2/2
— Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych (@Nick_Carmody) November 2, 2018
There's a disconnect in their cognition that inhibits internal/logical consistency. They react to nearly every event "in a vacuum", independent of any other data point, issue, or argument.
— Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych (@Nick_Carmody) April 24, 2021
That reaction in nearly every situation is oppositional defiance. The byproduct: hypocrisy https://t.co/3IoUj5n2P3
More from Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych
Observations about Covid, vaccine effectiveness, media portrayals/hypocrisy, and even Jan 6th to show the dangerous effect “trickle down irrationality”:
When disinformation causes otherwise irrational behavior to appear rational.
Let's unpack.....1/
In the video above, @rubinreport uses Johnathon Isaac’s response about being unvaccinated to correctly encourage people to
- avoid summarily demonizing people
- have a measured, good-faith interpretation of other people's potentially good-faith “rational” motivations/actions
2/
I agree. Jonathon Isaac was very impressive in that interview.
We won’t make progress as a society by engaging in the same behavior that helped create the problem. And : 3/
Yet, just 12 seconds into the show, Rubin’s characterization of efforts to contain covid as attempts to “control”/tyrannize not only demonizes medical professionals (“elites”), but it’s also an implicit refusal to acknowledge ANY good faith motivation to protect public health: 4/
“[Covid is] going to be this constant cudgel that they can always use to control us and lock us down and put more rules on us, and all of the *stuff* that you all get since they’re always going to do that….. 5/
When disinformation causes otherwise irrational behavior to appear rational.
Let's unpack.....1/
In the video above, @rubinreport uses Johnathon Isaac’s response about being unvaccinated to correctly encourage people to
- avoid summarily demonizing people
- have a measured, good-faith interpretation of other people's potentially good-faith “rational” motivations/actions
2/
I agree. Jonathon Isaac was very impressive in that interview.
We won’t make progress as a society by engaging in the same behavior that helped create the problem. And : 3/
Yes, fighting the temptation to name call (or "own the Cons"), rather than articulate the behavior is important. Calling them "Covidiots" is an indulgent lack of emotional discipline/maturity.
— Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych (@Nick_Carmody) September 4, 2021
It's difficult to solve the problem by engaging in the same problematic behavior. 1/ https://t.co/5FBK2jNI6f
Yet, just 12 seconds into the show, Rubin’s characterization of efforts to contain covid as attempts to “control”/tyrannize not only demonizes medical professionals (“elites”), but it’s also an implicit refusal to acknowledge ANY good faith motivation to protect public health: 4/
“[Covid is] going to be this constant cudgel that they can always use to control us and lock us down and put more rules on us, and all of the *stuff* that you all get since they’re always going to do that….. 5/
The problem lies with "self-governed people" who'd rather be entertained than educated, or competently led.
Details/competency are boring, and expertise causes people to feel ignorant. So they choose reality TV stars over competent leaders, or actual mental health professionals.
https://t.co/uMufgDNlaO
Details/competency are boring, and expertise causes people to feel ignorant. So they choose reality TV stars over competent leaders, or actual mental health professionals.
Thank you. This is what happens when the press (all do this) serves some other interest than the public. A self-governing people should not tolerate this, or we get Donald Trump. https://t.co/UKfjcAypYE
— Bandy X Lee, MD, MDiv (@BandyXLee1) December 28, 2020
https://t.co/uMufgDNlaO
There's an interplay between "collective narcissism" & "American Exceptionalism" that creates resistance to learning. Learning requires voluntary intellectual subordination: an admission the "teacher" knows more than you. This triggers our narcissistic sense of exceptionalism..1/ https://t.co/DrmW7AXB6l
— Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych (@Nick_Carmody) May 15, 2020
It's a perfect storm of emotional immaturity, arrested development, and the fetishization of "freedom" to the point where the *right to ignorance*....and the "freedom" to put others at risk...... is equated with "liberty".
Relevant threads:https://t.co/6at83OnxpK
It's a perfect storm of emotional immaturity, arrested development, and the fetishization of "freedom" to the point where the *right to ignorance*....and the "freedom" to put others at risk...... is equated with "liberty".
Relevant
https://t.co/W78IMiOAmA
https://t.co/UDgKTmjHOG
Relevant threads:https://t.co/6at83OnxpK
Yes, in the context of the Right's fetishizing "freedom", "patriot shaming", collective narcissism, cult membership purity tests, emasculinization, dopamine, confirmation bias, religion, gun control, etc. https://t.co/xGdmoSVykZ. I'll attach a few of the threads below: 1/ https://t.co/elQVWBVHXx
— Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych (@Nick_Carmody) October 21, 2020
It's a perfect storm of emotional immaturity, arrested development, and the fetishization of "freedom" to the point where the *right to ignorance*....and the "freedom" to put others at risk...... is equated with "liberty".
Relevant
Yes, in the context of the Right's fetishizing "freedom", "patriot shaming", collective narcissism, cult membership purity tests, emasculinization, dopamine, confirmation bias, religion, gun control, etc. https://t.co/xGdmoSVykZ. I'll attach a few of the threads below: 1/ https://t.co/elQVWBVHXx
— Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych (@Nick_Carmody) October 21, 2020
https://t.co/W78IMiOAmA
An addiction model may actually explain tribalism, confirmation bias, and even conspiracy theories/Qanon. Let\u2019s unpack\u2026.
— Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych (@Nick_Carmody) June 13, 2021
Several years ago I started observing the parallels between addiction and political tribalism as marriages/friendships/families imploded over politics\u2026.1/ https://t.co/jCNGeN42l2
https://t.co/UDgKTmjHOG
This is the game the GOP plays:
— Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych (@Nick_Carmody) August 9, 2021
When adults/experts/leaders take action, the Right engages in sabotaging performative obstinance & demonize the actions as government overreach.
If the Right successfully sabotages the actions, the Right claims Biden failed & blame immigrants. 1/ https://t.co/qP1kG2s1b5
Trump's speech was another incitement for violence. The Right views the military as an impediment against another insurrection/potential coup. This is why Trump & the Echo Chamber have been coordinating an assault on the legitimacy/stability of the military. It's important...1/ https://t.co/Lvs4a0jKl3
....to remember that 53 of the 500 people arrested for the Jan. 6th insurrection were former/current military. The Right knows the military has a potential extremist problem, except that rather than attempt to understand and solve the problem,...2/
...Trump, and the Right Wing Media Echo Chamber are attempting to exacerbate and inflame the problem.
The Echo Chamber knows that FOX is on nearly every TV in and around military bases, so when Ted Cruz talks about the military being emasculated....3/
......and when Matt Gaetz and J.D. Vance talk about the military losing
...5/....https://t.co/23iwQikwgH
\u201cIn one of the only original passages in his Ohio speech, he criticized \u2018woke generals\u2019 and claimed that \u2018our military will be incapable of fighting and incapable of taking orders.\u2019 America\u2019s \u2018military brass have become weak and ineffective leaders.\u2019\u201d https://t.co/IHqNTcgILg
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) June 27, 2021
....to remember that 53 of the 500 people arrested for the Jan. 6th insurrection were former/current military. The Right knows the military has a potential extremist problem, except that rather than attempt to understand and solve the problem,...2/
Wow. Great speech by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Milley:
— Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych (@Nick_Carmody) June 24, 2021
"I want to understand white rage....I want to understand what caused thousands of people to assault this building and try to overturn the constitution of the United States." 1/
pic.twitter.com/lxVpPO9BHE
...Trump, and the Right Wing Media Echo Chamber are attempting to exacerbate and inflame the problem.
The Echo Chamber knows that FOX is on nearly every TV in and around military bases, so when Ted Cruz talks about the military being emasculated....3/
Holy crap.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 20, 2021
Perhaps a woke, emasculated military is not the best idea.... https://t.co/8aVFMW98NM
......and when Matt Gaetz and J.D. Vance talk about the military losing
With Generals like this it\u2019s no wonder we\u2019ve fought considerably more wars than we\u2019ve won. https://t.co/wt43YAs6cU
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) June 23, 2021
...5/....https://t.co/23iwQikwgH
I personally would like American generals to read less about \u201cwhite rage\u201d (whatever that is) and more about \u201cnot losing wars.\u201d
— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) June 25, 2021
The real danger for the country isn’t the election results, it’s the reaction to, and the refusal to accept the results. For more than four years, Trump and the Right Wing Media Echo Chamber have conditioned his supporters to believe the election is “rigged”. They believe it….1/
In a recent thread about collective election anxiety/PTSD, I wrote that “one half the country doesn’t believe in evidence, the other half can’t trust it.” 2/
This couldn’t more evident than by the fact that 87 percent of Trump supporters believe he will win re-election, despite the fact that… 3/
…the empirical data that shows Biden *should* win easily. This has resulted in https://t.co/e8JNg5tYmK calculating that Trump has only a 10% chance of winning. To be clear, 10% is a non-zero number, much like the 30% chance that Trump had in 2016. 4/
But the real problem isn’t necessarily about low probabilities, the real problem…..or more accurately, the danger…..lies in the pathologically unrealistic expectations of the cult of Trump: 90% of them have been conned into thinking that a 10% probability is a “sure thing”. 5/
In a recent thread about collective election anxiety/PTSD, I wrote that “one half the country doesn’t believe in evidence, the other half can’t trust it.” 2/
The collective anxiety is the by-product of two unfortunate realities of the Trump era:
— Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych (@Nick_Carmody) October 20, 2020
1)You\u2019ll never go broke if you consistently bet on the ignorance/depravity of 1/3 of this country.
2)One-half of the country doesn\u2019t believe in evidence. The other half can\u2019t trust it.
1/ https://t.co/gY5lzJxNxq
This couldn’t more evident than by the fact that 87 percent of Trump supporters believe he will win re-election, despite the fact that… 3/
…the empirical data that shows Biden *should* win easily. This has resulted in https://t.co/e8JNg5tYmK calculating that Trump has only a 10% chance of winning. To be clear, 10% is a non-zero number, much like the 30% chance that Trump had in 2016. 4/
But the real problem isn’t necessarily about low probabilities, the real problem…..or more accurately, the danger…..lies in the pathologically unrealistic expectations of the cult of Trump: 90% of them have been conned into thinking that a 10% probability is a “sure thing”. 5/
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The entire discussion around Facebook’s disclosures of what happened in 2016 is very frustrating. No exec stopped any investigations, but there were a lot of heated discussions about what to publish and when.
In the spring and summer of 2016, as reported by the Times, activity we traced to GRU was reported to the FBI. This was the standard model of interaction companies used for nation-state attacks against likely US targeted.
In the Spring of 2017, after a deep dive into the Fake News phenomena, the security team wanted to publish an update that covered what we had learned. At this point, we didn’t have any advertising content or the big IRA cluster, but we did know about the GRU model.
This report when through dozens of edits as different equities were represented. I did not have any meetings with Sheryl on the paper, but I can’t speak to whether she was in the loop with my higher-ups.
In the end, the difficult question of attribution was settled by us pointing to the DNI report instead of saying Russia or GRU directly. In my pre-briefs with members of Congress, I made it clear that we believed this action was GRU.
The story doesn\u2019t say you were told not to... it says you did so without approval and they tried to obfuscate what you found. Is that true?
— Sarah Frier (@sarahfrier) November 15, 2018
In the spring and summer of 2016, as reported by the Times, activity we traced to GRU was reported to the FBI. This was the standard model of interaction companies used for nation-state attacks against likely US targeted.
In the Spring of 2017, after a deep dive into the Fake News phenomena, the security team wanted to publish an update that covered what we had learned. At this point, we didn’t have any advertising content or the big IRA cluster, but we did know about the GRU model.
This report when through dozens of edits as different equities were represented. I did not have any meetings with Sheryl on the paper, but I can’t speak to whether she was in the loop with my higher-ups.
In the end, the difficult question of attribution was settled by us pointing to the DNI report instead of saying Russia or GRU directly. In my pre-briefs with members of Congress, I made it clear that we believed this action was GRU.
