Max Blumenthal, "Republican Gommorrah"-Repug 23 percenters explained by trauma, sado-masochism

[HamdenRice]

I'm listening to Max Blumenthal being interviewed on Democracy Now. He has a new book that tries to explain the radical right and their world view. His explanation is that what unites them is not a political philosophy, but (as Buzzflash summarizes it) a

"shared sensibility rooted in private trauma. Their lives have been stained by crisis and scandal -- depression, mental illness, extra-marital affairs, struggles with homosexual urges, attraction to drugs and pornography, serial domestic abuse, and even murder."

On DN! he is explaining James Dobson's creepy method of creating a whole generation of repug shock troops through Focus on the Family. According to Blumenthal, Dobson isn't a theologian, but a child psychologist -- a dangerous one. He started out by having radio and tv advice shows. People would write in with their mundane child rearing problems, and Dobson's huge staff, dedicated to answer each letter, would send out individual advice, usually slanted toward severe corporal punishment. Once on the mailing list, he would inundate the parents with political propaganda.

More creepy, Blumenthal is arguing that the whippings and abuse he advised created a whole generation of people traumatized by parental sado-masochism, and that trauma made them susceptible to being the next even more hard core of repug shock troops.

Very scary interview!

Until the DN! transcript is up, you can look at the Buzzflash blurb here:

http://www.buzzflash.com/store/items/1789

[Papa Boule]

1. Dovetails nicely with Alice Miller's work...

and I think, by extension, with Bob Altemeyer's. Abuse and trauma produces children with internalized survival rules about "not seeing" and unquestioningly believing, obeying, and seeking the approval and praise of their tribal authorities -- and desperately fearing and hating any of whom the tribal authorities say are a threat.

[HamdenRice]

2. Wow, I'm not familiar with their work

will check it out.

Also have to say I'm surprised that some rec'ers saved this post from oblivion!

[DCKit]

4. Best theory I've heard thus far.

Nothing I've been able to imagine has excused their irrational behavior.

Conservatism is a mental defect, rooted in a need for authoritarian guidance. This theory explains it handily.

[Papa Boule]

3. Here's a link

to the interview page.

[Go2Peace]

5. Conservatives are all about PROJECTION. They are not moral, not "hard working", etc

I started noticing this many years ago. It started with a right winger I worked with who was always "complaining" about how much harder he worked than others. Something did not fit and I followed him a bit,it blew me away what I saw! He was very sly and would always kick in and look hard working when he thought anyone was watching, but then when no one was around he had a secret place he went and lounged, spending a good portion of the day idle.

That was the beginning of understanding. At the time I was flirting with fundamentalist Christianity, awestruck at how others seemed to be able to have such good control over themselves, then I started paying more attention... More often than not, a paster who is hell bent and hellfire preaching against homosexuality, well, time and again, some years later it would come out they were privately involved in gay relationships. Same with those who preached day in and out about "adultery", almost always it turns out they were themselves fighting with extramaritual issues.

Time and again this has proven a sound thesis. These folks are all struggling and conflicted, externalizing their own personal demons/issues.

[Douglas Carpenter]

6. here is another link including the transcript:

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/9/4/republican_gomorrah_inside_the_movement_that

Thanks for posting!!!

kick and recommend!!