Tags
defense of democracy, Donald Trump, Goldwater Rule, Helsinki, January 6, kleptocracy, Mafia States, malignant narcissism, malignant narcissists, malignarcs, Medieval v. Modern, PolitCrims, Political Criminals, Trump-Putin, Vladimir Putin
Licensed psychologists and psychiatrists and member of the American Psychiatric Association have the “Goldwater Rule”, which guidance disallows or discourages the making of claims about political figures without having had direct evaluative experience with the same. I concur. For the practicing psychologist or psychiatrist, the work of arriving at a clinical evaluation needs be direct and personal as well as versed in both the clinical DSM and perhaps a full history of despots and dictators. For cognizant citizens and political analysts, editors, and journalists, background helps as well may ample knowledge derived from consistent study over time and here, in particular, a good look at narcissism.
Immediately related on BackChannels: “Anthropolitical Psychology” -> “Malignant Narcissism” (of chief interest here). In the ways of desk analysts, my way, and the web, reference leads to reference until curiosity has been cured by repeated encounters with certain ideas, principles, and themes.
Malignant Narcissists Trump and Putin AKA Trump-Putin AKA #TrumpPutin
For essence regarding the character of both in their expression: delusional, grandiose, messianic in ideation and well apart from normal as regards boundaries and limits, which may be considered a part of the parameters of conscience. For his barbaric ascent to ruthless power, Putin bombed apartment buildings in Moscow, pointed to Chechen rebels as culprits, won his presidency, and set his army free to brutalize Chechen villages, sending the men into the opposition. Ramzan Kadyrov would get the handsomely compensated business of holding Chechnya in place.
For the authoritarian and totalitarian malignant narcissist and sociopath with enough money and power, everything paid off (or silenced) works out in the end.
For Trump with his tens of millions of inherited dollars for working capital, the early great dreams didn’t quite make their nut, and so Russian Money found him, and, in retrospect, it appears he fell in love with her as well.
For essence regarding the process that turned two weaklings into courageous and heroic-looking figures popular with millions of voters suitably bought, leveraged seduced, snowed, or threatened in their respective nation-states: “Malignant Narcissistic Process Distilled” (BackChannels, July 10, 2022).
Political Criminals and Brothers in Loot
Given defenestrations, Navalny, Novichok,Polonium Tea, and Ukraine, Putin’s an easy tag as the boss of a state he has insisted on sustaining as a criminal enterprise, a “Russian Mafia State“, and a scourge to common humanity and good leadership worldwide. Russia, in large measure, appears neglected by the thug and his cohort except for the elimination of critics, journalists, and rivals in every manner possible.
Felonious Trump with his four felony cases racking up 91 counts for his American grand jury approved indictments should smell ferociously bad to his inveigled, hypnotized, or in-on-the-joke base, but it’s there with piety sincerely or piety as a cover for crime, or without piety but with extraordinary anger, delusion, frustration, hate, and political impotence, a crowd already royally screwed by Trump but perhaps ready for more cognizant, forthright, honest, and thoughtful American politicians.
Trump-Russia Classics
Unger, Craig. “Trump’s Russian Laundromat.” The New Republic, July 13, 2017.
Related online
Cohen, David. “Trump on Jan. 6 insurrection: ‘These were great people’.” Politico, July 11, 2021.
Harding, Luke. Mafia State, Guardian Books, 2011.
Mustaffa, Munira. “Russia: The mafia as the state.” The Interpreter, August 31, 2023.
Olear, Greg. Dirty Rubles. Four Sticks Press, 2018.
The Guardian. “‘Troll factory’ spreading Russian pro-war lies online, says UK.” April 30, 2022.
Reference: Goldwater Rule
National Library of Medicine. “The Goldwater Rule: a bastion of a bygone era?” December 20, 2021.
Grohol, John M. “What the Media Get Wrong About the Goldwater Rule.” Psych Central, April 15, 2019.
Psychology Today. “Goldwater Rule.” n.d.
Vile, John R. “Goldwater Rule.” Free Speech Center, December 2, 2023.
That Hell Sinking Moment: Trump and Putin Together, Helsinki, July 16, 2018.
The famous video and the infamous answer to an American journalist’s question should today look and sound more chilling and conspiratorial than perhaps was the case almost four years ago. Russia’s Internet Research Agency troll farm had been an issue; spying by Maria Butina had surfaced in 2018. While the American reality-defying Republican Party may brag ascendance, one may with cause suspect it’s actually on the back foot while Americans who bought into the Trump fantasy come up to speed on the devils.
January 6, 2021: Insurrection–Armed, Planned, Executed with Violence
Remember the characteristics of the malignant narcissist: “delusional, grandiose, messianic in ideation and well apart from normal as regards boundaries and limits, which may be considered a part of the parameters of conscience.” The men seen in the video are those conned, lied to, manipulated by the kind of men who blow up apartment buildings and point to themselves as the ones who can fix the situation while actually creating the false-flag situation; on the Trump side, the kind of men who in desperation for money would sell out their democracy for insurance against their own personal calamity. Both: close to crime . . . but that has made me wonder how far our United States of America has fallen in relation to dependence on its black markets, dark money, and deals itself with what used to be called “The Devil”. Today, the devils are just those sufficiently armored against conscience and ruthless enough to do anything for a buck and the witless adoration and validation of The People.
Or else.
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