Why Many Americans Cannot See the Truth

[jaysunb]

I can't remember if I posted this a couple months ago, or if someone here did, but it's well worth the read....and remember, it's three months old.

Bush/GOP Supporters and the Phenomenon of Delusion
Why Many Americans Cannot See the Truth

Conformity and Herd Mentality

'Unity' in a community comes as the phenomenon of 'One Mind' develops.

'One Mind' is each individual in a community aligning their thoughts with what the other members are thinking. This occurrence is motivated by the sense of comfort it provides.

It can be described as collective hypnotic induction, which creates an illusion of a consensus that is hard to challenge.

Many people lead their lives enslaved by artificial belief systems imposed by others. The few that are courageously critical are not heard, or else they are severely shamed, ridiculed and viciously accused of causing problems. (thousands of American soldiers unnecessarily killed and maimed)
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_dan_meri_060122_bush_2fgop_supporters_.htm

[Comadreja]

1. When all else fails

those courageous few are ridiculed as "conspiracy theorists."

[jaysunb]

4. That would be us......

:evilgrin:

[sam sarrha]

2. it is more like, how many are in DENIAL

[sam sarrha]

3. Many of the fundamentalist Christians have a Tribal mentality.. cant see

the infidels as worthy of concern

[tocqueville]

5. primarily because myths are difficult to fight

Most Americans lived and still live with certain myths that have been created by their history. Basically that the American solution is "the solution" to human problems, that the American way of life is better than others, that America is better, more beautiful than others and always wins in the end...

This was wasn't really shattered by 9/11. Nobody wanted to the see the causes of the event (whoever did it LIHOP, MIHOP or Al Qaeda or all together, not the point here). Because it's too painful. Things weren't really questioned. The overall feeling was "why us ? why do "they" hate us ?" As if it was an innocent child that had been violated. So instead of taking measures to solve the problems caused by the very American lifestyle and its consequences home and abroad, people turned inwards and to religion. It's quite typical in absence of leaders able to lift the masses to higher horizons.

The following is a very sad scenario : Iraq became a mess, Afghanistan lingers, Allies became sore and unwilling, the image of the US through torture and other scandals detoriated rapidly, corruption is rampant, Katrina was a kind of a second 9/11 and NO REAL OPPOSITION can be heard (except on progressive blogs and a little radio station).

So people are in dismay, they try to survive their gas bills, med bills and pay their houses. But the bottom hasn't been reached yet. It's not before it's done that redeeming can be achieved. The questions must be asked, answers and solutions found. I am afraid that the way is still very, very long...

BTW this applies partly to Europe too even if the reasons are somewhat different. The big difference is that we don't have a little chimp in charge and that all the religious crap is pretty alien...

[jaysunb]

6. Very insightful

thank you for this. :toast:

[cassiepriam]

19. yes, adversity builds character, and we have many character

building events ahead of us. The worst is yet to come I am afraid.

[Name removed]

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[mmonk]

9. The rightwingers today

have their delusions promulgated by the Rush Limbaughs of the world and the truth is kept hidden by the media conglomerates because of their incestual relationship with this government. The right IS in lockstep for the most part. They believe in the myths of Grover Norquist and the overall lies of the administration. Nothing in their heads is ringing an alarm which means they have been totally assimulated in a false reality propaganda which keeps them blind. Those willingly blind are usually the most adamant in their blindness.

[Name removed]

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[mmonk]

11. Telling them what is reality

doesn't work. If someone isn't working in reality, only hitting them with that reality until they can't deny it without being foolish may turn them around. By the way, demonizing us has worked very well for them.

[annabanana]

12. everyone's entitled to their own opinion.. they are NOT

entitled to their own FACTS...

[Name removed]

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[jaysunb]

14. Amen

I've been reading Sam Harris's The End Of Faith : Religion,Terror, and The Future of Reason. He delves deeply into this kind of mindset. I recommend it to all reasonable people.

[Mikimouse]

8. Also see Groupthink...n/t

[lostnfound]

15. Or this angle..The Third Wave.

http://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/Auxiliary/Psychology/Frank/Thirdwave.html

For years I kept a strange secret. I shared this silence with two hundred students. Yesterday I ran into one of those students. For a brief moment it all rushed back.
...

We were studying Nazi Germany and in the middle of a lecture I was interrupted by the question. How could the German populace claim ignorance of the slaughter of the Jewish people. How could the townspeople, railroad conductors, teachers, doctors, claim they knew nothing about concentration camps and human carnage. How can people who were neighbors and maybe even friends of the Jewish citizen say they weren't there when it happened. it was a good question. I didn't know the answer.
..
By the end of the third day I was exhausted. I was tearing apart. The balance between role playing and directed behavior became indistinguishable. Many of the students were completely into being Third Wave Members. They demanded strict obedience of the rules from other students and bullied those that took the experiment lightly. Others simply sunk into the activity and took self assigned roles. I particularly remember Robert. Robert was big for his age and displayed very few academic skills. Oh he tried harder than anyone I know to be successful. He handed in elaborate weekly reports copied word for word from the reference books in the library. Robert is like so many kids in school that don't excel or cause trouble. They aren't bright, they can't make the athletic teams, and don't strike out for attention. They are lost. invisible. The only reason I came to know Robert at all is that I found him eating lunch in my classroom. He always ate lunch alone.

Well, the Third Wave gave Robert a place in school. At least he was equal to everyone. He could do something. Take part. Be meaningful. That's just what Robert did. Late Wednesday afternoon I found Robert following me and asked what in the world was he doing. He smiled (I don't think I had ever seen him smile) and announced, "Mr. Jones I'm your bodyguard. I'm afraid something will happen to you.

[jaysunb]

21. This is very interesting

and fits well with what's going on today in many ways.

[DanCa]

16. Right Wing radio and Fox news have brain washed the United States

That's the only reason that I can come up with for this zombie like behavior. The RW talking points are constantly reinforced into their skulls so much that the republicans myths have become grilled into people's reality.

[rucky]

17. Some time between the ages of 11-25, people are supposed to develop

the ability to think abstractly & critically. (according to Piaget)

Some people just never make it. (also according to Piaget)

Given that our schools have never really been designed to promote critical thinking (until college, if they go), I'd say a population of about 30% of adults that fall into this category is about right. The other 10% who still support Bush at this point know right from wrong and choose wrong. The other 10% who voted for him thought it was a good idea at the time - chalk it up to bad judgement.

That's about in line with what Jung estimated as the makeup of "functional sociopaths" in society (10% visible, another 30% flying under the radar).

[cassiepriam]

20. Why are so many Americans unable to think critically or morally?

What has happened to us as a people?

[cassiepriam]

18. Very good article. We need more psych interpretations of

what is happening ? A complex set of factors I think.

[Old and In the Way]

22. Check the latest MSNBC Poll - almost 250,000 votes - 87% for impeachment

I think we can see the truth, we just can't do anything about it.

[Avalux]

23. The question is "what do we do?"

Most people don't want to interrupt their lives to take action, and then what sort of action? They may say yes, Bush should be impeached - but after that, will do nothing. If asked, would they march on DC? Would they demand Congress do their job? We did see people speak out over the ports deal, but that was probably motivated by fear.

So maybe that's it - people must fear Bush to stand up and say enough.