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andym

(6,062 posts)

54. Demonization and its opposite, hero worship, of potential leaders are prevalent

Fri Aug 5, 2016, 12:05 PM

Aug 2016

It appears to be human nature to demonize those potential leaders who disagree on heart-felt issues/beliefs and hero worship those who agree. For the right wing they not only have websites, but talk radio, Fox news and social outings via local churches etc to reinforce their fears and amplify them. I'm sure there are many who hero-worship Trump on FR, with similar convoluted reasoning.

Similar things happen on the Left. For example, there are Reddits and websites where HRC is demonized from the Left into such a distorted image as to be unrecognizable. I've found that no political website is immune to demomization/hero-worship. Taken to extremes this tendency results in cult-like adherence to rationally unjustified beliefs.

There is a simple test for demonization. If a person can say absolutely no good about the target, then that person is demonized. Of course, there is a reason such behavior is part of the human psyche: it helps organize resistance to leaders who do cause a surfeit of harm such as a Hitler (who was of course worshiped by many in Germany at the time).

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I confess: I find Freeperville fascinating. Repulsive, sure, but a glimpse into a large [View all] cali Aug 2016 OP

It is breathtaking jberryhill Aug 2016 #1

oh, I don't think many are trolling. A handful, sure, but these people believe this stuff. cali Aug 2016 #2

Yeah, true jberryhill Aug 2016 #4

It's like their brains have calcified C_U_L8R Aug 2016 #3

Actually, this irrational demonization of outsiders has Hortensis Aug 2016 #38

And yet the ad agencies we work with push diversity. GoneOffShore Aug 2016 #56

Ad TECHNIQUES developed by agencies were the beginning, not Hortensis Aug 2016 #59

This message was self-deleted by its author rjsquirrel Aug 2016 #5

I'm with you; I have a fascination as well. I really want to figure out what makes people Brickbat Aug 2016 #6

Yeah, I've been trying to figure that out for years. cali Aug 2016 #8

There's a heavy theme of "I am a persecuted victim" in lots of posts over there emulatorloo Aug 2016 #22

This. I have family who live treestar Aug 2016 #26

They are Right Wing Authoritarian Follower personality type: Bernardo de La Paz Aug 2016 #28

And John Dean's wonderful book, "Conservatives Without Conscience" longship Aug 2016 #47

My opinion is, and I know people like this Hayduke Bomgarte Aug 2016 #44

I liked this column this morning from The Oregonian: "Trying, and failing, to reason with a bigot" MissB Aug 2016 #49

I'm a teacher and I've actually heard some of my fellow teachers say things like, lapucelle Aug 2016 #7

That is disturbing. What state are you in? cali Aug 2016 #12

New York! lapucelle Aug 2016 #16

Yikes and yikes. cali Aug 2016 #18

How any teacher can vote Republican is unfathomable PJMcK Aug 2016 #29

My mom is like that. Can't stand Trump, but Clinton hatred "is part of [her] DNA at this point," deurbano Aug 2016 #45

It was one of the most enjoyable places to visit after the 2008 and 2012 elections. Drunken Irishman Aug 2016 #9

It's deja vu all over again. They're still convinced Trumpy has a YUUGE lead cali Aug 2016 #10

You've got a mean streak. PaddyIrishman Aug 2016 #11

I'll see you in hell! jcgoldie Aug 2016 #13

Have you noticed how few threads are devoted to Trump over there? Happyhippychick Aug 2016 #14

Ummm, I wrote an OP a few days ago ... Stonepounder Aug 2016 #43

I live with these people. leftyladyfrommo Aug 2016 #15

"feminized" ronnie624 Aug 2016 #17

Completely out in the open Bernardo de La Paz Aug 2016 #25

The feminine is a slur. n/t ronnie624 Aug 2016 #36

That's also the standard kneejerk attack on any male media person with whom they disagree. stevenleser Aug 2016 #42

It's a giant case-study of the Dunning-Kruger Effect sofa king Aug 2016 #19

Never heard of it, thanks for the info. cali Aug 2016 #21

It's gonna change your life! sofa king Aug 2016 #23

Don't forget....Fox News BS is mild compared to the 24/7 propaganda spewed on wiggs Aug 2016 #20

Apparently they don't know the Constitution either treestar Aug 2016 #24

The Republican Party Loki Aug 2016 #27

HRC being elected President will show the system is rigged Matrosov Aug 2016 #30

Their 1990's Bulletin Board style is quaint. lpbk2713 Aug 2016 #31

I figure it's simpler than that. Maynar Aug 2016 #50

My feeling is that these people are terrified of change. guillaumeb Aug 2016 #32

Bingo. They want "their" America back. "Take back MY America". A 1950s that never was. . nt Bernardo de La Paz Aug 2016 #39

Agreed. But their fictionalized America guillaumeb Aug 2016 #41

Looney Tunes colsohlibgal Aug 2016 #33

Didn't they say Becky Louden Aug 2016 #34

Hey Becky! progressoid Aug 2016 #37

Said the same things about Bill too. bluesbassman Aug 2016 #57

voting Hillary sends us to hell because shes a sinner retrowire Aug 2016 #35

" the next 8 years Bible-believing Christians might have to underground like Chinese house church" Hayduke Bomgarte Aug 2016 #40

doppelganger syndrome uhnope Aug 2016 #46

The polls are fake Johnny2X2X Aug 2016 #48

So they know how to spell debauch, but not Islamist? Rex Aug 2016 #51

I live around a lot of people like this. redstatebluegirl Aug 2016 #52

If you want to be repulsed, bananakabob Aug 2016 #53

Demonization and its opposite, hero worship, of potential leaders are prevalent andym Aug 2016 #54

They're scared to death. Some of what they say reflects real fear and some desire for others to fear nolabear Aug 2016 #55

Here's a good one re Trump and black people MidwestTransplant Aug 2016 #58