Raging Crybullies - Cognitive Dissonance in the Age of Trump
Cognitive Dissonance - When Our Delusions Meet Reality
From Wikipedia – (link below):
In the field of psychology, cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort (psychological stress) experienced by a person who simultaneously holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values. The occurrence of cognitive dissonance is a consequence of a person performing an action that contradicts personal beliefs, ideals, and values; and also occurs when confronted with new information that contradicts said beliefs, ideals, and values.
I recently watched a video on Cognitive Dissonance by cartoonist and persuasion expert Scott Adams. I thought it was fascinating, and it taught me a lot about my own thinking process and the seemingly endless anti-Trump hysteria in most of the main stream news media. I highly recommend watching it. The link for his video is Here
I have a TV, but I disconnected my cable service years ago. Once in a while I run an HDMI cable from my laptop to the TV to watch a movie, but that’s it. I do, however, watch news videos on YouTube sometimes to see what the zombie media is up to. Two recent MSNBC videos caught my attention.
The Naked Bias of the Main Stream Media News
The first is ostensibly reporting on the positive job growth numbers in the U.S. In spite of the good news about jobs (3.8% unemployment rate, lowest African American unemployment rate in recorded history at 5.9%, and record job growth) the guests on the show spent the whole time bashing Trump, because he tweeted about the numbers before they were officially released. Hardly a word about the good news itself.
Video Link
In another video, regarding Trump’s meeting at the White House with North Korea’s second most powerful man, the good news was that the June 12 meeting with Kim Jong-un in Singapore was back on track.
There is now hope for denuclearization and official peace on the Korean peninsula. Good news right? Not according to MSNBC. You see, Trump is being played, it will never happen, blah blah blah. Trump is allowing himself to sink to the level of dictators etc. It’s like they want him to fail.
Video Link
A Bit of Korean Context
By the way, I’m no defender of the North Korean communist dictatorship. It has subjected its people to terrible hardship. But the situation there has to be put in the context of the Korean War. It was a savage war in many regards, and the North Koreans were on the receiving end of saturation bombing courtesy of the U.S. Read.
This will be the first time a President of the United States will meet the leader of North Korea. History in itself, with a possible historic peace agreement to follow.
The Main Stream Media Narrative
So MSNBC, and all you other main-streamers out there, let me ask – how can you make peace with your enemies if you refuse to meet and talk? If you refuse to allow them the minimum respect and dignity so they can strike a deal?
The leftist main stream media displays so clearly the concept of cognitive dissonance. You see, to them Trump is literally Hitler. He is a corrupt racist bigoted misogynist homophobic buffoon. He can’t possibly do anything right. He can’t succeed. He must not be shown succeeding
The MSM (main stream media) have invested heavily in the narrative that Trump is vile and evil. How can they walk back from that? It seems they can’t.
So, no matter what positive things Trump accomplishes they have only 2 choices – Ignore it completely, or just slap on some negativity and spin it with irrational word-salad
Good economy? That’s down to Barack Obama and dumb luck. Possible peace with North Korea? That just shows that Trump loves dictators and despots. You know, Trump’s people.
No matter what positive things Trump accomplishes, the MSM will put a negative spin on it. Forget the economy, what about Russian collusion? Forget peace, what about Stormy Daniels?
As someone recently said (I forget who), “Even if Trump walked on water, his haters would accuse him of not being able to swim.”
I don’t think everyone in the MSM that hates Trump is suffering from cognitive dissonance. I’m sure many do it just to make money by following the establishment narrative. Give me $30,000 a day, and maybe I will sit on TV and lie and bullshit too.
Way Back in 2016
Anyway, all this reminded me of 2016, during the Presidential election. I had a casual acquaintanceship with an American named Ken. A dyed-in-the-wool Democrat, Hillary supporter and virtue signaler.
I’m not a U.S. citizen, so I couldn’t vote anyway. But I had become fascinated with Trump’s campaign style and lack of political correctness. I found it interesting, and a refreshing change from the usual political double-speak.
So I had an interest in the election, but no voting dog in the fight. As the election campaign went on, I became more and more sure that Trump would win. The crowds at his rallies were large and enthusiastic. No matter what you think of Trump, he does know how to speak to a crowd.
Image - Wikimedia Commons Public Domain - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license
In comparison, Hillary’s rallies were more subdued. Very robotic, not much enthusiasm. The only humanity she displayed was during one of her many coughing fits. The optics were very bad.
Ken though, was sure Hillary would win. After all, almost every main stream poll had her ahead. Some outlets like Huffington Post were saying she had a 98% chance of winning. And they were saying this just days before the election. I think they were just trying to depress Republican voter turnout. By the way, Scott Adams predicted as far back as 2015 that Trump would win.
So Ken and I made a small bet. If Hillary won, I would buy him a fruit shake (yep, that kind of guy), but if Trump won, he would buy me a beer. A simple, cheap bet.
That Fateful Day in November
Election Day came. Trump won. Ken had returned to his home area to visit family and to vote, so he wasn’t around, and I didn’t see him again until around February 2017. When we met, I was shocked at the change in him.
This formerly mild-mannered fruit-shake drinking, pumpkin-latte sipping soy-boy had turned into a writhing, angry, venom-spitting serpent sort of beast. We bumped into each other in the street, I could see it in his eyes and his facial expressions. He tried to smile, he could only manage a grimace.
The first thing that popped into my mind was the election, and our bet. I hesitated to mention it, I could see he wasn’t in the mood. But I like taking the piss, and being an asshole sometimes. This was one of the times.
So I said, “Shame about Hillary, I guess you owe me a drink.” I couldn’t resist smiling through his foul mood. To my surprise, and to his credit, he agreed, so we went to a nearby café.
Meltdown at a Cafe That Was OK
Ken ordered a fruit-shake for himself and a cold beer for me. Victory tasted sweet. Naturally, the election came up. Ken launched into a 30 minute monologue, spewing out his hatred for Trump and Trump supporters. He was angry, very angry. His face was red, and I imagined smoke coming out of his ears.
Image - Pixabay - Geralt
Trump hated all Mexicans…Trump will start a nuclear war…Trump will destroy democracy…ruin the economy … kill gays… force women to be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen…Nazis everywhere! etc. etc. The same crap you hear every day. I tried to inject a few facts and clarifications into his rant, but he wasn’t listening.
The Trump Derangement Syndrome in him was strong. He seemed to swivel his head around on his neck 360 degrees. I was so shocked I almost spilled my beer.
I thought he might need an exorcism to free him from his demons. But I’m not a priest, and I wasn’t packing any holy water to splash on him.
It turns out that his visit home to vote had been a disaster. Not only had Hillary lost, but some members of his family had voted for Trump. He couldn’t bear this. Nazis in his own family! The shame! The horror!
He had almost come to blows with his uncle, a Republican Trump voter. Same with his own brother and cousin. The fallout? He says he disowned them. Banished them from his life.
I found this an incredibly extreme and harsh reaction to an election result. I tried to point out to him that he would probably live to see at least another 10 Presidential elections, but he had only 1 family. He didn’t care. Family or not, he would not be associated with literal Nazis.
I gently suggested that they probably weren’t real Nazis, just populist Republicans. He glared at me, his belly full of blended fruit. Maybe it was fermenting.
After his rage subsided, he sat there spent, like a male porn star who had just rage-fucked a silicon-breasted porn starlet. He was drained.
The Short Goodbye
I stood up, thanked him for honoring our bet, and expressed my hope that he would consider reconciling with his family. He grimaced again and said good-bye.
I haven’t seen him since, maybe he got a job in another town. But I wonder, now that Trump has been President for almost a year and a half, and the sun is still coming up every day, has he changed his views on Trump? Or, like the main stream news, is he still suffering from cognitive dissonance?
An easily curable affliction. Just throw some cold water onto your face, give your head a shake, and take off the mindless, irrational, ideological goggles. The future is bright, and no need to wear filtered shades.
I am trying to apply this to myself as well.
Image at top of the post - Pixabay - Mandyme27
Thank you @ddrfr33k for re-steeming this post! I would likely not have seen it otherwise. I am a big fan of Trump. No, I don't agree with everything he does and I don't like the way he talks sometimes. BUT I am in agreement that results speak for themselves. He campaigned on a ton of things and to this point he is working his way down the list checking them off as he goes. I can't recall ANY politician in my lifetime that has every done this and it is what all politicians should strive to do. It is interesting to get the take of someone without a real dog in the fight (non-eligible voter). It takes out most of the emotion and allows for true reflection of what is really being accomplished.
Re-Steemed as well!
Ain't that the truth...Politics is such a touchy subject nowadays. We don't talk about our differences, and treat "the opposition" as someone to be hunted down and eradicated.
I feel like a liberal sometimes. They are supposed to be the accepting, open minded ones. Yet, most of my liberal friends have de-friended me and want nothing to do with me anymore. It's so sad actually. Having a difference of opinion shouldn't lead to such great divide. Unfortunately that is what has happened to the left in America.
I know that feel, bro...
The left is no longer liberal in the Classical Liberal sense. They are regressive neo-Marxists.
Chances are, you haven't really changed your views that much, just the left has become more strident and radical.
I have never been on the left. I have an incredible right-wing voting history :) I was making the point that the left used to be considered the party of acceptance and tolerance. I feel I am very accepting and tolerant yet my left leaning friends wont even associate with me because I am not in lock step with their view of the world/politics.
Leftists are driving people to the right by the millions...
@roundoar03 - Yes I agree - Trump is doing his best to keep his campaign promises, in spite of opposition. We need someone like him in Canada, before Trudeau destroys us.
Thanks for the feedback and resteem!
I like Trudeau. He wants to be viewed as virtuous by making statements like "we welcome refugees and immigrants (illegal btw) that the US doesn't want. Please, by all mean, they are all yours.
Ummm...thanks but no thanks?
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I'm inclined to agree with you. Even if you don't like the guy, he's far from the literal nazi that the rhetoric would lead you to believe. I didn't like either of the mainstream candidates, so I wound up voting for Johnson instead. First time I'd ever voted third party, too.
Even so, I recognize a good move when it's a good move and a bad move when it's a bad move. Trump is far from a saint, but he's no demon.
@ddrfr33k - Thank you for reading and commenting.... "Even so, I recognize a good move when it's a good move and a bad move when it's a bad move." - Exactly. That is simply observing what is happening and reacting reasonably. More of us need to do that.
I'm no Trump fanboy - I disagreed completely with his strikes on Syria. But overall, things are moving in a positive direction. I noticed you resteemed my post - thank you very much!
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Whoever gets elected, there will always be opposition. It is in disagreement that people wants attention sometimes. Instead of working together, they work against each other.
I myself don't vote. Why? Because I look at the voters and I see complainants and whiners. They want change. They talk about change. Yet, they themselves don't change. Simple traffic rules they cannot follow. At their level, they already practice corruption. I guess we do sins that we are comfortable with. Just because we do not do what others are doing, it does not make us holier. Yet, that is what others see. They condemn you for doing one thing but they don't look at their faults.
@leeart - Well said. Certainly people are from from perfect, and quick to try to change others instead of themselves. That said, the anti-Trump hysteria has gone overboard.