Paranoia and Skepticism

 

I find myself at an odd juncture with the American experience.

Before I worked in the prison outside Livingston, I had several experiences with paranoia and delusional thinking. In all of those experiences there was a etiology of mental illness. The paranoid individuals were off their medications. The delusional were suffering from delusions, jealous type; which meant each believed his/her spouse was cheating on them. Of course in the mental health department we dealt with serious mental illnesses either from schizophrenia, psychosis, schizoaffective disorder, or psychosis. Folks who were burned out on coke and meth could also meet criteria for those disorders already referenced.

With that background, I am more and more convinced that a large minority slice of our culture is suffering from a paranoia born of fear and mistrust of our government and leaders of our government, focused on Democratic leaders in particular. I would also suggest this began before 2008 and has been exacerbated by Fox media and other right wing folks like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and others of the same ilk. Hannity and Limbaugh both have little education beyond high school but know everything about everything--conspiracy wise.

The Clintons were the first to catch the ire of the religious conservatives primarily because of Bill Clinton's sexual addiction—and because of his rejection of the conservative agenda. Both offended them, because they believed he somehow tarnished the purity of this nation and refused to address their moral agenda. They seemed to forget that grudge when they tapped DJT to bestow their endorsement and blessing upon.

Conspiracy theories as it relates to our government are sown in the rich ground of doubt where the lies of a government often focused narrowly in one area(Vietnam) give license for skepticism about everything that comes from the government. While lying seems to be a risky propaganda tool, leadership seems to default to that when afraid to trust the people who put them into office.

So the culture we have today has been pushed further down the road of relativity and skepticism by this last Administration un-led by DJT. The lack of leadership on COVID-19 can be laid at his feet. First, dismissing it as a real issue, then downplaying it's lethality, then declaring sheltering-in-place, then punting to the governors, never wearing a mask while undercutting his scientists and their counsel, prescribing bizarre cures and potions, then pushing to reopen the economy too soon, and never expressing any empathy or responsibility for the 170,000+ US deaths from COVID. Over the weekend, the President issued an emergency order overriding FDA protocol for a plasma infusion protocol not yet completely tested for patient safety for treating COVID. He is all over the map in his failure to lead on this issue and now two tropical storms are headed to the Gulf, about 240+ wild fires are burning in California, and the economy is struggling with more than 50,000,000 people filing for unemployment since the beginning of the year. Civil rights has raised its head again and this time will not stop short of racial equality for all. Oh, and Putin's Russia is paying a bounty for American soldiers killed by the Taliban.

DJT's cabinet is riddled with yes men/women and vacancies filled by temps, and there is no one at the helm of the ship of state which at this moment is in a life threatening, ship sinking storm both domestically and internationally. And our President, he is worried about keeping his tax returns secret and winning another four years in the White House—because as stupid as he is, he knows the minute he is no longer president, he will be sought, arrested and tried for offenses from treason to money laundering for the Russian Mob, wire and mail fraud and a host of other crimes.

So, it's a good time for Republicans to take a break from doing nothing to celebrate—doing nothing and nominating the most incompetent, under prepared, ignorant, crime ridden and mentally unstable occupant to ever hold the office of President.

Now, aren't you glad Trump is leading us through this time.