Who woulda thunk? An obscure professor of clinical psychology’s thesis on crowd behavior has gone viral in the non-academic world. Mattias Desmet’s studies on the psychology of totalitarianism have gone mainstream - not in the propaganda outlets that maintain the sad charade of delivering news - but pretty much everywhere else, and it’s everywhere else that matters more and more these days.
Desmet’s theory of Mass Formation Psychosis describes how one segment of a population, a mass, can be hypnotized into obedience, capable of illogical behavior and led to commit atrocities. In order for the mass to form, four conditions must be present:
The masses must be alone, socially isolated, disconnected.
Their lives must be pointless and meaningless.
There must be widespread, free-floating anxiety.
They must experience free floating frustration and aggression.
Totalitarianism always starts with a mass formation inside the population. It isn’t necessary for the entire population to be hypnotized. Dr. Robert Malone says studies suggest that mass formation follows a general distribution:
30% are brainwashed, hypnotized, indoctrinated by the group narrative
40% in the middle are persuadable and may follow if no worthy alternative is perceived
30% fight against the narrative.
Given the right leadership, the mass bonds and their fears are focused on a single threat. Isolation is replaced with bonding. Generalized anxiety becomes targeted fear.
So there you have it. The COVID lockdowns, the isolation, the steady diet of fear porn, the job losses, the mandates, the resulting anger and frustration - our response to the pandemic cooked up Mass Formation Psychosis. Or did it?
Before we had a pandemic, we had a President who was feared and reviled by the media, the Democrats, some members of his own party, and a good chunk of the American people. This was more than a disagreement over politics or policies. These people were terrified that Donald Trump was going to become dictator for life, throw people of color into chains and start World War III. Their lives had become an endless war against the Donald, foaming-at-the-mouth rage over anything Trump said or did. The MAGA crowd called it Trump Derangement Syndrome.
The four conditions needed for Mass Formation Psychosis existed before COVID and before Trump was President. That’s why he won! The election of such an improbable candidate could only happen when large numbers of people were experiencing social isolation, alienation, fear and frustration. Trump’s win gave one crowd a hero to worship and gave another a demon to fear and loath. Four years of fear and loathing.
Disconnected fears must have a target and in 2020 Trump’s term was ending. The fear and hatred easily moved from Trump to COVID - and to Trump voters, who are far less likely to wear masks, support lockdowns or get the jab. The hysterical Leftists who raged against Trump are the same terrified Leftists going into hysterics because somebody isn’t wearing a mask, the Kens and Karens who want you to lose your job if you don’t get the jab. The news media that lied and distorted and fearmongered throughout Trump’s term are still lying and distorting and fearmongering.
The mass has focused on a new target.
Trump Derangement Syndrome has become Covid Derangement Syndrome.
I just want to know when it will stop!