Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Cognitive Dissonance I (2 minute 30 second read)

 

(Part 1 of 3 parts)

 In the beginning.

            There is a common theme, in addition to the constant stream of lies, which emanates from Ex-President Trump. I have mentioned a lot of this before but it will have to be mentioned again for this commentary. I know people are tired of politics but the issues we’re facing go way past politics.

            I often hear those in the Trump Party excuse his unbelievable behavior by saying that they support his policies. Keep in mind that even the few Republican leaders that oppose Trump voted with him over 90% of the time. We’re seeing the results in policies and culture they support on a daily basis.

            When Trump first started seeking the office of President, White Nationalists, Christian Nationalists (Evangelicals), Neo Nazis, Confederates, Secessionists, and racists in general joined his quest and remain with him to this very day. They recognized that Trump and the then Republican Party supported their agenda. They don’t like gays (freedom of choice), people of color or Muslims and support policies that are inimical to them.

            They supported Putin and Communist Russia instead of Ukraine yet call Democrats socialists, Communists and Marxists. It was because they decided that Putin represents their Christian values. Trump was always very much in the open with his support of Putin and Russia. Others are beginning to back away. Their beliefs didn’t change overnight; they just realized that the optics of their support wasn’t playing well.

They remain the Party of Trump.

The dissonance.

            When I first heard the term “cognitive dissonance (CD)” I had to look it up.

The term cognitive dissonance is used to describe the mental discomfort that results from holding two conflicting beliefs, values, or attitudes. People tend to seek consistency in their attitudes and perceptions, so this conflict causes feelings of unease or discomfort.

            The difference that we have to the above definition is that the Trump Party does not have “…feelings of unease or discomfort” accompanying their CD. Holding contradictory views simultaneously does not trouble them. Their beliefs are compartmentalized. Situations are redefined to make them more acceptable.

            Putin evolved from being a murdering despot to being a Christian that passed laws discriminating against “gay” people thereby making children safer from being “recruited” by gays. Putin became a right-wing “hero.” He’s saving children! They identify with him and the control he has over the Russian population and how he exercises it. (I covered some of this in < “The devil can quote scripture”>.) He’s liberating Ukraine from the liberal left socialists/Nazis. Crazy.

            Czar Putin is a man that accomplished what they want to accomplish. Russia became their model for the society that they want to create here in the United States. When Putin first invaded Ukraine Trump said that’s what we should do to our southern border. Think he’s changed his mind?

He hasn’t.

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