In an Office of Strategic Services confidential memorandum from October 1943, Henry A. Murray M.D. analyzed the personality of Adolf Hitler. In one portion of the analysis he explains how Hitler, despite showing all symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia, was still successful as a politician. Murray wrote, “It should be observed that paranoid dynamics can be used very effectively in rousing and focusing the forces of a minority party or a defeated nation.” Murray wrote on four specifics strategies that Hitler used which were intensified by his neurosis. All of these strategies are seemingly used by the Democrat party, and its leftist supporters in today’s political struggles. Consider the four tactics below.
“Painting vivid and exaggerated word-pictures of the crimes and treacherous evil purposes of your powerful opponents (delusions of persecution.)” There are many striking examples of this particular strategy being employed by denizens of the political left. Chief among them are former congressman Allen Grayson’s “Die Quickly” theory, the inflammatory “throwing grandma off a cliff” campaign commercial (amongst many other examples involving grandma), and Representative Andre Carson’s claims that his ideological opponents want to lynch black people. These are all obvious examples of this tactic.
“Persuading your own group of their innate superiority and glorious destiny (delusions of grandeur.)” This can be seen in the way conservatives and Republicans are portrayed in the mainstream media. There are few, if any, positive images of Conservatism; Liberalism is exalted, despite 40% of the population claiming conservative beliefs. Many in the mainstream media also automatically and falsely attribute conservative traits to any villain. For instance, many people believe that Timothy McVeigh was a Christian extremist; in fact, he was agnostic and shared nearly nothing ideologically with American conservatives. Jared Loughner is another example. He was most certainly liberal, yet because he shot a Democratic Congressman he was instantly, and without factual basis, labeled conservative. Anders Breivik was also labeled conservative after his killing rampage in Norway, even though a quick read of his manifesto would have shown he is not remotely aligned ideologically to American conservatives.
“Subduing conscience by asserting that your common ends justify the means, that your opponents have used the most dastardly means in the past.” This tactic can be seen in the elevation and acceptance of mass murderers like Che Guevara and Mao Tse-tung because they were believed to be freedom fighters. It can also be seen in the refusal to condemn violence and intimidation constantly practiced by unions and leftist groups like the Weathermen. This tactic was also employed by Barack Obama when he told an audience that if the opposition brought a knife to the fight, that they should bring a gun. Using racism to eradicate racism, and reducing the national debt through prolific spending are continual examples of this leftist methodology. Irony is thick in this discussion considering that the Democratic Party was the party of Jim Crow laws and are strong supporters of Keynesian economics.
“Blaming your enemies for every frustration, every disaster that occurs.” This strategy is ever present. There are many groups of enemies referred to by Democrats and the left: Bush, the Tea Party, Christian conservatives, the wealthy and corporations. President Bush, even having been out of office for three years, is still consistently and irrationally blamed for all ills. It is the fault of the rich that we have run out of money. It is the Tea Party’s fault S & P downgraded our credit rating. It is the fault of corporations that there are no jobs. Conservative Christians are at fault for many things; just fill in the blank. Laying fault at the feet of others seems to be exceedingly easy for the Left.
Paranoid dynamics are most certainly effective politically; they are used frequently today. It is disturbing that the methods employed decades ago by an evil regime still work, One must surmise that what happened under Hitler could happen anywhere. These dynamics combined are encapsulating, forcing categorical thinking and eviscerating empirical thought. Delusions of persecution and grandeur combined created an evil dictator, yet many today still strategize to force these feelings on their populaces. This oxy-moronic emotional firestorm may be politically effective in that it secures votes, but it is nothing more than lies; or indoctrination; or brainwashing; or propaganda; or, all of the above. By nature, man is imperfect. To be anointed as the Savior/Victim makes one untouchable, it makes one unreasonable.
