Thoughts on “The Insanity” . . . a continuation of the “Trump Panic” hysteria??? – the culture its created, its traits, and its qualities

A common statement I’ve stated in the past five or so years is “I can’t believe I heard that” or “I can’t believe what I’m hearing” or “I can’t believe that’s being taken seriously” or “I can’t believe they did that”. It’s becoming clear, to me, that there has developed a weird mentality that has developed in the US recently. It’s completely bizarre and with a weird logic. I see examples of it all the time which makes me reflect on it a lot. For some reason, I find it hard to describe this mentality is and define it clearly. I know I have referred to it before, in different ways, in previous articles and may of, perhaps, called it by another name. But, in this article, I will try to describe it as it appears to me at this time.

In general, it’s a mentality that makes statements, accusations, and beliefs that are off-the-wall, ridiculous, absurd, and asinine . . . insane. I am hearing things that I cannot believe I’m hearing. I’m hearing accusations I can’t believe. I’m hearing claims that are unreal. I’m hearing threats that are ridiculous. What’s worse is that a fair share of this is being done by people in power, such as business, media, and politicians.

The mentality is like some weird oddball alternate reality. For me, a common response to this mentality is “what the crap!” Many people have had similar reactions at similar things, I’ve found. Recently, I found myself calling it “The Insanity”. This is because much of this mentality sounds insane and it seems to be creating this insane oddball world. The great symbol of this mentality was a criticism I received from a female last year. She said that my using the word “female” was “sexist and derogatory”. That’s utterly ridiculous. That sounds insane and oddball to me. “Female” is an accepted word that has been used for who knows how long. What’s wrong with that? Her statement, though, has many traits that are part of this mentality:

• Seeing the worst in things – it see’s bad where there isn’t any bad
• Fabrications of abuses or malicious intents in people’s words or statements – they create and manufacture all sorts of abuses that is being inflicted upon them by people
• False accusations – they accuse people of horrible things
• Lack of justification – it makes claims and accusations that are unfounded and which they usually can’t substantiate
• The use of political/legal ideology as authority – this is often used as authority and is demonstrated in the word’s “sexist” and “derogatory”
• Insane and oddball logic – it doesn’t make any sense

That statement is just one example of the many off-the-wall and outrageous claims that this mentality makes. It appears in many ways and forms. It can range from a single statement a person says all the way to dictating business, legal, and political decisions. In this way, its become more than a mentality and opinion. It is starting to impact how things are done as well as our lives and how we lead our lives. Its become so big that, for some people, its become something like a culture . . .

THE CULTURE OF “THE INSANITY”

The mentality of “The Insanity” is starting to create a whole world in itself. What I mean by this is that it has gone beyond an opinion, and it has gone beyond a philosophy. It has, for some people, become a point of view that dictates how they view the world. In this way, it has, for these people, become a culture all its own that is beginning to dictate and run people’s lives and how they interpret the world. This means that there are now people who are using this mentality as a basis for living life!

The people of this culture are united by similarity in thought. There is, as far as I can see, no real organization in the mentality. In this way, its something like a sub-culture or, perhaps, a trend.

Some qualities of this culture include:

• The belief that everyone hates everyone else – there is a strong belief, in this mentality, that people hate each other
• Paranoia – they feel threatened by other people and act like things are against them
• They assume the worst – they tend to see things in the worst possible way
• They often think the world needs to be saved – they have such a poor view of things that they are often thinking that the world needs to be saved
• Oversensitivity – they are bothered by everything, everything offends them, and they blow things out of proportion (its got to the point that you have be careful of what you say around people for fear that someone might be offended)
• Insecurity – they, as people, aren’t stable people
• Easily traumatized – Sometimes, they are often so insecure that simple or common things can traumatize them
• They are too emotional about things – they seem to let emotions run what they do and how they interpret things
• They use politics to justify what they do – everything is political and its used to justify all that they do
• They easily accuse people – if they have a problem, they accuse people like its nothing, often for ridiculous claims
• They often cite oddball proof or have no proof for their claims – in many cases, they cannot substantiate their claims (a personal favorite of mine is how Trump’s statement of “we got to fight like hell” was viewed as proof of inciting the riot at the capitol on January 6, 2021 . . . that’s utterly ridiculous)
• A victim mentality – they think people, or things, are hurting them in some way
• They are often revengeful – sometimes, they seem like they are as if trying to “get back” at people for some imagined slight, insult, or some other thing . . . this seems to come from the victim mentality
• They complain about everything – “The Insanity” is really a complaining philosophy and lifestyle . . . they can find fault with just about anything
• Many claims don’t seem to fit the situation – many of their claims seem to have nothing to do with what’s going on (for example, they will say something is “racist” when it has nothing to do with race. . . this particular claim has become ridiculous)
• There is a “disconnect” – they seem to be detached from the real world situation often talking about conditions and realities that don’t exist (often I want to say, “what are you talking about?”)
• They don’t seem to consider the consequences of their decisions . . . they look at things in a limited way – many seem to never consider the future ramifications of their decisions (for example, in politics many seem to not consider where the money is going to come from that pays for their ideas . . . I guess the money just materializes out of nowhere???)
• They often feel entitled – they often claim they deserve special privilege, even to the point that they believe that they should be given things for free
• They are often self-righteous, believing that have some special cause – many think they are right as if they have a god-ordained purpose and this self-righteousness is often so bad that you can’t talk to these people . . . they’re right!
• They are often horribly idealistic – they have a fantasy image of how they think the world should work
• They often expect the world should work the way they want it to work – they often think that the world is supposed to fit their ideals and image of how the world should work and think something is wrong when it doesn’t fit their image
• They emphasize how we must love one another – sometimes, they think that loving one another will solve all our problems
• They are narrow-minded – many only see their point of view and are often not willing to see anyone else’s
• They are pig-headed – many will not change their point of view even if proven wrong

These create a particular point of view and way of looking at the world. In my opinion, it is a point of view that has these qualities:

• Its very negative though it usually views itself as being positive
• It is an alienated point of view that is detached from the real world
• Its very one-sided, only reflecting their perspective
• It is very condemning of other points of view
• It seems to promote tensions and conflicts between people

These, it seems to me, disrupts a society, cause conflict, and tend to undermine the society. In other words, “The insanity” has a quality of something like a disease or a cancer. I don’t see much benefit with this mentality and it seems like, as long as it exists, its going to further undermine the society and social institutions.

A big problem with this culture is that it has becomes so established that it is starting to have too much of an impact on other people. In this way, “The Insanity” is starting to effect everyone.

TRAITS AND QUALITIES

It seems, to me, that this mentality has a number of traits and qualities that have helped to create the culture described above. These includes things such as:

1. The Trump Panic
2. Hatism
3. A fear or panic
4. A personal insecurity
5. A vanity or self-concern
6. The influence of the media
7. Mass mentality and mass hysteria
8. A sheep mentality
9. A problem of authority
10. A history of problems
11. Complaining
12. American explanations of problems
13. A lack of common sense
14. Christianity
15. Liberalism
16. Idealism
17. Emotionalism
18. The female factor
19. The authority of politics

1-The Trump Panic

As it appears to me, this new “insane” mentality is largely a response to the after effects caused by the fear and panic of the mass hysteria that surrounds Trump. I often jokingly call this the “Trump Panic” (see my article Thoughts on a media-induced mass hysteria . . . the “Trump panic”). Ever since the 2016 election there has been a hysteria surrounding Trump. During that election, and the Trump presidency, people were “freaking out” over just about anything involving Trump (see examples in article referred to above). I sat and watched it. It seems quite obvious that it was at the 2016 election and Trump presidency that people first began to “freak out” over the stupidest of things and making oddball claims . . . the beginning of “The Insanity” mentality. I blame a lot of this on the media and peoples gullibility and ease of people getting hysterical over things.

Even after the Trump presidency has ended this mass hysteria, and “freaking out”, has not ended but is as if “floating in the air” and is still affecting some of the population. Many people are as if still reacting to the Trump Panic even though his presidency is long gone. This shows, I think, how powerful that mass hysteria was. As a result, it seems to me, that “The Insanity” is a product of the continued persistence of the hysteria surrounding the “Trump Panic” with some of the population. These people are still “freaking out” over things that are just as stupid and ridiculous as the stuff during the Trump presidency.

2-Hatism

Hatism is a term I use that refers to seeing hate in everything and finding hatred in things (see my article Some examples of the absurd claims of hatism . . . finding hatred, malicious intent, and other sinister motives in things). Hatism is something that this mentality displays a lot. They will find hatred in just about anything.

3-A fear or panic

This whole mentality seems to be greatly influenced by fear or panic. Much of what they do is motivated out of some form of fear. In fact, many people with this mentality have a look of fear or desperation. They often act as if the world is going to end making them see the worst in things and become overly hasty.

This fear or panic, as well as seeing things in a dark light, makes some of them think they must “save the world”. They as if “immediately assume the worst” and then think they have the answer to save us from it.

4-A personal insecurity

It seems that, for many people, “The Insanity” is a way to deal with their personal insecurities. This makes many people do a number of things:

• To take it far too seriously.
• To put too much hope in it.
• As something to rally behind which has helped to turn it into a culture. Basically, people find refuge in it.

Personal insecurity also makes people develop a victim mentality as their insecurity makes them feel a victim. This victim mentality motivates some peoples whole point of view and perspective.

5-A vanity or self-concern

In this mentality, they often seem to think that they deserve special privilege or treatment. In some cases, they think they should be given things for free. Oftentimes, this special privilege or treatment is rooted in the idea that they have been victimized in some way, almost as if it is form of a restitution. This feeling of special privilege or treatment shows a strong sense of vanity or self-concern associated with this mentality.

6-The influence of the media

The media, social media, and news, plays a big role in this mentality. I’ve mentioned the influence and power of these things a lot in this blog. Many of these people are practically puppets to these things, often believing whatever it says. Not only that, it often controls and dictates their lives.

7-Mass mentality and mass hysteria

Much of this mentality is rooted in mass mentality and mass hysteria. In particular, the Trump Panic figures prominent (see above). Much of this tendency to mass mentality and mass hysteria is caused by the prevalence of media, social media, and the news.

There is a difference between mass mentality and mass hysteria:

• Mass mentality – This is basically when people follow something mindlessly like sheep
• Mass hysteria – This is mass mentality but motivated by a fear or panic

Both of these tend to entail a “mindlessness” where people as if “give up their mind” to the masses. This causes people to do some weird things, make oddball claims, and do things they otherwise would not do. A large part of the “insanity” of the “The Insanity” originates from the mindlessness caused by mass mentality and mass hysteria.

8-A sheep mentality

Many people with this mentality have an attitude of blind sheep following without thought or consideration. Much of this is caused by mass mentality and mass hysteria. They will often do what everyone else is doing without thought and, in many cases, have no idea why. In this way, “The Insanity” often has a quality of someone walking blindly. This is particularly the case if it involves these things:

• There is some fear, worry, or concern
• It is popular or everyone else is doing it

9-A problem with authority

I get the impression that many of these people need some form of authority in their lives. What they need is the security that authority offers. They need something to make them feel secure and safe. But, one must remember that, in a democracy there is no authority. This leaves a great hole in many peoples lives that is endemic in democracies. Because of this, “The Insanity” is reflective of a problem of democracy . . . how there is no authority. In some respects, “The Insanity” shows how there is a need for authority.

10-A history of problems

Many of the claims are based in problems that have existed for some time in the US. Many of these problems has existed for decades and may have existed from beginning of the US. In fact, many of these problems are nothing but old wore out American problems that are often no longer existing or relevant. But, despite this, “The Insanity” tend to bring them up to complain about. What this shows is that there are really two forms of problems:

1. An actually existing problem
2. The memory of a problem from the past that does not exist anymore

My observation is that “The Insanity” is often fixated on these old wore out problems that often don’t exist which they continually bring up. This, it seems, is because these problems have a “memory”, being that they are so old and known in the society, and they use this memory as a form of power. But, in so doing, they have often tend to do these things:

• Reignite old problems
• Cause new problems to appear that otherwise would not be there

Some examples of common old wore out problems, which they continually bring up, include:

• That white people are against non-white people
• That males are against females
• That the government is against the people and are often trying to take away the freedom from the people
• That any form of authority, such as the police, are against the people

Though these are stated in one sentence each has variations in how it appears that is almost endless. I’ve heard variations of each one that would probably run into the thousands. Explanations, such as these, have been used so much that they have been beat to death. I’ve heard them so many times that they are nauseating and, frankly, sickening. I often jokingly describe these problems in these ways:

• “Everyone hates everyone”
• “Everyone is oppressed”
• “Everyone is conspiring against everyone else”

In addition, in their commitment to continually reviving these old wore out problems they keep “finding” examples of them everywhere they turn. That is to say, they start examples of it around every corner and in just about anything.

11-Complaining

“The Insanity” is a complaining mentality. It is based in complaining and they complain about everything. In fact, a large share of the “insanity” of this mentality is based in their complaining about everything imaginable, even down to the trivial, mundane, and miniscule. If they can find something wrong with something they will complain about it. A good example is the example of their finding fault with anything they can find is when I was criticized for my using the word “female” described at the beginning. If people can find fault with such trivial things how much more do you think they can find?

12-American explanations of problems

Much of “The Insanity” is based in American explanations, usually political, as a form of authority. But what they usually do is warp and twist them out of shape. They use these explanations almost as if it were from the Bible and were words spoken by God.

Common themes originate from ideas of freedom and include:

• The assumption that people are trying to oppress, degrade, enslave etc. other people
• The assumption that people must defend themselves from, and fight against, the above

One can see that these tend to create a very negative point of view because it automatically assumes that people have malicious intents against each other and that we must always fight against people. This one of the reasons why “The Insanity” is very negative. It often creates a confrontational and condemning attitude against other people.

13-A lack of common sense

There is a lack of common sense in this mentality. In fact, much of “The Insanity” seems based in an absence of common sense. Its one thing that gives it its insane quality.

14-Christianity

When one looks closely at the mentality its evident that much of it is a restatement of Christian belief, often with political overtones. Several dominant Christian themes include:

• Humanity is evil and a sinner
• We need to be saved
• We need to change (be converted)
• We need to love one another

These same things are restated, in different ways, in “The Insanity”.

15-Liberalism

In a conversation some time ago I said that “The Insanity” is really “The Liberal Insanity”. In some respects, “The Insanity” is a result of the liberals trying to make their “ideal world” fit into the real world. The problem is that their “ideal world” does not fit into the real world. This failure gives it an insane quality.

16-Idealism

Much of this mentality is based in trying to force the world so it fits their ideals. In other words, this mentality is usually displayed by people who have an already established fantasyland image of how the world should work. What they try to do is to force the world to be like that. The problem is that the world does not fit their ideal. This gives them a quality of “trying to force a round peg into a square hole”. This is another thing that creates the insane quality.

17-Emotionalism

The people who display this quality are often controlled by their emotions. Often, emotions are what dictates all that they do. It does their thinking form them. As a result, they often will not see the logical thing to do. They often will not see the logical fact because they are too controlled by emotions. This is another thing that creates the insane quality.

18-The female factor

I know enough about things to know that much of what I described above reflect female qualities and attitudes (I’ve only been watching it all my life). Not only that, much of the people who display “The Insanity” mentality are female or somehow influenced by them. In fact, I would venture to say that it looks like “The Insanity” is a result of many females trying to effect society and politics. The problem is that the female world is not the same as the social world and, especially, the female world is not the same as the political world. In this way, “The Insanity” is as if many females are trying to force the world to be like the female world.

19-The authority of politics

It seems, to me, that because they use politics to justify much of what they do it tends to create an illusion of authority about all they do. In fact, I’ve often felt that “The Insanity” exists because it has successfully used politics as an authority in its claims. Without political authority it really has nothing to stand upon. In this way, this mentality greatly rests on political theory and belief.

THE GENERAL ATTITUDE OF SOMEONE WITH “THE INSANITY” MENTALITY

From what I have seen I would describe the general attitude of someone with “The Insanity” mentality as often being an insecure person who uses political ideas to deal with their insecurity, using it both as a weapon and a wall to hide behind. This shows a number of things:

• “The Insanity” seems to based in personal insecurity. They all seem insecure in some way. To me, insecurity is a dominant trait in this mentality. I can often tell people have this mentality by this insecurity. Its a particular type of insecurity that has a unique quality. If I were to describe its quality in a sentence I would say that it is like saying “I feel insecure and its your fault” or “my insecurity is societies fault” or something similar. One can see that blaming something other than themselves for their insecurity is very prominent. That leads to the next thing . . .
• They use political ideas as a means to deal with their insecurity and, in so doing, they as if drag society down into their personal insecurity. As a result, they actually end up promoting social problems and tensions.

In some sense, they are trying to solve their personal problems through society and politics. This, it seems, is because they equate themselves with society and think that solving societies problems will solve their problems. One of the effects of this is that, because they equate society with themselves, there is a “disconnect” in many of their claims and interpretations. This is because of these things:

• Society is not the same as themselves
• Society does it have the same problems they do
• The solutions of societies problems are not the same as the solutions of their problems

These cause these effects:

• Mistaking the nature of society
• Mistaking the problems of society
• Mistaking the solutions of society

As a result of this “The Insanity” has created a distorted view of society and how it works as well as how to solve societies problems. Its created a whole oddball view of society and how people associate with each other.

Not only that, since the mentality is based in insecurity its created an insecure mentality. And since, for some people, its become a culture its created an insecure culture. As a result, the more power and influence this mentality and culture become the more insecure society, and people, are becoming. That’s at least how it appears.

THE REACTION TO “THE INSANITY”

There has been, in actuality, quite a reaction to “The Insanity”. Many people refer to the mentality and in many different ways. As far as I know I am the only person who gave it a name, have tried to define its traits, and explain it. Most people just refer to it when they see it. That is to say, they only react to it when they see it. Some of the reactions I see include:

• It is criticized and condemned.
• Many people joke about it.
• For some people they have become disillusioned by it all causing them to ignore everything, causing a reaction of “I don’t want to hear about it”.
• For others, all the commotion caused by “The Insanity” has caused a general sense of contempt and disgust.

One thing that is apparent is that it often has a “splitting” effect on the society: either you’re for “The Insanity” or you’re not.

AFTERTHOUGHT

This whole point of view has created a bizarre image of the world and how it works. I would compare it to something like the Nazi’s who created a whole point of view and world interpretation that was incredibly bizarre and strange. But, like Nazism, it has believers and people who blindly follow but, in the end, it will collapse simply because it’s so bizarre. Nowadays, many people are so duped by this point of view that they don’t see the insanity in it and how ridiculous the claims are. But I’ve always said that once this mania ends people will start to look back and see all this from a healthier perspective and say, “what the crap!”

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Copyright by Mike Michelsen