Are Socialists Psychos?

New Zeal Blogspot ^ | December 12, 2006 | Trevor Louden

[Art in Idaho]

Spirit of 76 asked

In terms of the Western countries, where do all of these commies come from ? Who indoctrinates them ? When I was a union delegate 12 years ago, hearing Karl Andersen spout his beliefs, I honestly thought he was taking the piss ! Why do people still adhere to a political system that has done nothing apart from advertise itself as an abject failure ?

These are questions that have interested me for a long time. Ever since I was a bit pink myself, I've wondered why many intelligent people can invest their whole lives into a project that is so clearly nonsensical.

I remember a conversation with US former socialist Tammy Bruce, when she visited NZ last year.

I asked Tammy exactly why she thought people devoted their lives to socialism.

Tammy, had been at the pinnacle of the US left/feminist establishment. She knew hundreds of senior socialists. She is a lesbian, who herself had a pretty tough upbringing and her share of personal tragedy.

Tammy's theory was that socialists tend to be "damaged" people and/or misfits.

They are people on the "outside"-whether through personality defects, such as intense jealousy and envy, a deep sense of inadequacy or something that sets them apart from the "mainstream", homosexuality, physical disability, belonging to a persecuted minority etc.

Most of us have some of those or other problems in our lives. We try to cope, to overcome our shortcomings and get on with our lives.

Others can't handle the thought that they are the odd one out, or that they should work to address their personal faults.

Socialism appeals to such people, because socialism claims that all problems are caused by external factors and can be addressed, not by confronting oneself, but by altering the world.

In other words, socialists tend to be damaged people who are driven to "fit in" by changing the world to suit their particular shortcomings.

They want to make the fit their faults-not as most of us do, try to fix our own shortcomings first.

Socialism, is in short a manifestation of mental illness or major character deficiency.

This is perhaps why universities are the main recruiting ground for socialism these days.

At university you can theorise a better world according to any preference you like.

In the real world of the marketplace, bad ideas lead to heartache and bankruptcy. In universities they lead to tenure, overseas conferences, fawning syncophants and good salaries.

I remember one US socialist saying something like "communism is a system of political economy-not a character deficiency".

I think he was 100% wrong. What do others think?

[Art in Idaho]

Savage is right, Liberalism is a Mental Disorder.

[humblegunner]

Savage is right

I thought his name was Weiner.

[Kartographer]

Here make up your own mind:

A masked Greek protesters during a demonstration against the new tough austreity measures of the gtovernment in front of the Greek Parliament in Athens, Greece, 05 May 2010. Three people died on 05 May when a bank was set ablaze as tens of thousands of Greek demonstrators took to the streets to protest government austerity measures in exchange for an international bailout aimed at saving the country from bankruptcy. The bodies of two men and a woman were discovered inside the bank branch of Marfin, located in downtown Athens while at least 20 people were hospitalised with injuries. EPA/PANAGIOTIS MOSCHANDREOU

As they say a picture is worth a thousand words!

[Art in Idaho]

As they say a picture is worth a thousand words!

You got that right! I worry now that we employ more Public jobs vs Private jobs that we're heading down the Greecian path.

[Beckwith]

That’s affirmative!

[fullchroma]

They are at least sociopaths.

[Noumenon]

They are monsters.

[Art in Idaho]

They are monsters.

Their system of governing eventually leads to the Gulags.

[Noumenon]

And the pedigree of their ideas begets mmass murder and atrocity. History is my witness.

[YHAOS]

I think being psycho is what makes them socialists.

[CodeToad]

Yes, they prey on society.

[mjp]

They are people on the "outside"-whether through personality defects, such as intense jealousy and envy, a deep sense of inadequacy or something that sets them apart from the "mainstream", homosexuality, physical disability, belonging to a persecuted minority etc.

The Postmodern understanding of social justice revolves around the "other". Derrida's phrase "the singularity of the Other" and Rorty's term "otherness" refer to those who are marginalized by society - the poor, unemployed, migrants, Hispanics, blacks, women, gays and lesbians. This is equivalent to the Marxist idea that virtue resides only among the oppressed and forms the foundation for identity politics.

[Art in Idaho]

The Postmodern understanding of social justice revolves around the "other". . . The Marxist idea that virtue resides only among the oppressed and forms the foundation for identity politics.

My first reaction was, "What kind of Thinking is That?" Sounds like a massive manipulation to get their support.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

There is a protozoa disease often spread by cats that has infected as many as 50 million Americans. Called Toxoplasma gondii, it causes the disease Toxoplasmosis. It can also be spread by a pregnant mother to her children.

It is very noteworthy, in that it causes a unique and very specific neurological effect in rats, which causes them to be attracted to the scent of cat urine. This puts the rat’s life at risk for being consumed by a cat, which spreads the protozoa.

In humans, it is being suggested that it can cause both schizophrenia and neurosis. This is interesting, because neurosis is defined as “a class of functional mental disorders involving distress but neither delusions nor hallucinations, whereby behavior is not outside socially acceptable norms.”

As such, neurotic people can be of two kinds. The first kind have an “honest” neurosis, like a phobia, an unusual fear of something. The other kind have a “deceptive” neurosis, in which which what they are feeling is expressed in a way to conceal itself.

For instance, an individual with great feelings of inferiority, who pretends that he is far superior to everyone else. On the surface he comes across as an arrogant megalomaniac, but inside he is terribly afraid of being unmasked as the inferior person he thinks he is.

Another example are those with severe control issues, that seek to control everything around them, yet secretly wish to have their lives controlled and directed.

[panthermom]

Most definitely...btw, I didn’t even have to read the article to answer that question.