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Denial ain't just a river in Egypt - Republican conservatives can't handle the truth about Romney
Tom Hoefling for President 2012 ^ | April 27, 2012 | Tom Hoefling

Posted on 04/27/2012 6:57:39 AM PDT by EternalVigilance

Tom Hoefling

April 27, 2012

I deal on a regular daily basis with self-identified conservatives all across America who are addicted to the Republican Party. And when it comes to the impending nomination by their party of the most liberal governor in U.S. history, Mitt Romney, their reactions are overwhelmingly in line with the classic symptoms described below. We can't make them face reality, of course. All we can do is to keep pointing it out to them, in the sincere hope that they will recover in time to help save the country. 

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From Wikipedia :

Denial (also called abnegation) is a defense mechanism postulated by Sigmund Freud, in which a person is faced with a fact that is too uncomfortable to accept and rejects it instead, insisting that it is not true despite what may be overwhelming evidence. The subject may use:

The concept of denial is particularly important to the study of addiction. The theory of denial was first researched seriously by Anna Freud. She classified denial as a mechanism of the immature mind, because it conflicts with the ability to learn from and cope with reality. Where denial occurs in mature minds, it is most often associated with death, dying and rape.

Denial of fact

In this form of denial, someone avoids a fact by lying. This lying can take the form of an outright falsehood (commission), leaving out certain details to tailor a story (omission), or by falsely agreeing to something (assent, also referred to as "yessing" behavior). Someone who is in denial of fact is typically using lies to avoid facts they think may be painful to themselves or others.

Denial of responsibility

This form of denial involves avoiding personal responsibility by:

Someone using denial of responsibility is usually attempting to avoid potential harm or pain by shifting attention away from themselves.

For example: Troy breaks up with his girlfriend because he is unable to control his anger, and then blames her for everything that ever happened.

Denial of impact

Denial of impact involves a person's avoiding thinking about or understanding the harms of his or her behavior has caused to self or others, i.e. denial of the consequences. Doing this enables that person to avoid feeling a sense of guilt and it can prevent him or her from developing remorse or empathy for others. Denial of impact reduces or eliminates a sense of pain or harm from poor decisions.

Denial of awareness

This type of denial is best discussed by looking at the concept of state dependent learning. People using this type of denial will avoid pain and harm by stating they were in a different state of awareness (such as alcohol or drug intoxication or on occasion mental health related). This type of denial often overlaps with denial of responsibility.

Denial of cycle

Many who use this type of denial will say things such as, "it just happened". Denial of cycle is where a person avoids looking at their decisions leading up to an event or does not consider their pattern of decision making and how harmful behavior is repeated. The pain and harm being avoided by this type of denial is more of the effort needed to change the focus from a singular event to looking at preceding events. It can also serve as a way to blame or justify behavior (see above).

Denial of denial

This can be a difficult concept for many people to identify with in themselves, but is a major barrier to changing hurtful behaviors. Denial of denial involves thoughts, actions and behaviors which bolster confidence that nothing needs to be changed in one's personal behavior. This form of denial typically overlaps with all of the other forms of denial, but involves more self-delusion. Denial at this level can have significant consequences both personally and at a societal level.

DARVO

Harassment covers a wide range of offensive behaviour. It is commonly understood as behaviour intended to disturb or upset. In the legal sense, it is behaviour which is found threatening or disturbing.

DARVO is an acronym to describe a common strategy of abusers: Deny the abuse, then Attack the victim for attempting to make them accountable for their offense, thereby Reversing Victim and Offender.

Psychologist Jennifer Freyd writes:

...I have observed that actual abusers threaten, bully and make a nightmare for anyone who holds them accountable or asks them to change their abusive behavior. This attack, intended to chill and terrify, typically includes threats of law suits, overt and covert attacks on the whistle-blower's credibility, and so on. The attack will often take the form of focusing on ridiculing the person who attempts to hold the offender accountable. [...] [T]he offender rapidly creates the impression that the abuser is the wronged one, while the victim or concerned observer is the offender. Figure and ground are completely reversed. [...] The offender is on the offense and the person attempting to hold the offender accountable is put on the defense.




TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: blogpimp; denial; romney
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To: EternalVigilance

Thanks, I strive to be awe-inspiring.

One of two people will be elected this November. I’m voting for the one who isn’t Obama.

I’d vote for you if you were the other person.


121 posted on 04/27/2012 9:54:11 AM PDT by SoothingDave
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To: EternalVigilance; SoothingDave

I will not be complicit in the destruction of the country.

Romney is uncomfortable, but is not inviting the Jihadis in.


122 posted on 04/27/2012 9:54:58 AM PDT by netmilsmom (I am Breitbart)
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To: Jack Hydrazine
I'm watching these peoples' posts in amazement. They have the classic symptoms, but just can't see it. Even when the phenomenon is explained to them in exquisite detail right up front.

Denial (also called abnegation) is a defense mechanism postulated by Sigmund Freud, in which a person is faced with a fact that is too uncomfortable to accept and rejects it instead, insisting that it is not true despite what may be overwhelming evidence. The subject may use:

The concept of denial is particularly important to the study of addiction. The theory of denial was first researched seriously by Anna Freud. She classified denial as a mechanism of the immature mind, because it conflicts with the ability to learn from and cope with reality. Where denial occurs in mature minds, it is most often associated with death, dying and rape.

Denial of fact

In this form of denial, someone avoids a fact by lying. This lying can take the form of an outright falsehood (commission), leaving out certain details to tailor a story (omission), or by falsely agreeing to something (assent, also referred to as "yessing" behavior). Someone who is in denial of fact is typically using lies to avoid facts they think may be painful to themselves or others.

Denial of responsibility

This form of denial involves avoiding personal responsibility by:

Someone using denial of responsibility is usually attempting to avoid potential harm or pain by shifting attention away from themselves.

For example: Troy breaks up with his girlfriend because he is unable to control his anger, and then blames her for everything that ever happened.

Denial of impact

Denial of impact involves a person's avoiding thinking about or understanding the harms of his or her behavior has caused to self or others, i.e. denial of the consequences. Doing this enables that person to avoid feeling a sense of guilt and it can prevent him or her from developing remorse or empathy for others. Denial of impact reduces or eliminates a sense of pain or harm from poor decisions.

Denial of awareness

This type of denial is best discussed by looking at the concept of state dependent learning. People using this type of denial will avoid pain and harm by stating they were in a different state of awareness (such as alcohol or drug intoxication or on occasion mental health related). This type of denial often overlaps with denial of responsibility.

Denial of cycle

Many who use this type of denial will say things such as, "it just happened". Denial of cycle is where a person avoids looking at their decisions leading up to an event or does not consider their pattern of decision making and how harmful behavior is repeated. The pain and harm being avoided by this type of denial is more of the effort needed to change the focus from a singular event to looking at preceding events. It can also serve as a way to blame or justify behavior (see above).

Denial of denial

This can be a difficult concept for many people to identify with in themselves, but is a major barrier to changing hurtful behaviors. Denial of denial involves thoughts, actions and behaviors which bolster confidence that nothing needs to be changed in one's personal behavior. This form of denial typically overlaps with all of the other forms of denial, but involves more self-delusion. Denial at this level can have significant consequences both personally and at a societal level.


123 posted on 04/27/2012 9:56:31 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (Romney Republicanism. Even Jimmy Carter can be comfortable with it.)
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To: netmilsmom
I will not be complicit in the destruction of the country.

Romney is the destruction of the country. You're in denial.

124 posted on 04/27/2012 9:57:45 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (Romney Republicanism. Even Jimmy Carter can be comfortable with it.)
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To: EternalVigilance

When someone tells me to pick my poison, I simply say “no.”


Then someone else will step up to the plate and choose it for you. You still get poisoned and it’s your own fault.

Kind of like a 2 year old who refuses to eat anything you offer him for lunch, then cries saying that he is hungry.


125 posted on 04/27/2012 9:59:42 AM PDT by A. Patriot (Have we lost our Republic? Do the majority of Americans care?)
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To: EternalVigilance

>>Romney is the destruction of the country.<<

Bull.
He is a RINO lib but isn’t inviting Muslim Brotherhood members to advise our security. Nor playing footsie with the Russians.

You’re in denial. You need to talk to some Chaldeans and some Eastern Europeans. They will tell you the signs that are already in place.


126 posted on 04/27/2012 10:00:57 AM PDT by netmilsmom (I am Breitbart)
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To: netmilsmom
How about the Muslim Brotherhood?

That's a Red Herring, since as governor, Romney never had a chance to get involved with the Brotherhood.

But, I have no doubt that he would be kissing their fannies if it meant him getting election.

127 posted on 04/27/2012 10:01:39 AM PDT by CharacterCounts (A vote for the lesser of two evils only insures the triumph of evil.)
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To: Jack Hydrazine
Romney pretty much has the nomination locked up and I am definitely not going to vote for him. Instead I am going to write in Sarah Palin’s name.

I do not yet know what I will do except voting conservative down ticket. I will not vote for Romney. Frankly, I am more concerned about any attempts to water down and or pervert the GOP platform during the 2012 convention than I am concerned about the RINO 'conservative' figurehead they are propping up.

128 posted on 04/27/2012 10:02:45 AM PDT by DBeers (†)
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To: EternalVigilance

Yes, the FR collectivists tend do this even when you face them with facts and even when they know the facts.

They have cognitive dissonance - discomfort caused by holding conflicting ideas, beliefs, values, etc.


129 posted on 04/27/2012 10:04:47 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine!)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

You’ll have to help me out here. I don’t understand the “hardcore leftist” assertion. I’ve heard a lot of soundbites that can make him sound good or bad on either side. But I’m trying to look at what our future compares to between the two of them and can’t accept that Obama is no worse.


130 posted on 04/27/2012 10:06:05 AM PDT by Baynative (Please check this out - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFIcZkEzc8I)
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To: EternalVigilance; SoothingDave

Pitifully, you are in denial of the situation, EV.

While those who are choosing the non-Communist/non-muslim loving Marxist, see exactly who we are forced to choose, you are in total denial about the situation we will be in if Communist loving/Muslim loving Marxist Obama continues his Presidency.

I did my time as the Office Manager for Psychiatrists. Sometimes there is denial and sometimes there is projection. Those who won’t look at the big picture and scream “denial” while seeing the situation with tunnelvision, are projecting.


131 posted on 04/27/2012 10:07:32 AM PDT by netmilsmom (I am Breitbart)
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To: CatherineofAragon

Rinos chose the blue pill, Conservatives chose the red

We see the machine is the monster, and the America we remember is dead

No popularity contests...but a lifelong war we will endure...

GENTLEMEN. Our Kings are Corrupt. So then, let Our Revolution be Pure. :^)


132 posted on 04/27/2012 10:07:56 AM PDT by AnTiw1
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To: netmilsmom
He is a RINO lib but isn’t inviting Muslim Brotherhood members to advise our security. Nor playing footsie with the Russians.

Nonsense. Romney has already signaled what sort of people would work for him in the areas of foreign policy and defense. And these are not folks who are going to go against the latest destructive liberal fad.

Romney hires openly gay spokeman

Again, you're in denial.

133 posted on 04/27/2012 10:09:05 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (Romney Republicanism. Even Jimmy Carter can be comfortable with it.)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

Yup.


134 posted on 04/27/2012 10:10:13 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (Romney Republicanism. Even Jimmy Carter can be comfortable with it.)
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To: DBeers

Considering that voting for either extremist Leftard for POTUS is a wasted vote you gotta find someone to write in. Might as well be the only viable alternative - Sarah.


135 posted on 04/27/2012 10:10:23 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine!)
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To: CharacterCounts

>>But, I have no doubt that he would be kissing their fannies if it meant him getting election.<<

They are in the administration now.

http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=255538&R=R4

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/Latin-America-Monitor/2011/1123/In-debate-Romney-Perry-warn-of-Islamist-terrorists-in-Latin-America.-Are-they-right


136 posted on 04/27/2012 10:12:12 AM PDT by netmilsmom (I am Breitbart)
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To: Finny

Your #71 is a great post. Thanks.


137 posted on 04/27/2012 10:13:11 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (Romney Republicanism. Even Jimmy Carter can be comfortable with it.)
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To: EternalVigilance

LOL!!!

So gays are communists and Jihadis?
On what planet?


138 posted on 04/27/2012 10:13:35 AM PDT by netmilsmom (I am Breitbart)
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To: CatherineofAragon
It’s true. I have friends and family who don’t want to hear me talk about Romney’s record. I think the less they know, the more comfortable they will be pulling the lever for him.

Ditto that. Some of them practically put their fingers in their ears and go "la la la la la!"

How is anyone supposed to save this country if that's the attitude of so-called conservative voters? They deserve what's coming to them.
139 posted on 04/27/2012 10:13:52 AM PDT by Antoninus (Sorry, gone rogue.)
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To: netmilsmom

On this planet. The exact same people in Washington who kiss up to the homosexuals kiss up to the jihadis.


140 posted on 04/27/2012 10:15:51 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (Romney Republicanism. Even Jimmy Carter can be comfortable with it.)
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