http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2016/03/narcissistic_rage_as_the_psychodynamic_of_trump_derangement_syndrome.htmlMarch 8, 2016
Narcissistic Rage as the Psychodynamic of Trump Derangement Syndrome
By Deborah C. Tyler
The psychodynamics of narcissistic injury and rage have been studied for over a hundred years. Narcissism involves a grandiose and unrealistic self-image of personal perfection, brilliance, exaggerated admirableness, or special ability or powers. This ongoing condition involves a defense mechanism of self-delusion, which is unstable and becomes deranged when confronted by reality.
A psychological complex called the narcissistic injury, or mortification, arises from a blow to that unbalanced sense of self-worth. The blow exposes the gap between the narcissistic ideal and the actualities of the narcissist's condition. Narcissistic injury provokes an uncontrollable desire for revenge against the individual who is perceived as unmasking the narcissist's untethered self-worth.
Narcissistic rage cannot energize rational discourse. It takes the form of a personal, obsessive, burning hatred toward the person perceived as challenging the narcissistic delusion. Narcissistic rage is an effort to rebuild the false self-image and restore a sense of power through an attack against the threatening individual.
Psychology distinguishes between the venomous spewings of narcissistic rage and the justified stance of mature aggression. Several major right-wing pundits are maturely questioning and disagreeing with Donald Trump's positions. But Trump's independence in speaking truths about what the American people can do when they set their minds to something has unleashed narcissistic rage from the firmament of failed Republican candidates and insular, irrelevant right-wing punditry. Prior to the Trump temblor, the right-wing establishment maintained power despite consistently avoiding the battles they promise to join, selling out ideals, and betraying voters. The elites developed a narcissistic character structure of self-aggrandizement untroubled by the reality of their consistent failure. They are now spewing personal vilification against Trump, which they have never directed against Obama or Hillary, because Trump exposes what they unconsciously perceive to be their own deficiencies.
When Obama spoke of radical transformation, there was no widespread outburst of rage. The destruction of the USA as a bordered republic is less troublesome to the narcissistic right wing than Trump's barbs and bravado. Trump's persona elicits rage in three principal psychological categories: the abandoned, the irrelevant, and the failed. The abandoned rage against his independence, the irrelevant rage against his prominence, and the failed rage against his fearlessness.
Glenn Beck exhibits a severe case of Trump derangement syndrome, abandonment type. His defense mechanism involves a murderous fantasy. "[If I] had a knife, the stabbing just wouldn't stop." At some point during his childhood, Beck's parents separated. Beck's mother drowned when he was 15 years old, which Beck has described as a suicide. His step-brother also committed suicide. Beck fled into decades of alcohol and drug abuse. He is known for public displays of extreme emotionality. Trump's persona may cathect in Beck the most devastating narcissistic injury, parental abandonment, and an unconscious belief that the abandoning father caused the death of his mother.
Beck's statements are unhinged. Trump is the most arrogant man he has ever seen, the opposite of every great leader.
The narcissistic psychology hides a shameful secret of inadequacy. Beck articulated the literal formula of narcissism: "Donald Trump coming in and doing this to the Republicans is going to make us all look ridiculous. Anybody who is a conservative, we are going to absolutely look like clowns. It's just such a shame." Fifty million American patriots are transformed into clowns by the all-powerful Trump. Unconsciously, the narcissist is a trembling impostor using irrational rage to restabilize his egoic defenses.
No treason or treachery committed by Obama/Hillary has provoked the outraged unity among elite conservatives at the National Review as has Trump's candidacy. The sadism of ISIS, the bodies at Benghazi, the hordes of illegals prancing across the border are nothing compared to the narcissistic mortification of their disrobed opinions as nakedly irrelevant.
Bill Kristol eagerly agrees to the presidency of Hillary Clinton rather than Trump. He plots a path to a brokered convention, agreeing that it would be better to lose the general election than see a President Trump. "And [Trump] would lose the election. And shouldn't win the election, so, yeah, I agree" to a brokered convention that gives the White House to Hillary. New York Times columnist Ross Douthat (purportedly a conservative Republican) jokes about assassination as a way to stop Trump.
The failed candidates Meg Whitman and Mitt Romney are all silken panty-bunched at the ease and relative frugality of Trump's victories. Both are bloodless billionaires. Meg Whitman is reported to have spent $140 million of her own money to be drubbed in the California 2010 gubernatorial race. Her narcissistic self-image is of floating above the racist rabble who want to build a wall. She vilifies Trump accordingly: "He is a dishonest demagogue who plays to our worst fears." Romney has just refreshed everybody's memory of why he lost, fecklessly calling Trump names without any substantive criticism or endorsement of a better candidate. Romney played a cowardly rope-a-dope for Candy Crowley, maybe enabling Obama's second term. What rage he must feel watching Trump come out swinging against all comers.
Whatever the future holds, Trump is awakening the self-respect of Americans from a concussive coma. For sixty years, the elites have been safely bunkered in narcissistic delusions while the majority of Americans have been bombarded with the big lies about being racists with no right to defend their country. Trump is telling the world to meet him in Macy's window.
If you want to know what next year's styles will be, go see what they're wearing in New York City today. Demagogues fashion an appeal to empty pride. That is not what Trump is doing. He is wearing truth on his sleeve about the greatness of America and the right and capacity of her people to save her. With or without him, may that courage and commitment come back in fashion everywhere.
