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New research has uncovered a psychological mechanism that underlies fanaticism

15 points by whack 4y ago

stevenalowe 4y ago
self-righteousness is addictive and evil
carapace 4y ago
Sounds like simple homeostasis to me. If it gets colder out, the thermostat turns up the heat, eh? In any event, nearly a century ago Wilhelm Reich discovered the fundamental psychological drive behind fascism, to wit: sexual repression. > Reich argued that the reason why German fascism (i.e., Nazism) was chosen over communism was that of increased sexual repression in Germany – as opposed to the somewhat more liberal (post-revolutionary) Russia. As children, members of the (German) proletariat learned from their parents to suppress nearly all sexual desire and – instead – expend the repressed energy into authoritarian idealism.[2] Hence, in adults, any rebellious and sexual impulses experienced would cause fundamental anxiety and – therefore, instead – social control is used to reduce anxiety. Fear of revolt, as well as fear of sexuality, were thus "anchored" in the 'character structure' of the masses (the majority). This influenced the irrationality of the 'people' and allowed (irrational) 'populistic' ideology to flourish https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mass_Psychology_of_Fascism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mass_Psychology_of_Fascism That's why people become fascists: they can't get (well) laid. Remember when they made it illegal to get sex on (e.g.) Craigslist? Notice how you can show people getting murdered and tortured on TV but you can't show a boob or a penis? (Unless it's Game of Thrones.) Notice how they want to control sex and reproduction of other people? But they can't control their own sex lives? It's all due to messed up sexual repression. The fundamental solution is, as Dr. Ruth always said: we just need to have better sex.
BizarroLand 4y ago
So, thinking you KNOW a semi-hidden or non-obvious TRUTH about the world combined with opposition (from other non-KNOWing people) drives fanaticism? I suppose that makes sense, even if we take it out of the political arena people have been becoming fanatical about things like religious locations and iconery, music and arts, ufos / aliens / bigfoot, all sorts of things that allude to the mystical / beyond / bizarre pretty much since we started recording history. I would say its more like an "aborted hero" complex, they're so close to being "The One" who knows "the TRUTH" and therefore will have a lasting impact on the world beyond the scope of their own circle of influence that their inability to cross the final threshold drives them mad.

15 points by whack 4y ago

self-righteousness is addictive and evil

Sounds like simple homeostasis to me. If it gets colder out, the thermostat turns up the heat, eh? In any event, nearly a century ago Wilhelm Reich discovered the fundamental psychological drive behind fascism, to wit: sexual repression. > Reich argued that the reason why German fascism (i.e., Nazism) was chosen over communism was that of increased sexual repression in Germany – as opposed to the somewhat more liberal (post-revolutionary) Russia. As children, members of the (German) proletariat learned from their parents to suppress nearly all sexual desire and – instead – expend the repressed energy into authoritarian idealism.[2] Hence, in adults, any rebellious and sexual impulses experienced would cause fundamental anxiety and – therefore, instead – social control is used to reduce anxiety. Fear of revolt, as well as fear of sexuality, were thus "anchored" in the 'character structure' of the masses (the majority). This influenced the irrationality of the 'people' and allowed (irrational) 'populistic' ideology to flourish https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mass_Psychology_of_Fascism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mass_Psychology_of_Fascism That's why people become fascists: they can't get (well) laid. Remember when they made it illegal to get sex on (e.g.) Craigslist? Notice how you can show people getting murdered and tortured on TV but you can't show a boob or a penis? (Unless it's Game of Thrones.) Notice how they want to control sex and reproduction of other people? But they can't control their own sex lives? It's all due to messed up sexual repression. The fundamental solution is, as Dr. Ruth always said: we just need to have better sex.

BizarroLand 4y ago

So, thinking you KNOW a semi-hidden or non-obvious TRUTH about the world combined with opposition (from other non-KNOWing people) drives fanaticism? I suppose that makes sense, even if we take it out of the political arena people have been becoming fanatical about things like religious locations and iconery, music and arts, ufos / aliens / bigfoot, all sorts of things that allude to the mystical / beyond / bizarre pretty much since we started recording history. I would say its more like an "aborted hero" complex, they're so close to being "The One" who knows "the TRUTH" and therefore will have a lasting impact on the world beyond the scope of their own circle of influence that their inability to cross the final threshold drives them mad.