Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Psychology of Totalitarianism
medium.com ^ | 08/29/2022 | Mattias Desmet

Posted on 08/29/2022 1:29:45 PM PDT by Grandpa Drudge

In the first week of the crisis, March 2020, I published an opinion paper titled “The Fear of the Virus Is More Dangerous Than the Virus Itself.” I had analyzed the statistics and mathematical models on which the coronavirus narrative was based and immediately saw that they all dramatically overrated the dangerousness of the virus. A few months later, by the end of May 2020, this impression had been confirmed beyond the shadow of a doubt. There were no countries, including those that didn’t go into lockdown, in which the virus claimed the enormous number of casualties the models predicted it would. Sweden was perhaps the best example. According to the models, at least 60,000 people would die if the country didn’t go into lockdown. It didn’t, and only 6,000 people died.

As much as I (and others) tried to bring this to the attention of society, it didn’t have much effect. People continued to go along with the narrative. That was the moment when I decided to focus on something else, namely on the psychological processes that were at work in society and that could explain how people can become so radically blind and continued to buy into a narrative so utterly absurd. It took me a few months to realize that what was going on in society was a worldwide process of mass formation.

(Excerpt) Read more at mattiasdesmet.substack.com ...


TOPICS: AMERICA - The Right Way!!; Business/Economy; Conspiracy; Science
KEYWORDS: greatreset; pandemic
From the article:

In modern times, the explosive proliferation of mass surveillance technology led to new and previously unimaginable means for the manipulation of the masses. And emerging technological advances promise a completely new set of manipulation techniques, where the mind is materially manipulated through technological devices inserted in the human body and brain. At least that’s the plan. It’s not clear yet to what extent the mind will cooperate.

Totalitarianism is not a historical coincidence. It is the logical consequence of mechanistic thinking and the delusional belief in the omnipotence of human rationality. As such, totalitarianism is a defining feature of the Enlightenment tradition. Several authors have postulated this, but it hasn’t yet been subjected to a psychological analysis. I decided to try to fill this gap, which is why wrote The Psychology of Totalitarianism. It analyzes the psychology of totalitarianism and situates it within the broader context of the social phenomena of which it forms a part.

1 posted on 08/29/2022 1:29:45 PM PDT by Grandpa Drudge
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Grandpa Drudge

It has been said that liberals are systematists.
They think with the right system, and the requirement to abide by the system, they can give everybody the best experience overall.


2 posted on 08/29/2022 1:33:01 PM PDT by Jonty30 (Some men want tod watch the world burn. It is they that want you to buy an electric car.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Grandpa Drudge

“The Fear of the Virus Is More Dangerous Than the Virus Itself.”

Then, is the fear of any danger more dangerous than the danger itself?


3 posted on 08/29/2022 1:36:37 PM PDT by Jyotishi (Seeking the truth, a fact at a time.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jyotishi
You ask "Then, is the fear of any danger more dangerous than the danger itself?"

Nonsense! Of course not! I suggest you read the article.

4 posted on 08/29/2022 1:42:39 PM PDT by Grandpa Drudge (Just an old man, desperate to preserve our great country for my great grandchildren.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Grandpa Drudge
On the psychology of totalitarianism, I have discovered something relevant to it by analyzing the Deep State's actions in the U.S.

Bureaucracies behave quite similarly to mobs in that they take on a collective mind of their own (no brain or organized command and control mechanism required). Once bureaucracies take on a life of their own (i.e., achieve momentum and equilibrium), they seem to develop clear prime directives: remove all threats to themselves and gather power (sounds a lot like "eat and grow").

A natural objective or end result of such an organization is, as you can see, a totalitarian regime with it in charge.

Any individuals inside such a bureaucracy that are near a de facto power center can see where the organization is headed and, as a result of human nature, try to elbow their way to the top or front of such juggernaut.

Sometimes it actually works out for a while.

5 posted on 08/29/2022 1:49:32 PM PDT by RoosterRedux
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Grandpa Drudge
I suggest you read the article.

That would be a complete violation of FR tradition.

6 posted on 08/29/2022 1:51:10 PM PDT by HartleyMBaldwin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: RoosterRedux

I always knew the world had people who want to tell everyone else what to do. I didn’t realize just how many there are, though.


7 posted on 08/29/2022 1:53:13 PM PDT by abb
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Jyotishi
Then, is the fear of any danger more dangerous than the danger itself?

This reminds me of those times when men who are in danger freeze up, thereby increasing the danger significantly.

I notice this in something as simple as learning to navigate deep sand on an adventure motorcycle. If you fear the sand too much, you lose your balance and go down. Coming back to your point, the fear of the sand was a greater danger than the sand itself.

This may be off-topic from what the article intended, so apologies to the OP.

8 posted on 08/29/2022 1:56:28 PM PDT by RoosterRedux
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: abb
I always knew the world had people who want to tell everyone else what to do.

Mothers-in-law, angry ex-wives, and gutless men.;-) They must make up a majority now.

9 posted on 08/29/2022 1:58:43 PM PDT by RoosterRedux
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: HartleyMBaldwin

From headlines, sometimes, are maxims born.


10 posted on 08/29/2022 2:03:19 PM PDT by Jyotishi (Seeking the truth, a fact at a time.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Jyotishi

Or from FDR speeches.


11 posted on 08/29/2022 2:07:24 PM PDT by HartleyMBaldwin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Grandpa Drudge; All

Mattias Desmet Writings

https://wikitia.com/wiki/Mattias_Desmet#Mass_formation_theory

(I haven't found English versions of this yet)

12 posted on 08/29/2022 2:10:39 PM PDT by Grandpa Drudge (Just an old man, desperate to preserve our great country for my great grandchildren.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Grandpa Drudge

Better read is “The Psychology of Mass Fascism” by Wilhelm Reich, 1933.


13 posted on 08/29/2022 2:13:14 PM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RoosterRedux
Very good point, and I think I agree.

And I currently "fear" our current bureaucracy and mass media are far too successful in influencing the direction of our future.

14 posted on 08/29/2022 2:45:45 PM PDT by Grandpa Drudge (Just an old man, desperate to preserve our great country for my great grandchildren.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Grandpa Drudge

Great article. Very inciteful. Never see so much bullshit and lies from previously somewhat respectable institutions like the CDD, NIH, WHO....... I wonder is this is somehow connected with wokism.

“my PhD on the dramatically poor quality of academic research which taught me that we can never take “science” for granted; my master degree in statistics which allowed me to see through statistical deception and illusions; my knowledge of mass psychology”

” I had analyzed the statistics and mathematical models on which the coronavirus narrative was based and immediately saw that they all dramatically overrated the dangerousness of the virus. A few months later, by the end of May 2020, this impression had been confirmed beyond the shadow of a doubt. There were no countries, including those that didn’t go into lockdown, in which the virus claimed the enormous number of casualties the models predicted it would. Sweden was perhaps the best example. According to the models, at least 60,000 people would die if the country didn’t go into lockdown. It didn’t, and only 6,000 people died.”


15 posted on 08/29/2022 3:38:00 PM PDT by consult
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Grandpa Drudge

bump


16 posted on 08/30/2022 2:46:48 PM PDT by Albion Wilde (Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free... Galatians 5:1 )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Grandpa Drudge

#1. No humility toward God. Vs. Real prayer and fasting. Free will love.

#2. No humility toward God’s Word.

#3. A tiny seed of deceit.

Lucifer. 1/3. Eve. Adam. Cain. Angel-gods-women-. Ham. Sarah. Joseph tunic. 40 years Korah. Giant-grasshoppers. Delilah Sampson. Saul. David-giant. David Bathsheba. Kings. Solomon. Nebagadezzar. Herod
Judas. Saul-Paul. War. Wars. antichrists. Antichrist.


17 posted on 08/30/2022 3:09:33 PM PDT by Varsity Flight ( "War by the prophesies set before you." I Timothy 1:18. Nazarite prayer warriors. 10.5.6.5)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Grandpa Drudge

It’s a combination of fear, fake response (give the impression they are being pro active and not laundering billions of tax payer money..and as a bonus destroying the American way of life).
And finally,the idea of “shared misery” is a powerful tool.
We’re all in this together!
..but not really.


18 posted on 10/17/2022 8:24:16 AM PDT by Leep (Hillary will NEVER be president! 😁)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson