We Need to Have Empathy for Tea Partiers

http://www.psychologytoday.com ^ | by Michael Bader, D.M.H.

[kcvl]

Michael Bader is a psychologist and psychoanalyst in San Francisco

Bader was also a founder of the Institute for Change, a progressive think-tank focused on leadership development and currently associated with the Service Employees International Union

[FrankR]

I've always thought that most of these shrinks get into the business to try to figure themselves out. They're not infallable, i.e. the Ft. Hood terrorist was a shrink.

Anyway, DOC...there is such a thing as "cause and effect"...the "effect" in this case would be concerned citizens of the United States, standing up for their country and Constitution...and the "cause"...well, he lives in the White House.

Now I'm sure as a shrink you could find something wrong with everyone in the world, given enough couches and time, however, the EU-wannabe's out there have already tried to paint the TEA Party participants into their own little definitions, and it ain't working.

Then comes liberal nuts like yourself - wearing the mask of officialdom - to try and convince everyone that everyone who doesn't agree with you, is somehow nuts.

I admire doctors for the time, work, and dedication it takes for them to become doctors...but, underneath the diploma are still flesh and blood humans with their own interests and agendae. There are Conservative doctors - many of whom marched in the last TEA Party gathering in Washington; and there are many liberal/progressive doctors...no doubt you are of THAT bent.

But your long-distance, millions of patients at once "group" theropy if full of holes, and your diagnosis is a little slanted to the left. Doctors obviously attend some classes with journalists to learn to do "spin". Determine and diagnosis first, and then look for the symptoms to match it.

But now, your hour is up.....goodbye.

[andy58-in-nh]

The government taxes away half my income, runs up trillions of dollars in debt, encourages dependency, punishes hard work, and takes over industries its policies have caused to fail. Then it enlists the support of helpful doctors to tell me I’m paranoid. Take your medication, citizen; it’s almost time for the Dear Leader to speak.

[Maelstorm]

They are and one of the reasons we have seen increasingly liberal views coming from the “profession”. There are also far too many radical homosexuals in the profession which explains a lot about shifting “scientific” opinions. The whole of science has been shifted not by science but by liberal ideology.

[spodefly]

Michael Bader, D.M.H.

Michael Bader is a psychologist and psychoanalyst in San Francisco with over 30 years of experience. He is the author of Male Sexuality: Why Women Don't Understand It-and Men Don't Either and Arousal: The Secret Logic of Sexuality Fantasies. Bader has written extensively about the interaction of psychology, culture, and politics in both academic journals and popular media such as Alternet.org and Tikkun Magazine. He has appeared as an expert in numerous documentaries, as well as radio and TV programs. In addition to his clinical work and writing, Bader was also a founder of the Institute for Change, a progressive think-tank focused on leadership development and currently associated with the Service Employees International Union.

[avacado]

"I treat people who are paranoid all the time. Sometimes they're only mildly paranoid. For example, someone I treat can't tolerate blame of any kind, can't take any responsibility for failures, and can't really be optimistic about the potential goodness in others. It's always someone else's fault."

Well, at least he's treating Obama.

[dirtboy]

I hate these folks but I also understand them.

Your hate makes you grossly unprofessional, apparently.

[Maelstorm]

That is something we should fear because you can bet if the crap ever hits the fan in this country that is exactly the approach they will take especially if they ever succeed in taking the means of the citizenry to resist.

[VR-21]

The Soviet Union made a habit of putting dissidents into mental hospitals.

[FlingWingFlyer]

A psycho ANALyst in San Francisco. That explains it.

[Maelstorm]

lol Sounds like most of our political class. Obama is just at the top of worst of that class.

[gthog61]

I’ll bet he sees a lot of those people he describes in SF, where he practices. Tell us again the prevailing political persuasion in SF.

[fullchroma]

Michael Bader, D.M.H.

Michael Bader is a psychologist and psychoanalyst in San Francisco with over 30 years of experience. He is the author of Male Sexuality: Why Women Don't Understand It-and Men Don't Either and Arousal: The Secret Logic of Sexuality Fantasies. Bader has written extensively about the interaction of psychology, culture, and politics in both academic journals and popular media such as Alternet.org and Tikkun Magazine. He has appeared as an expert in numerous documentaries, as well as radio and TV programs.

In addition to his clinical work and writing, Bader was also a founder of the Institute for Change, a progressive think-tank focused on leadership development and currently associated with the Service Employees International Union.

His PT blog is What Is He Thinking?

[cripplecreek]

In my experience, psychologists are more crazy than the general population.

Completely true. A former psychologist once told me that he went into the field because everyone around him was crazy and he wanted to find out why. He said it turned out that he was the one with problems.

He realized that there was something wrong with him after about 3 years in prison for burning his ex wife's house down. He said that he had felt justified in burning the house as a psychological lesson in "choices". She made a choice of dumping his crazy ass and he was teaching her that it was a bad choice.

[sockmonkey]

Michael Bader, D.M.H. has issues that need to be addressed by a qualified professional. Paranoia being one of them.

Now, now, haven't you read his article, Tired of Being Cool: Understanding my Love Affair with Barack Obama

I think I must have a low pain threshold as I couldn't get past the third sentence...I might even vomit.

[Crim]

Sheesh...the wizard of smart isnt even smart enough to edit his Bio...

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/bloggers/michael-bader-dmh

Michael Bader, D.M.H. Michael Bader is a psychologist and psychoanalyst in San Francisco with over 30 years of experience. He is the author of Male Sexuality: Why Women Don’t Understand It-and Men Don’t Either and Arousal: The Secret Logic of Sexuality Fantasies. Bader has written extensively about the interaction of psychology, culture, and politics in both academic journals and popular media such as Alternet.org and Tikkun Magazine. He has appeared as an expert in numerous documentaries, as well as radio and TV programs. In addition to his clinical work and writing, Bader was also a founder of the Institute for Change, a progressive think-tank focused on leadership development and currently associated with the Service Employees International Union.

He’s a frickin moonbat himself...

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/what-is-he-thinking

http://www.reasonandrant.blogspot.com/

[Red Steel]

This fruitcake would have fit well working as a Communist party apparatchik within the Soviet state sending people to mental institutions to punish them for dissent.

[ronnyquest]

Blind and moronic, spouting the party line without any consideration of the facts. He patently refuses to see the evidence before him, but wants to be the good guy, so he claims to "empathize" with Tea Party-goers. Who's more the crazy?

He, like many people I have met in the psychology profession, knows there is something wrong and doesn't go any further into the root cause of the "malady." His opening use of the word "hate," combined with the terribly unprofessional use of the words "crazy" and "fuckers," tells us a great deal about him. He is emotionally attached to the subject matter, a big no-no in psychology. He assumes that any departure from his personal world view must be mental illness. He is not capable of an objective assessment. He even goes so far as to hint that the Constitution and conservative values are irrelevant.

Something I have found that they really hate: analyze the analysts. They really hate that.

[thecabal]

Apparently, posting your condescending hatred for your patients on the Internet is considered acceptable behavior in this community of “doctors”. Great ethics there, you fruity headshrinker. If that doesn’t convince people to stay the hell away from this “reality based community” when they need help, then I don’t know what will. As far as I’m concerned, this guy is no better than a cult leader. He preys on people with mental and emotional damage in order to “progress” his radical agenda.

[Conservative Vermont Vet]

For example, someone I treat can't tolerate blame of any kind, can't take any responsibility for failures, and can't really be optimistic about the potential goodness in others. It's always someone else's fault.

Ah, Doc, might I suggest you focus on YOUR Phony, Narcissistic, Fascist, Man-Child, Community-Agitating, Dear Leader, as that description fits the Messiah to a "T!"