THE TRUMP PHENOMENON

It is very tempting to be pulled into the Trump phenomenon, but I believe it is about much more than an individual named Donald J. Trump. He is merely the ball we are kicking around for reasons that go much deeper than this individual. However, he seems to have just the right qualities needed for unconscious, emotional projections. We Americans have given him far more substance than he has as an individual and this is true whether one is a Trump lover or hater.

People can invent any alternate reality that will protect their self-esteem.  The weaker the sense of self-worth, the more likely they will fight against anything that threatens to expose something they don’t want to own about themselves or to someone who fails to live up to their admiration.  

The national news is now at least three fourths of time and content about the president and his spinning drama. Of course, the drama is ours and it is so newsworthy that no one can avoid being pulled into the magnetic force of the spin.

The worst part of the Trump phenomenon that I can see, is that there is now a war between the parties and the fate of the country is no longer the reason for their actions. It has become a football game with fans that take one side or the other. A football team has loyalty based on emotional identification with the team for personal, family tradition, or locational loyalty. It is an ego enhancing or disheartening situation not an ideological issue.

Its well known psychologically, that abused children often fiercely defend their abuser, and may seek to incorporate his/her values and behavior. “Identification with the abuser”, it is called. Even if an abused child hates its abuser, he/she may unconsciously copy the abuser’s behavior. Donald Trump had an abusive father whom he has emulated in many ways as he has emulated the behavior of other questionable authority figures. Now, this diseased response is being transferred to his fellow Republican’s. Even more significantly, this behavior has affected the entire country and both parties. It’s an old strategy of rage expression that I will describe as, “lets you and him fight,” and this implies that there is another party enjoying the skirmish from a safe location. 

I find myself being glad that I’m not a Republican during this time in our country, but this emotional reaction is one of the attitudes that accompany this very pattern, and I’m not proud of it. In fact, I acknowledge that this isn’t about party loyalty. I’m not even a dedicated democrat, but because I’m horrified by the Trump phenomena, it’s tempting to choose sides with an intensity beyond my normal feelings.

 I like the mental picture of “two cats in a bag.” Anyone who knows cats immediately recognizes that if one put two cats in a bag together, they would scream and claw each other to death. It is of course, the third party who created the situation who is to blame. I now recognize that democrats and republicans (intentionally uncapitalized) haven’t seriously entertained the thought that an external force may have designed this situation.

Is it the desire of American enemies or competitors to keep us fighting each other?  Could that have been the intent of Russian interference in our election. Now it is fanning out in all directions. It is better than a bomb if you are an enemy. A bomb would direct hostile energy at the bomber, whereas this kind of war is much more effective.  It causes a country to destroy itself from the inside out. I’m reminded that Russian operatives call unconscious agents, “useful idiots.” Is that America at this time? 

The situation is also bringing out the worst in many presidential appointees. Some of these people were normal politicians before the Trump event. They are now unable to unhook themselves from the Trump phenomena. Please recognize that I’m not demonizing Trump himself. He has completely volunteered to be used in this way because his inner structure is entirely dependent on the response of others. It is those others who are caring out the agenda of someone else.

 Maybe it’s the devil giving us a stiff trial to see what we are made of. I remember that powerful Sufi saying, “the devil is God’s most humble servant.” Someone is serving the devil in this situation. Perhaps it is the Donald, perhaps it is Putin, and perhaps more significantly it is we the public and our representatives. I suspect it is all those named who have been pulled into this drama. If we really want to save ourselves, we will seriously ask what sits hidden behind this situation. According to my Taos Pueblo husband, a witch gets his/her power by psychically immobilizing the chosen victim. Blaming and shaming will not break the spell, not participating in the deception will.