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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCharlie Trump in the Desert
Mr. and Mrs. America, you are wrong. I am not the King of the Jews, or a hippie cult leader.
Charles Manson
A while ago, I went to the movies with my sons. It was only the second time I've been in a movie theater since 2000, as I tend to be selective in what interests me. My boys told me that I'd like this flick, because it would remind me of events from my youth. The movie is Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Strange, strange movie that is worth seeing.
On the ride home, they asked my opinion of Manson? I said that I have never cared for anyone who wants a band of obedient followers, who punishes anyone who questions him, who is a sexist and racist, who confuses himself with God, who rants about the need for a race war in the United States, and who tries to spark that violent race war. Other than that, Charlie was just another cowardly, paranoid asshole.
What did I think of Vincent Bugliosi's Helter Skelter prosecution theory? Well, I think he did a good job overall. He was laying out a script that the jury could follow. There was a lot of information that wasn't brought out, in part because of the legal system's rules on introducing evidence, and partly because Mr. Bugliosi needed to focus on to get convictions.
A week later, the younger son brought me a new book by Tom O'Neill, Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties. It's an interesting read, but it's not what I want to discuss here. Nor do I want to talk about Manson. But I do want to talk about another individual who seeks obedient followers, seeks to punish anyone who questions him, who is a sexist and racist, confuses himself with God, and who gets excited about a race war in the USA that he is trying his darnedest to spark.
Now, in case you can't guess who I mean, let's look at a couple more clues. Like Charlie, this person's being was severely damaged in his formative years though it is doubtful either would have cured cancer if their childhoods and youths were different. Both crave media attention, and think they can fool people by spouting crazy shit. Yet, neither could be mistaken for normal or well-adjusted, no matter what words came out of their mouths. One last clue: while both liked to threaten people, neither could win a fair fight, and thus depend upon zombie cult members to do their dirty work.
Now, a much more important book for current times is the second edition of The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump. It's an updated version with 37 mental health professionals with outstanding credentials, explaining why Trump continues to pose more of a danger to our society. This, too, is a topic I've explored here several times.
Here, I have attempted to identify in a subtle manner some curious personality traits that Trump has in common with Charlie. And that's because both of the books I've mentioned speak to the inevitable path that sociopath cult leaders take when they are under increasing tension that they believe has the potential to undercut their power. Their presentation becomes increasingly unhinged.
This includes their being saturated in unrealistic conspiracy theories that identify themselves and their loyal followers as the select, and their opposition as less than human. It either doesn't occur to their followers that the exact opposite is true, or they are too afraid to disagree. Stupid and cowardly isn't a good combination. The more they agree with their leader, the more irrational that leader becomes. The leader speaks increasingly in a way that promotes his followers tendencies toward violence.
In the Manson Family case, of course, the results were a series of murders, including several that various members were convicted of. Charlie thought he could beat the rap by claiming that he personally wasn't involved, and that he never told anyone to kill anyone else. He was, of course, lying.
Looking back, it is possible to see that if certain people including those who were employed in law enforcement had taken action earlier, it is possible, even very likely, lives could have been saved. Lots of people recognized that Manson was dangerous. And that includes people that should have recognized the path he and his followers were taking.
Lots of people recognize how dangerous Trump is today. Thirty-seven mental health experts are warning us what path he is going down. They understand a sociopath under pressure poses risks to society. It's time for Congress to take greater steps to put him in check, and recognize the nation cannot wait for the November, 2020 election. There's more than enough material for them to write an impeachment script.

BigmanPigman
(52,561 posts)I came across it today even though it was written in 2016 before the election. Very long but pretty accurate in my opinion.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/06/the-mind-of-donald-trump/480771/
H2O Man
(76,159 posts)I read it when it came out, but it is definitely well worth reading again. Much appreciated.
saidsimplesimon
(7,888 posts)This is an excellent article.
Across his lifetime, Donald Trump has exhibited a trait profile that you would not expect of a U.S. president: sky-high extroversion combined with off-the-chart low agreeableness. This is my own judgment, of course, but I believe that a great majority of people who observe Trump would agree. There is nothing especially subtle about trait attributions. We are not talking here about deep, unconscious processes or clinical diagnoses. As social actors, our performances are out there for everyone to see.
Like George W. Bush and Bill Clinton (and Teddy Roosevelt, who tops the presidential extroversion list), Trump plays his role in an outgoing, exuberant, and socially dominant manner. He is a dynamodriven, restless, unable to keep still. He gets by with very little sleep. In his 1987 book, The Art of the Deal, Trump described his days as stuffed with meetings and phone calls. Some 30 years later, he is still constantly interacting with other peopleat rallies, in interviews, on social media. Presidential candidates on the campaign trail are studies in perpetual motion. But nobody else seems to embrace the campaign with the gusto of Trump. And no other candidate seems to have so much fun. A sampling of his tweets at the time of this writing:
mountain grammy
(27,533 posts)At the time I remember thinking, if the news would report that "piece of ass" quote and his Howard Stern interviews, and other real trump quotes, that just might have made the difference.. but there were those emails.
I'll never get over it.
BigmanPigman
(52,561 posts)Those who didn't vote at all or voted for him knew enough about him to know better. They would do it again since they are so purposely ignorant, hateful or just plain asses, or all three combined.
LessAspin
(1,485 posts)That is really something! Thank you!
lunatica
(53,410 posts)We, in a generalized abstract way, are enabling a madman to continue acting out his insanity, even as we see daily proof that he is mad. Thats behavior that is just as insane as Trumps.
The world doesnt seem very real anymore because it has gone nuts. People see things that are obviously not right but yet continue to act like its right. Its bizarre. All the time.
H2O Man
(76,159 posts)You nailed it -- no surprise there! I hesitate to even mention Manson, but comparisons to Hitler have lost some of the power to communicate just what path we are being led down. If and when Trump goes "too far" for even republicans, it won't be a shock to us. But people will look back and wonder, with all of the very obvious signs, why no one stopped him.
Thank you.
spanone
(138,178 posts)kentuck
(113,228 posts)...had a segment where they visited Charles Manson in prison and studied his mind and behavior. It is the same guy that played Manson in "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood".
I saw that.
I remember many years ago, listening to a forensic psychiatrist talking about Charlie. He called him a
"psychiatric oddity."
BSdetect
(9,048 posts)Their perfidy ought to haunt them.
H2O Man
(76,159 posts)I know that some of the contributors to the book "The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump" have been in communication with democrats in the House and Senate since the first edition was released. I am not sure if any republicans or members of the current administration have listened to them. But if not, their ignorance is by choice.
lunatica
(53,410 posts)ronatchig
(575 posts)He is finally in the hole where he will stay. Soon, red and blue et.al., will be there,too.
I find it comforting that even the most evil turn to dust .
The fame that Charlie was able to stir up for himself will soon be forgotten. It is that fact that would bother him and his Orange brother the most.
Hermit-The-Prog
(36,631 posts)Would that work on twitter?
It is eery to see their similarities spelled out as you have. Thanks. I think.
Harker
(15,578 posts)is on a much bigger killing spree than the Manson family achieved.
mountain grammy
(27,533 posts)to see that one, based on your recommendation.
I only go to super hero stuff with my grands.. mindless fun.