🗑️ 🧵 Has anyone here read this book and is it good?
Anonymous at Sun, 8 Sep 2024 18:20:56 UTC No. 16368482
MATTIAS DESMET IS professor of psychology at the University of Ghent (Belgium). He is well known in academic circles for his research on fraud within academia: Desmet analyzes the psychology of the researcher who gives in to the need to provide interesting results. During the Covid-19 crisis, Desmet played a critical role in pointing out fundamental mistakes in the way in which Western governments responded: according to Desmet, the policies of lockdown have been more detrimental and harmful than the virus itself. Governments are hiding this fact in the statistics that count victims of the Covid-19 policies as victims of the virus, thus creating an ever-growing monster. In his new book, The Psychology of Totalitarianism, he gives an account of how the mentality responsible for this mistake is shaped historically and psychologically.
At the origin of this psychology of totalitarianism is not some diabolical plan to control society, Desmet argues, but the way in which the world has become disenchanted: the success of science has led to a paradoxical “faith in science.” This faith in science is paradoxical because it distracts from the fact that science is essentially a methodology, not a consistent worldview. Taking science as a worldview, the world appears as a meaningless substance. As a result, the subject is cut loose from its traditional connections to the world and to society, which causes immense existential stress and anxiety. The ensuing atomized subject, Desmet quite plausibly argues, is highly vulnerable to totalitarian narratives.
Anonymous at Sun, 8 Sep 2024 18:21:20 UTC No. 16368483
Given Desmet’s focus on scientific integrity, it is surprising, and sometimes more than a little grating, how carelessly he presents his essay. The story of how science and modernity altered the worldview in Western society as it is presented here lacks the depth and sophistication of a work that analyzes the same development like Charles Taylor’s A Secular Age. The first four chapters are lifted probably from a course Desmet teaches at Ghent; they are only connected to the book’s thesis by way of two-sentence paragraphs at their very end, wherein the author glosses Hannah Arendt. Also, Desmet’s argument on the Covid-19 crisis is entirely one-sided. While he attacks the virologist who claimed that the young man who died after attending a party that violated the lockdown “didn’t deserve pity,” it is not evident that Desmet has much sympathy to those who died or whose lives are otherwise disrupted by the virus—the threat of Covid itself is never addressed seriously in the book. Finally, this critique of society ultimately relies on a mystical and religious attitude toward reality, which is certainly deserving of study, but it is mostly taken for granted here.
That said, and perhaps to a degree because of these privileges that Desmet assumes, The Psychology of Totalitarianism makes us question to what extent we are implicated in and duped by the culture of totalitarianism. Indeed, Desmet talks about how, if the ideologue does not believe his own narrative, he nevertheless believes that his cause warrants that exaggerated and distorted message. In that sense, Desmet’s book cannot rise above the playing field he aspires to analyze objectively.
Anonymous at Sun, 8 Sep 2024 21:13:32 UTC No. 16368705
>>16368483
>Given Desmet’s focus on scientific integrity, i
Sounds like a very specific theory about a current issue and not an encompassing sociological theory with wider applications. Its just commentary on a current issue, useless and boring.
Anonymous at Mon, 9 Sep 2024 09:11:39 UTC No. 16369403
>>16368483
>Finally, this critique of society ultimately relies on a mystical and religious attitude toward reality, which is certainly deserving of study, but it is mostly taken for granted here.
this desu
I like the book tho, but ending it with muh return to God was bleh
The book is good food for thought and allowed me to think about the inherent irrationality of people myself included. Doesn't really solve anything tho, Government has always allowed criminals too attack mass populations see Irish famine, Soviet famines etc.
The book does go over examples of ppl being nuts which is useful from a tail risk hedging perspective. In the end I think it's worth reading.
Anonymous at Mon, 9 Sep 2024 09:22:03 UTC No. 16369416
>>16368482
Psychology of totalitarianism revolves around propaganda. Control of media, control over truth, control over thoughts, control over speech, control over narratives, etc. And in truth, this is control over human will that which makes totalitarian governance surface itself.
This isn't just about covid and "science", science as used by the government is merely a tool to advance their control. The leftist politics is steeped in totalitarianism. Starting with the baseline marxist ideology hatred/disdain for independent human thought/will. Further any divergence from such independence is seen as "evil" in the forms of "inequality." In the nu-marxist term, "social capital." Identity politics.
Anonymous at Mon, 9 Sep 2024 19:22:26 UTC No. 16370232
>>16369416
>The leftist politics is steeped in totalitarianism.
Curious how history suggests the exact opposite.
>Starting with the baseline marxist ideology hatred/disdain for independent human thought/will.
Can you find one single quote supporting your claim?
>Identity politics
Identity politics has never been part of leftist politics, much less marxist ideology. In fact you cannot possibly conceive anything more radically antithetical to marxist thought than "identity politics"
Anonymous at Mon, 9 Sep 2024 19:37:18 UTC No. 16370259
>>16370232
>Curious how history suggests the exact opposite.
Soviet Union
China
100 million death from communist economic policy that revolved around taking away people's independent will/action and forcing them into state run economy.
And identity politics is built upon the marxist idea of capital inequality in society based upon various social classes. The "capital" recontextualized in terms of social dimension and inequality of the various social classes. This expands to include various social status class in society, including but not limited to racial class, gender class, sexual deviancy class, beauty/handsomness class, notions of privilege, etc.
All these come from individual differences and therefore are seen as "evil" of the society. Such that the leftist marxist demand the government cut off the legs of the tall, rich, strong, independent, normal, healthy, fit, etc to bring all things to equal status.
Anonymous at Mon, 9 Sep 2024 21:32:44 UTC No. 16370517
>>16370259
>Soviet Union
>China
Ah yes, history started with the Soviet Union, and also there were no leftists anywhere else in the world, thanks for reminding me.
>100 million death from communist
Still comparatively less than fascism which, on the other hand, not only promoted "taking away people's independent will/action", but were also very proud and outspoken about it.
>And identity politics is built upon the marxist idea of capital inequality
Bullshit. The central tenet of marxist ideology is that economic structure is at the basis of everything; identity politics rejects that tenet, so it rejects marxism.
>Such that the leftist marxist demand the government cut off the legs of the tall, rich, strong, independent, normal, healthy, fit, etc to bring all things to equal status.
Meanwhile, in the real world, the rise of leftism produced the highest degree of generalized freedom, prosperity and well-being ever seen in human history.
Anonymous at Tue, 10 Sep 2024 09:19:33 UTC No. 16371599
>>16368483
>Given Desmet’s focus on scientific integrity, it is surprising, and sometimes more than a little grating, how carelessly he presents his essay. The story of how science and modernity altered the worldview in Western society as it is presented here lacks the depth and sophistication of a work that analyzes the same development like Charles Taylor’s A Secular Age. The first four chapters are lifted probably from a course Desmet teaches at Ghent; they are only connected to the book’s thesis by way of two-sentence paragraphs at their very end, wherein the author glosses Hannah Arendt. Also, Desmet’s argument on the Covid-19 crisis is entirely one-sided. While he attacks the virologist who claimed that the young man who died after attending a party that violated the lockdown “didn’t deserve pity,” it is not evident that Desmet has much sympathy to those who died or whose lives are otherwise disrupted by the virus—the threat of Covid itself is never addressed seriously in the book. Finally, this critique of society ultimately relies on a mystical and religious attitude toward reality, which is certainly deserving of study, but it is mostly taken for granted here.
GPT, write a counter point to the above paragraph, as if you were writing for the NYT.
Anonymous at Tue, 10 Sep 2024 10:26:39 UTC No. 16371814
>>16370259
>100 million deaths
For a country the size of China? They always had famines. It was probably a historical success for them to live in an era where only 10% of their population starved
Anonymous at Tue, 10 Sep 2024 12:18:40 UTC No. 16372034
>>16368482
Thanks,
>>16371599
>GPT, write a counter point to the above paragraph, as if you were writing for the NYT.
derailing indicates a maybe useful book
>>16370232
>Can you find one single quote supporting your claim?
>>16370517
>Ah yes, history started with the Soviet Retarded state of /sci ignorantes, thanks for the reminder
Anonymous at Tue, 10 Sep 2024 16:36:59 UTC No. 16372489
>>16368482
Didn't read it. Just from the title "The Psychology of Totalitarianism" that you mention, right after I think of Political ponerology
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polit
Hopefully this Desmet doesn't skip it.
Check these out too:
https://link.springer.com/article/1
https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist
https://manhattan.institute/multime
https://www.city-journal.org/articl
https://www.firstthings.com/web-exc
Anonymous at Tue, 10 Sep 2024 17:22:35 UTC No. 16372603
>>16370517
>Ah yes, history started with the Soviet Union, and also there were no leftists anywhere else in the world, thanks for reminding me.
name a non-totalitarian extreme leftist society?
🗑️ Anonymous at Tue, 10 Sep 2024 21:56:49 UTC No. 16373253
>>16369416
>the baseline marxist ideology hatred/disdain for independent human thought/will.
they don't hate all independent human thought/will, they just hate everyone else's except their own. marxism/narcissism/solipsism are just 3 different names for the same personality disorder
🗑️ Anonymous at Thu, 12 Sep 2024 00:53:00 UTC No. 16375249
>>16373253
Marxists/socialist/communists etc are very low IQ people, their entire inner world revolved around their lack of self awareness and their resulting inability to perceive that others might see things differently than themselves. This in turn allows them to ridiculously project their own dumb fantasies and biases on the rest of the planet.
As a resut
>things would be so perfect if I was king of the universe, everyone would do what I think they should do
and
>things would be so perfect if communism was king of the universe, everyone would do what I think communism would think they should do
become synonymous
🗑️ Anonymous at Thu, 12 Sep 2024 23:40:39 UTC No. 16377713
>>16375249
most people are low IQ
Anonymous at Fri, 13 Sep 2024 17:58:13 UTC No. 16378888
>>16368482
where's the book on the psychology of liberalism?
also this thread belongs on >>>/pol/
🗑️ Anonymous at Sat, 14 Sep 2024 03:18:15 UTC No. 16379514
>>16370232
>>16370517
>>16371814
The only good leftist is a dead leftist.
No one has caused more murder and destruction than leftists.
Killing leftists is a moral imperative.
Killing leftists is self-defense.
Leftism is a destructive mental disease that must be eradicated from society if mankind is to reach the stars.
Anonymous at Sat, 14 Sep 2024 03:19:24 UTC No. 16379515
>>16370232
>>16370517
>>16371814
Leftism is a mental illness.
🗑️ Anonymous at Sat, 14 Sep 2024 03:35:38 UTC No. 16379528
>>16370232
>>16370517
>>16371814
Leftists are psychotic and evil people.
They're the spiteful mutant rejects of society.
They're the dregs of humanity.
Leftism is societal apoptosis.
Leftists subconsciously seek the extinction of their kind (hence their strangely fanatical support for things like contraception, abortion, euthanasia, population reduction, self-sterilization, "voluntary extinction", and other such weird ideas).
Subconsciously, leftists seek their own destruction (apoptosis), because they understand instinctively that their nature is corrupted with mutational load.
Leftists killing themselves would be all well and good.
Unfortunately, they see the rest of society as acceptable collateral damage, seeking to take it down with themselves, and even a rightful outlet for their rage at being born or having become deformed spiteful mutants.
Furthermore, leftists are IMMENSELY envious at other people's success and happiness. Hence why their entire worldview is oriented towards eating the "rich"/successful/happy/kulaks/"pri
Fundamentally, leftists endeavor to bring people DOWN to their level. They can only feel some semblance of comfort when everyone is as miserable, unhappy, lazy, unsuccessful, vapid, debased, corrupted, and wretched as they are.
Anonymous at Sat, 14 Sep 2024 03:38:42 UTC No. 16379531
>>16370232
>>16370517
>>16371814
If you want to understand the perverted leftist mentality, you need look no further than their idol, Karl Marx.
>Also prefiguring the man was a trait that Marx developed early in his youth and never relinquished: a shameless sponging on friends and relatives. Already in early 1837, Heinrich Marx, castigating his son Karl's wanton spending of the money of others, wrote to him that "on one point … you have wisely found fit to observe an aristocratic silence; I am referring to the paltry matter of money." Indeed, Marx took money from any source available: his father, mother, and throughout his adult life, his long-suffering friend and abject disciple, Friedrich Engels, all of whom fueled Marx's capacity for spending money like water.
>An insatiable spender of other people's money, Marx continually complained about a shortage of financial means. While sponging on Engels, Marx perpetually complained to his friend that his largess was never enough. Thus, in 1868, Marx insisted that he could not make do on an annual income of less than ÂŁ400-ÂŁ500, a phenomenal sum considering that the upper tenth of Englishmen in that period were earning an average income of only ÂŁ72 a year. Indeed, so profligate was Marx that he quickly ran through an inheritance from a German follower of ÂŁ824 in 1864, as well as a gift of ÂŁ350 from Engels in the same year.
>As in the case of many other spongers and cadgers throughout history, Karl Marx affected a hatred and contempt for the very material resource he was so anxious to cadge and use so recklessly. The difference is that Marx created an entire philosophy around his own corrupt attitudes toward money. Man, he thundered, was in the grip of the "fetishism" of money.
Leftists love Karl Marx because he was an evil, lazy, spiteful loser just like themselves.
They're kindred spirits, spiteful mutants, cut from the same cloth.
Anonymous at Sat, 14 Sep 2024 03:47:17 UTC No. 16379540
>>16370232
>>16370517
>>16371814
Besides envy and suicidality, the third foundation of leftism is "egalitarianism".
The dumber leftists are gullible enough to fall for the fantasy that people are "equal".
The slightly smarter leftists know that's bullshit, and use it on the dumber ones to seize power.
People are not equal.
Not in ability, strength, industriousness, grit, discipline, intelligence, courage, virtue, creativity, or any other personal trait.
To expect or desire equal outcomes is fundamentally irrational.
It's lunacy.
Egalitarianism is a LIE.
Anonymous at Sat, 14 Sep 2024 03:52:05 UTC No. 16379548
>>16370232
>>16370517
>>16371814
In closing, to bring the leftist psychology into sharp relief, let us read some poetry written by none other than their spiritual father, Karl Marx himself:
>The hellish vapors rise and fill the brain,
>Till I go mad and my heart is utterly changed.
>See this sword? The prince of darkness sold it to me. -
>For me beats the time and gives the signs.
>Ever more boldly I play the dance of death.
>Worlds I would destroy forever,
>Since I can create no world;
>Since my call they notice never …
>Then I will be able to walk triumphantly,
>Like a god, through the ruins of their kingdom.
>Every word of mine is fire and action.
>My breast is equal to that of the Creator.
>I shall build my throne high overhead
>Cold, tremendous shall its summit be.
>For its bulwark — superstitious dread
>For its marshal — blackest agony.
>See this sword?
>the prince of darkness
>Sold it to me.
>With Satan I have struck my deal,
>He chalks the signs, beats time for me
>I play the death march fast and free.
>I shall howl gigantic curses on mankind:
>Ha! Eternity! She is an eternal grief …
>Ourselves being clockwork, blindly mechanical,
>Made to be the foul-calendars of Time and Space,
>Having no purpose save to happen, to be ruined,
>So that there shall be something to ruin …
>If there is a something which devours,
>I’ll leap within it, though I bring the world to ruins-
>The world which bulks between me and the Abyss
>I will smash to pieces with my enduring curses.
>I’ll throw my arms around its harsh reality:
>Embracing me, the world will dumbly pass away,
>And then sink down to utter nothingness,
>Perished, with no existence — that would be really living!
>Words I teach all mixed up into a devilish muddle.
>Thus, anyone may think just what he chooses to think.
>Thus heaven I’ve forfeited, I know it full well.
>My soul, once true to God, is chosen for hell.
Anonymous at Sat, 14 Sep 2024 03:53:26 UTC No. 16379551
tl;dr: Leftists are spiteful mutants who seek to bring everyone down to their level and—ultimately—destroy everyone and everything, because they hate the world and themselves.
Anonymous at Sat, 14 Sep 2024 04:12:04 UTC No. 16379561
>>16369403
>I like the book tho, but ending it with muh return to God was bleh
That's because you're dim and stuck in the mindset you absorbed from reddit.
Anonymous at Sat, 14 Sep 2024 05:42:23 UTC No. 16379641
>>16368482
>the policies of lockdown have been more detrimental and harmful than the virus itself.
For the economy, sure, but are you just supposed to sit by and watch as a poorly understood new virus spreads around the globe and do nothing to at least even try to limit its reach?
Anonymous at Sat, 14 Sep 2024 10:33:25 UTC No. 16379779
>>16368482
the only way to make socialism work is to couple it with nationalism, hierarchy and eugenics.
Anonymous at Sat, 14 Sep 2024 16:15:10 UTC No. 16380153
>>16379748
>largest oil reserves in the world
>such a shithole that a third of the population has fled the country
The miracles of socialism
🗑️ Anonymous at Sun, 15 Sep 2024 21:27:50 UTC No. 16382318
>>16380153
>b-b-b-but it wasn't real socialism!!!
Anonymous at Mon, 16 Sep 2024 06:35:48 UTC No. 16382735
>>16370232
Kek this triggered the retard
Anonymous at Mon, 16 Sep 2024 07:23:18 UTC No. 16382759
>>16380153
>be socialismo country
>everyone is poor and oppressed except for a select minority
>government is openly tyrannical
>be mcdonalds country
>everyone is poor and oppressed except for a select minority
>government is covertly tyrannical
one of these is more honest than the other
Anonymous at Mon, 16 Sep 2024 07:31:07 UTC No. 16382761
>>16368482
Finally, the Anti-Reddit cometh.
It's about time someone pointed out the utter hypocrisy of them all.
raphael at Mon, 16 Sep 2024 16:04:47 UTC No. 16383364
this all just boils down to subconscious programming which is what jews do through ML engineering at tiktok chinks and meta
fuck kikes i wanna gas them so bad
Anonymous at Mon, 16 Sep 2024 16:12:21 UTC No. 16383380
>>16382759
>>be mcdonalds country
Which country are you referring to?
Anonymous at Tue, 17 Sep 2024 04:36:33 UTC No. 16384205
>>16383380
any israeli vassal state
🗑️ Anonymous at Wed, 18 Sep 2024 01:27:49 UTC No. 16385482
>>16384205
they aren't covertly authoritarian at all. just try naysaying the jews or any of their pet projects and see how quickly you get cracked down on
Anonymous at Wed, 18 Sep 2024 02:07:02 UTC No. 16385524
>>16385482
they dont wield that power directly though, the zionist oligarchs run the governments and use blackmail with insider trading and mossad ops like the epstein sex parties
Anonymous at Wed, 18 Sep 2024 02:17:17 UTC No. 16385545
>>16379548
>>16379540
>>16379531
>>16379528
>>16379515
>>16379514
>>16370259
Socialism (Kautsky’s version) won. The forces of reaction largely lost.
>Legalization of unions
>Right to collective bargaining
>Old age pensions
>Universal healthcare
>Abolition of child labor
>Workplace safety legislation
>Unemployment insurance
The workers in the West got everything they wanted and so had no need for revolution. Even in violently anti-Labor America they won and got the majority of their demands. 20th century Labor Socialism is one of the most successful movements in history.
Chuds will continue to cope at this more than a century later.
Anonymous at Wed, 18 Sep 2024 03:05:58 UTC No. 16385597
>>16385545
>socialism won
>people groveling for tips and fighting for their turn of subservience to billionaires who evade taxes legally forever because they can afford the opportunity cost to do so
>unions btfoed by lobbyists eternally or corrupt themselves
kek
Anonymous at Wed, 18 Sep 2024 03:43:31 UTC No. 16385629
>>16370517
Death to all commies like you. You belong on /lit/ with all your faggot friends
Anonymous at Wed, 18 Sep 2024 04:11:11 UTC No. 16385648
>>16385629
"ummm, define communism" in 3... 2.... 1...
Anonymous at Wed, 18 Sep 2024 04:37:59 UTC No. 16385670
>>16385597
Please. The Western working class lives in luxury compared to a century ago when they lived 2 families to a tenement and had to regularly risk bodily injury for half of todays minimum wage (even adjusted for inflation).
Anonymous at Wed, 18 Sep 2024 06:46:07 UTC No. 16385769
>>16385670
materially perhaps
🗑️ Anonymous at Wed, 18 Sep 2024 18:37:34 UTC No. 16386387
>>16378888
this is a thread about the science of psychology, you're just too emotionally unstable to be objective about the topic and think about it in scientific terms only because you're obsessed with politics in your emotional life, you're the one who belongs on /pol/. please take your cringey "this is what I'd do if I was in charge" power fantasies and vamoose
🗑️ Anonymous at Thu, 19 Sep 2024 00:58:13 UTC No. 16386957
>>16386387
>power fantasies
🗑️ Anonymous at Thu, 19 Sep 2024 19:20:30 UTC No. 16388108
>>16385670
The minimum wage 50 years ago was about $1.50/hour
The price of gold 50 years ago was about $40/ounce
50 years ago the minimum wage would buy you more than an ounce of gold a week.
An ounce of gold is worth over $2500