Karen Stenner is a political psychologist who predicted the rise of a Trump figure back when the idea brought ridicule.
She understands how to neutralize the dangers posed by authoritarians.
@karen_stenner
buzzsprout.com/1738464/823913……
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She understands how to neutralize the dangers posed by authoritarians.
@karen_stenner
buzzsprout.com/1738464/823913……
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To give you the authoritarian dynamic in a nutshell:
A certain segment of the population has an authoritarian (anti-democratic) personality. They'll never feel comfortable in a liberal democracy.
By liberal democracy, I mean ⤵️
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A certain segment of the population has an authoritarian (anti-democratic) personality. They'll never feel comfortable in a liberal democracy.
By liberal democracy, I mean ⤵️
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As liberal democracy expands, those with an authoritarian personality push back. This creates an endless dynamic.
I've phrased it this way: Progressives push forward; reactionaries push back. It's an endless cycle.
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I've phrased it this way: Progressives push forward; reactionaries push back. It's an endless cycle.
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. @karen_stenner explains the psychology of those who keep pushing back.
She says things people don't like to hear. She says that there are also authoritarians on the left side of the spectrum. She says that people are born with personality these personality traits.
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She says things people don't like to hear. She says that there are also authoritarians on the left side of the spectrum. She says that people are born with personality these personality traits.
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I'm not a psychologist, but from studying history I've come to the same conclusions.
People opposed to democracy have always been with us. They justified slavery. They took land from Native people. They passed Jim Crow laws.
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People opposed to democracy have always been with us. They justified slavery. They took land from Native people. They passed Jim Crow laws.
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To see the modern GOP as something that suddenly sprang into existence over the past 40 or 50 years is to ignore our history.
The impulse to concentrate power into the hands of a few people has deep roots in American history.
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The impulse to concentrate power into the hands of a few people has deep roots in American history.
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Since I veered into history, I'll add that I discovered
@HC_Richardson several years ago while I was researching my Making of America series. She wrote a book called To Make Men Free, about the history of the Republican Party.
She lays out our history of oligarchy.
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@HC_Richardson several years ago while I was researching my Making of America series. She wrote a book called To Make Men Free, about the history of the Republican Party.
She lays out our history of oligarchy.
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She says we've had two oligarchies (lots of power concentrated in the hands of a few people.) This first was the plantation system. The second was the age of robber barons. And since Reagan, we've been tipping into a third.
The Civil War got us out of the first . . .
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The Civil War got us out of the first . . .
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. . . but led us directly into the second. Once the Republicans got the power from the plantation owners, they built the infrastructure industry needs and we had a business boom.
The New Deal got us out of our second oligarchy.
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The New Deal got us out of our second oligarchy.
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The New Deal taught us that legislation backed by a majority of voters can turn things around fast.
By fast, by the way, I don't mean within 90 days. I mean a few years-- if pro-democracy voters keep turning out in large numbers.
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By fast, by the way, I don't mean within 90 days. I mean a few years-- if pro-democracy voters keep turning out in large numbers.
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Also adding that FDR had lots of setbacks and frustration, and he was limited in what he could do.
For one thing, the reactionary Supreme Court kept overturning his legislation. That took years to overcome.
But the change from the 1920s to the 1950s and 1960s is stunning.
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For one thing, the reactionary Supreme Court kept overturning his legislation. That took years to overcome.
But the change from the 1920s to the 1950s and 1960s is stunning.
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Among other things, I appreciate that she offers solutions and ideas.
I believe this is partly because she has done the actual research, which gives her more insight into the dynamic.
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https://twitter.com/raortman/status/1377232521990131721
I believe this is partly because she has done the actual research, which gives her more insight into the dynamic.
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