Nick Carmody JD, MS Psych Profile picture
Jul 5, 2021 22 tweets 6 min read Read on X
While aggregating threads/articles for a book project, I came across a 9/30/19 thread responding to Trump retweeting "pastor" @robertjeffress stating there would be "civil war like fracture" if Trump was held accountable for high crimes & misdemeanors. 1/vox.com/policy-and-pol…
The thread pointed out that Trump had made cryptic insinuations about "civil war" six months earlier in a March interview with Breitbart....2/
The relevant Trump quote:

"I have the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of Bikers for Trump. I have the tough people, but they don’t play it tough...until they go to a certain point, & then it would be very bad, very bad". 3/
thehill.com/homenews/admin…
For years, Trump was undoubtedly told by Bannon/Stephen Miller/etc, that the "tough people"...the military, law enforcement, & the majority of gun owners had Trump's back.

All they needed was a catalyst to cause them to "go to a certain point...& it would be very, very bad". 3/
That catalyst was the "Big Lie".

The lie was the incitement that caused the insurrection.

Every other comment made on January 6th by Trump, Rudy ("Trial by Combat"), etc., was made in support of the initial incitement:

Repeatedly lying about the 2020 election being stolen. 4/
If duty-bound, and duty-driven people (military/law enforcement) are told that the election was stolen enough times........eventually even rational/decent people will start to question reality.....with some eventually acting upon those lies. 5/
If a superior officer lies to a good (wo)man enough times, it will eventually result in the misapplication of their values, and the mis-performance of their duties.

Basically, this can result in good people doing the wrong thing for what they believe are the "right" reasons. 6/
This can often be a basis, or part of the process, for radicalization.

The Right is well aware of this, and actively exploits the situation.....as analyzed in this thread about General Milley's congressional testimony, and Trump's subsequent speech. 7/
Two relevant tweets from the 2019 thread: 10/
Portions of a recent thread/events: 19/
2021:
Thread analyzing tribalization, confirmation bias, conspiracy theories, etc.:
Just rewrote this morning's thread (about Trump tipping his hand to the insurrection in a 2019 speech) as an article here (no paywall):patreon.com/posts/53339045

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More from @Nick_Carmody

Apr 11
Article about device addiction by @brianklaas, which references @JonHaidt's book "the Anxious Generation" analyzing the effect smart phones have on kids.

I work with kids who struggle with electronic device dependency/addiction.

Let's unpack...

1/

forkingpaths.co/p/the-moronic-…
In my sessions kids & parents, we focus on device dependency/addiction...

...the neuropsychology of addiction (dopamine)...

...analogizing it to other addictions for perspective...

....and distinguishing it from other addictions to show how difficult it is to manage....

2/
.....b/c unlike other addictions, we can't completely abstain from electronics in modern society.

So it's like telling an alcoholic they not only CAN have several drinks each day...

...but they MUST have several drinks each day...

...and to just not "overdo it".

3/
Read 11 tweets
Apr 3
Good article by @brianklaas:

I attached relevant threads about Qanon, the neuropsychology of conspiracy theory susceptibility, and how dopamine/addiction and celebrity gossip/entertainment factors in, etc.

1/

forkingpaths.co/p/the-science-…
Read 4 tweets
Mar 9
It's difficult to remember all of the things that should repulse otherwise decent people who continue to support a severely disordered man who they would otherwise condemn in any other context.

Relevant threads are attached below:

1/
Read 6 tweets
Jan 12
Thread of threads analyzing the psychology of why tens of millions of people support/follow/defend someone as severely disordered as Trump:

First, a thread analyzing how victimhood erodes self-efficacy, and creates susceptibility to authoritarianism:
1/

Image
Thread of threads analyzing the psychology of why tens of millions of people support/follow/defend someone as severely disordered as Trump.

A thread analyzing the "non-falsifiability" of the Trump myth:

2/


Image
Thread of threads analyzing the psychology of why tens of millions of people support/follow/defend someone as severely disordered as Trump.

A thread analyzing the effect that disordered leaders have on society:

3/


Image
Read 22 tweets
Dec 1, 2023
Perhaps the most important factor in analyzing political behavior:

People have an innate need to believe they are the "good guys".

Let’s unpack….

1/
Image
At the core of “Us-versus-Them” narratives is the in-group’s innate belief that they are the "good guys"...

.....and that the "out group", or the “them” are the "bad guys".

2/
Another important point is the role that victimhood plays in us-versus-them, “good guy” narratives.

Victimhood both implicitly/explicitly frames conflict in terms of good guys and bad guys:

The victims are always the "good guys"...

...and perpetrators are always bad guys.

3/
Read 28 tweets
Nov 13, 2023
Dopamine appears to play a role in confirmation bias, tribalism, conspiracy theory susceptibility, & “revenge politics".

People often ask:

How do we fix this, or “detox” the country?

After studying recent clinical trial data...

...is the answer “Ozempic”?

Let’s unpack…

1/
First, let’s review:

In 2018, I observed the parallels in political tribalism/conflict, and addiction.

I asked an advisor if i could focus on this in a grad school thesis, but was told I didn’t have the time, and the program didn’t have the resources.

2/
In 2021, I alluded to a possible addiction/dopamine link with politics in a @projectlincoln podcast......

3/
Read 18 tweets

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