written 2 June, 2024
published 9 June 2024
When a kitten first sees itself in a mirror, it reacts as if being threatened by an enemy. This is "projection as perception" in action. There is no threat in reality, only in the mind of the perceiver. While humorous in a kitten, it is more consequential in our own lives. The stories we tell ourselves are projected onto the "outer" world, and then we react as if they are real, becoming trapped in a delusion bubble.
Trump is a perfect example. Born into a wealthy, dysfunctional family, with a sociopathic father and an emotional absent mother, Trump developed as a narcissist, devoid of empathy, removed from the world. His father taught there are only killers and losers, so everyone is either a threat or a mark. Since Trump axiomatically CAN'T be a loser, he thinks he is smarter than everyone, not subject to the rules binding ordinary people. He became a corrupt, cowardly bully.
In business, Trump cheated contractors, betrayed partners, lied to gain advantage, and inflated his "brand". Using his wealth, he would sue people into submission, rather than honoring contracts.
Despite this, his charity and University were shut down as frauds, and Trump branded commodities sold poorly and disappeared. He went bankrupt running casinos, and his real estate empire defaulted banks so often he was forced to borrow laundered Russian money. By the time he was elected president, Trump had been involved in over 4,000 legal cases, as "a natural part of doing business".
Once elected, he moved beyond civil crimes. He was impeached twice, for attempted blackmail of another country, and inciting insurrection after losing the election. His business has been found fraudulent and fined. He has been convicted and fined for sexual assault, and fined again for continued defamation.
Three trials are currently delayed by Trump supporters in the judicial system. The classified documents case is stalled by a judge Trump appointed. The Georgia election interference case and the DC January 6th insurrection cases are on hold while the Republican majority on the Supreme Court "ponders" if the president is an emperor, above the law, immune from prosecution.
The New York election interference trail was a State case, beyond Republican interference. Despite whining about "rigged justice", Trump was afforded every legal right under the law, and a jury found him guilty of 34 felony counts, a first for Trump.
All his life, Trump has claimed credit for everything and accepted responsibility for nothing. The unanimous guilty verdict was a reality check on a deluded individual, and cult MAGA is furious, because their "dear leader" has been treated like an ordinary American citizen.
For myself, I was relieved. Our democratic bedrock of equal protection under the law was vindicated by ordinary citizens, who were not stunned by the privilege expected by immense wealth and power. However, as a nation, we still have to deal with the Republican "leadership", which used to have principles and supported the rule of law. Now, in a desperate attempt to remain in power, they present no policies, other than abjectly surrender to a corrupt, conman autocrat as their representative. Further, there are many Americans so aggrieved by the injustices in their lives they are willing to project their anger out onto the world and follow this flawed individual.
However, another social delusion is also headed toward a reality check: the climate crisis. For over 50 years, we have been warned about the consequences of our fossil fuel addiction. Originally this was thought to be a problem for the future, but the science was incomplete, and the feedback systems are more numerous, so we are already seeing the impact today. Around the world, heat, drought, water shortages, fires, flooding, storms, and increased crop losses are making news every week.
The May sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico were as high as we normally see in August, and NOAA is forecasting a 50 percent increase in hurricanes this summer. A heat dome sits over Mexico. The same delusional, isolationist mindset that fuels cult MAGA hinders dealing with the climate. What form will a climate reality check take? Will it be a heat wave that kills hundreds of thousands? Will one, or possibly two, category 5 hurricane running through Florida, killing people and crashing the insurance industry clarify the issue? This is the hottest summer on record. Stay tuned, we have no idea what is coming.
