I’ve been pondering the fact that nearly half of the voters in this country seemed prepared to vote for Donald Trump, a man who will destroy our nation.
I naively thought that when it became obvious that Trump is a delusional narcissist, pathological liar, business cheat, and authoritarian demagogue it would serve as a tipping point. I was wrong.
[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]No doubt the “high” is glorious, but as with meth addiction, there will be a terrible price to pay.[/pullquote]
Oh, his supporters know that Trump is a delusional narcissist, pathological liar, thief and fascist. They simply can’t give him up. To his supporters, Trump is like meth and they are in the grip of addiction.
Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant that it used and abused recreationally.
How do people get started on meth?
Methamphetamine increases the amount of the neurotransmitter dopamine, leading to high levels of that chemical in the brain. Dopamine is involved in reward, motivation, the experience of pleasure, and motor function. Methamphetamine’s ability to release dopamine rapidly in reward regions of the brain produces the euphoric “rush” or “flash” that many users experience.
It is extremely addictive:
Repeated methamphetamine use can easily lead to addiction—a chronic, relapsing disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use.
Donald Trump is like meth. For his supporters, his ugly, bigoted pathological behavior appears to produce something like a dopamine rush leading to the experience of pleasure.
It’s easy to understand the pleasure that bigots get from Trump. He has made America free again — free for racism, sexism and homophobia. Hate can once again come out to play and that’s an amazing rush for the white supremacists and their ilk.
But what about the rest of his supporters? They get a rush from Trump, too.
According to The New York Times:
Most voters consider Donald J. Trump a risky choice for president, saying he lacks the right temperament and values, but he is seen as more transformative …
Several Trump supporters said in follow-up interviews that they believed he was worth the risk, given the economic and security challenges facing the nation. Forty-eight percent of voters think Mr. Trump could bring real change to Washington …
“The risky part with Trump is the fact of his rhetoric, how he says things,” said Patrick Kellegher, 52, a political independent and a retired deputy sheriff from Anaconda, Mont. “But I think he is outside the known government circles.” He added, “I think Trump will bring about real change because he’s looking at it through a different scope.”
What do Trump supporters mean when they invoke “real change?” It can’t be change in their personal circumstances. Everyone knows that Trump stands only for Trump and will use the presidency as an opportunity to plunder the country on behalf of himself and his children just like an other tinpot dictator.
They mean he will be a kick in the teeth to the despised elites of this country. What a rush to those who viewed themselves as demeaned and discarded by those same elites. Sweet justice!
No doubt the “high” is glorious, but as with meth addiction, there will be a terrible price to pay.
… In studies of chronic methamphetamine users, severe structural and functional changes have been found in areas of the brain associated with emotion and memory, which may account for many of the emotional and cognitive problems observed in these individuals.
Long-term methamphetamine use has many negative consequences for physical health, including extreme weight loss, severe dental problems (“meth mouth”), and skin sores …
The addiction to Trump will also have serious long term consequences including destruction of our standing in the world and erosion of our freedoms.
It also explains why journalists and political operatives have been powerless to stop Trump’s rise. Reasoning with a Trump supporter is like reasoning with a meth addict. They know you’re right, but they are helpless to stop themselves from destruction. The high has become everything to them.
However Trump is different from meth in a critical way: the high he offers is not physically addictive, which leaves some hope that those in the grip of Trump addiction can understand what the future portends. In exchange for the temporary rush of payback to the elites, Trump supporters will face the same ugly consequences as the rest of us: the plundering of our country, the destruction of the rule of law and the betrayal of our ideals.
Trump supporters need to ask themselves if it will be worth it.
