Perhaps most importantly, why his followers undergo conversion. (It really unravelled some major mysteries for me - how they were converted and why they stick with him.)

You've probably heard of her before, and if so, that she was fired from Yale for violating the so-called "Goldwater Rule" (a professional rule barring clinicians diagnosis of a public figure without meeting them - A-OK by me FWIW).

This speech, however, was streamed only eight days ago (and for those of you who prefer transcripts to videos, that's an option).

It's not that the thoughts were brand new taken piecemeal, but coming together and so lucidly, it was powerful. (Sadly, to the point of being depressing, because of how convincingly it argues the impossibility of getting through to them in the slightest.)

Especially interesting at the moment (compared to when she began to speak out a few years ago), because of:

1) The recent expose of Tucker Carlson's true views of Trump

2) The fascinating on-going trial of the eloquent journalist raped 30 years ago by Trump in a Bergdorf Goodman's dressing room. Wow! She was allowed to speak out owing to a revised New York State law, favoring victims of sex crimes. It could hardly be more convincing, nor could he have incriminated himself more completely with his extreme faux-pas - to wit:

The combination of his infuriating denial based on her looks (paraphrase: "I couldn't have raped her because she's not my type"), followed incredibly by his mistaking a photograph of her for a picture of his second wife Marla Maples! I mean what more could they want?

And with all that (and his other court cases) , it hasn't touched the enthusiastic response to his presidential bid for re-election!

Both news above remind me of the infamous braggadocio of Trump's claim (which Dr. Lee brings up, paraphrase): "I could shoot someone to death on Fifth Avenue without its affecting my popularity at all."

This discussion tells it like it is, especially about why his followers can't be dissuaded come what may (and why this is a cardinal symptom of a nation's fall to Fascism). As in"The True Believer", she explicates clearly, the contagious mental illness Trump succeeds in purveying to his captivated disciples.

Really worth listening or reading it. Satisfying for me (however nauseating)- because of how lucidly she explains it clinically. Also (what she describes as her "duty") in issuing her warning to anyone paying attention.

My computer has a glitch preventing me from cutting and pasting (turns all attempts into either French letters or math symbols! ) However, I hope you can look it up on youtube
by title: "Top Psychiatrist Sounds Alarm on Trump's Increasing mental deterioration" (regrettable title).

Just FYI, look up Bandy Lee, not Brandi Li.

I did find that interview but don’t have time to listen right now.

quote:

Originally posted by RealPlayer:
Just FYI, look up Bandy Lee, not Brandi Li.

I did find that interview but don’t have time to listen right now.

Right, I got the Lee then missed it, and just typoed Brandi.

As I noted, though, it IS available in a transcript which helps!

Thanks Amanda, I finally listened to the whole interview. Of course much of what she says repeats what we already know of Trump's mental state, but as you say, what's fascinating is her discussion of "Trump Contagion" and his means of gaining followers through an emotional connection that blinds them to the perils of Trumpism. That there can be mental contagion in a populace as well as physical. And we all have experienced this among people who were once friends who were Trumpified and now are unreachable; we had to cut them off. It is really a disease state.

She does state that these conditions are curable but we don't seem to be taking any steps in that direction.

Anyway, thank you for the link.

quote:

Originally posted by RealPlayer:
Thanks Amanda, I finally listened to the whole interview. Of course much of what she says repeats what we already know of Trump's mental state, but as you say, what's fascinating is her discussion of "Trump Contagion" and his means of gaining followers
...It is really a disease state.

She does state that these conditions are curable but we don't seem to be taking any steps in that direction.

Anyway, thank you for the link.

I'm so glad you took the trouble to hear her out, RP - it IS long.

One thing I find especially disheartening are her observations about the special futility of appealing to the "infected" with Reason.