They are NOT mentally ill. But what are they? What do you call them?

[Biophilic]

More and more I keep seeing and hearing people referring to people they disagree with or who are doing things they think are crazy as mentally ill. I do it myself. But mostly they aren't mentally ill and we do a real disservice to those that are mentally ill when we use that label indiscriminately. But I don't know what else to call them. The things they do are "crazy" in my eyes and I can't for the life of me figure out why any sane person would do or say those things. I honestly don't know what else to call them. Bully, jerk, stupid, etc just don't work. Those words don't cover the degree of what I think of as crazy or worse.

[RockRaven]

1. Assholes.

[Biophilic]

16. Agreed, but...

[Elessar Zappa]

2. They have personality disorders.

Sociopathy, psychopathy, narcissism, etc. It’s not the same as mental illness.

[SheltieLover]

9. Personality disorders are mental illnesses, according to DSM-5.

[Merlot]

22. Personality disorders can't be medicated or treated

No amount of therapy will help.

DSM also considers ADHD a mental illness, and used to consider homosexuality a mental illness.

[SheltieLover]

28. But they still fall under the category as mental illness, as does autism.

[Meowmee]

66. Agree they are most definitely mental illnesses and are classified as such.

[SheltieLover]

71. Thx. Mind you, I'm not saying mental illness is underlyiing all the craziness we are seeing.

[Meowmee]

78. Yes neither am I

[blogslug]

37. This is incorrect

Personality disorders absolutely can be treated with therapy and medication.

[Act_of_Reparation]

63. Not even remotely correct.

I don't know you, but I suspect you are not qualified to diagnose personality disorders in a clinic, much less remotely... in millions of people you've never met.

But hey, I could be wrong. You might want to get on the horn with the American Psychiatric Association. If their figures on the prevalence of individual personality disorders (around 2-8%) are low, I imagine they'd want to hear about it.

[multigraincracker]

3. They have issues.

enough said.

[Biophilic]

52. Yes, but they are giving me issues and I don't like it. Sometimes I'm beginning to sound like them.

[milestogo]

4. Deluded.

[Biophilic]

36. I sort of feel sorry for deluded people. I feel like they are lost and don't even know it.

Too gentle a term for people who want to destroy my country and probably kill me and mine.

[Mr.Bill]

5. In today's world, we need a new term

for such people. How about "Trumped"?

[Biophilic]

17. I like this, "Trumped", but it's almost too nice. Yeah, I'm being difficult because

I'm frustrated by them. I want them all to just go away. Ok, back to reality.

[MontanaMama]

6. Deranged cult followers.

They are indeed crazy...but crazy doesn't go far enough imho.

[Merlot]

24. Cultist is a good word.

Some people do come back to reality from cults.

I also have felt that calling them mentally ill doesn't help matters. Mentally ill people have a host of issues to deal with.

[Biophilic]

40. Thanks, the more I think about it the more I also believe that calling them mentally ill is wrong.

It gives evil people an out and does damage to those with real, non-self inflicted mental illness. I just wish "cultist" sounded harsher or something. I so want to stand on the street corner and yell at them. Does that make me mentally ill or clearly sane?

[cloudbase]

7. Disconnected from reality.

[Biophilic]

21. Except they insist that I participate in their reality with them and yes,

it's an evil reality. Unless I want to stay in bed and never come out, not that won't work either. One way or another I have to co-exist with them and their warped and f'd up thinking.

[inthewind21]

59. So..

They live in the same country, the don't live in your house. Same as murderers, gangs, rapists, child molesters, general crooks, liars, etc. No one can force you to participate in anything.

[MyMission]

8. Psychologically disturbed!

I just saw West side story, and the song popped into my head when I saw your post.
Seems appropriate.

[DBoon]

10. I would call them Evil

Their motivating values are totally corrupt.

[Biophilic]

18. Yes, calling them evil does sort of cover them all and they are.

[DBoon]

23. Evil is intentional

Mental illness is not, in fact it diminishes intent

[treestar]

73. They might even know they are spouting lies

they are doing it to "own the libs." They don't care what happens to the country, they elected TFG to own the libs. If that's their motivation, it may not be mental illness. But it would be a negative trait of personality.

[Irish_Dem]

11. Some of them are mentally ill.

For example, Trump and many of his helpers are classic sociopaths.
If their lips are moving they are lying to manipulate others to get what they want.

They know they are lying, but other people are just suckers and losers and deserve what they get.
Trump and his ilk believe they are special, deserving and owed a good life.

Their goal is power and money, but no amount will ever fill the holes in their souls.
So they keep going and won't stop until someone stops them.

Some of their followers actually believe the lies despite considerable evidence to the contrary.
To the point they are delusional. They are no longer in touch with reality. They will break the law and commit violence for Trump. It is like a cult, and the cult followers are mentally ill.

Some of our leaders who want money and power also crave unlimited adoration and attention.
These are the narcissists. And some of the followers are the same.

I could go on and on but you get the drift.

I used to talk just about politics but now politics has turned into Abnormal Psych 101.

[Biophilic]

51. Does feel that way doesn't it, Abnormal Psych 101. Just wish the answers were as easy

today as they seemed to be 50 some years ago. Otherwise, your post is far too sensible and intelligent for where my brain is this afternoon. But it's always a good thing to listen to an adult, even when I want to be a belligerent child. I'm angry and frustrated with having few ways to take that angry and frustration out. I'll be better tomorrow, in the mean time I've got a few new names to call those that are trying to tear my country apart.

[Irish_Dem]

54. I know, I feel the same way.

If I started cussing about all of this, I would never stop.

[Meowmee]

70. This and so are their followers

People who join a cult are mentally ill on some level. I call what is going in in this country currently a combo of fascism, narcissism, stupidity and a form of mass insanity.

[Irish_Dem]

76. Yes the cult members are mentally ill as well.

Or have some sort of intellectual impairment.

Yes I think you summed up the analysis quite well:

I call what is going in in this country currently a combo of fascism, narcissism, stupidity and a form of mass insanity.

[Meowmee]

79. Thanks 😀

Mass insanity is our fav description of it because things have gotten so crazy. It is also the kind of crazy that you see when fascism takes hold.

[Irish_Dem]

80. Yes fascism, it is a collective psychosis, fueled by lies, hatred and fear.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

12. JHB nailed it: inFOXicated

[Biophilic]

25. Thanks, yeah, I like that. Says so much.

[grumpyduck]

13. I've known a fair number of people over the years

who seemed to have a pressing need to be angry about something. It's like they were mad at the world. They complained about anything no matter how small. Didn't look for solutions, just talked about problems. Held grudges. And so forth.

I have no idea what it is or what causes it, but it's very noticeable.

And nowadays, with the RW media stoking them, they're in heaven.

[Biophilic]

41. Interesting way to say it, 'with RW media stoking them, they're in heaven'.

Hadn't thought about it that way, but makes sense.

[underpants]

14. I've said for a while that they just flipped out

There was so much change so quickly they just lost it. A black President, gay marriage, hell gays were actually being celebrated and, generally, snickering jokes about people being gay weren’t okay and they knew it.

Trump comes along and plays them (Fox News too) like a fiddle.

[Biophilic]

27. Yes, I agree, but I really hate calling them mentall ill, because it seems to be self-induced

and self-perpetuated.

[HAB911]

19. Are cult susceptible people mentally ill?

Are those that lean authoritarian, mentally ill?

[inthewind21]

60. Well

Apparently anything that is not in the realm of "normal" (whatever that really is) is now mentally ill. It's the go to excuse for EVERYTHING. Thing is, norms change. Tattoo's once were very taboo. Now they are common, a norm. Same with divorce, affairs, latch key kids, being gay, being trans, and a whole host of other things. Sociology describes behavior that doesn't fit societal norms as Deviant Behavior. The right can't seem to accept the societal changes that have taken place over the last 50 or so years. They believe everyone BUT them are deviants. When in reality, it's actually them who are the deviants, longing for a Puritan past.

[HAB911]

74. LOL, the spectrum is so broad

I'm not entirely sure I'm sane enough (sometimes) to wield the mentally ill axe

[tblue37]

20. Irrational.

[LAS14]

32. That's close. Probably pretty descriptive. nt

[Biophilic]

42. Yes, irrational does cover it, doesn't it.

[Nevilledog]

26. Death cult members

[Biophilic]

30. Unfortunately, it's mine and your death they want. What did we ever do to anyone of them?

They just piss me off and I wish I had they perfect word/name to call or describe them that would make me feel better. Unfortunately, Death Cult Members just makes me feel insecure because I believe they really are.

[Nevilledog]

35. No, they don't care when their own die too. See: COVID-19

They won't care when it's Republican women dying due to abortion bans either.

[Biophilic]

44. And that's one of the weird parts I just don't get even taking into account their religious beliefs.

How utterly cruel and inhumane.

[Nevilledog]

46. The cruelty is the point.

So long as someone they hate is hurting they don't care about any of the other consequences. This goes to everything.... They vote against their best interests every single election.

[LAS14]

29. Evil??? nt

[Biophilic]

33. Yeah, I'm leaning towards evil also.

[crud]

31. Odious

[meadowlander]

34. Soul-sick, immature, unenlightened.

[Biophilic]

45. Soul-sick, yes they truly are.

[frogmarch]

38. I think of Jonestown.

After reading this page, I see similarities between the Jonestown cultists and trumpers. Jackie Speier might too.

https://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=29478

[Brainfodder]

39. Brainwashed stupid assholes?

[Biophilic]

47. Now those words roll off my tongue and leave me feeling self satisfied even if a bit embarrassed.

I was raised in the 50s to be a lady. Long past that now. Now I just want to feel an occasional sense of satisfaction.

[ismnotwasm]

43. Fucked up

Ego driven, lacking in empathy. Immersed in the white supremacy they won’t look at because they benefit from it and the misogynistic codes they espouse with every word.

Bigots. Every one of them

[Biophilic]

48. Bless you, those are perfect. I feel better just reading your words.

They are not mentally ill, they are fucked up bigots. I might actually be able to let my soul rest on those words.

[iemanja]

49. They are authoritarians and fascists

They know exactly what they are promoting. Their choices are not due to neurological malfunction but rather their own lack of character.

Remember that mental illnesses are biologically based. They are due to faulty brain mechanisms, whether neurotransmitters or something else. When you call them mentally ill, you not only insult the mentally ill but you give them a pass for their behavior.

[4dog]

50. Evil will do, recognizing its limits, but

the question bothering me is why people are unable to recognize evil: ignorant, stupid, cult-involved, well paid, etc.

[Biophilic]

55. Perhaps because most of us have been taught since birth to not see so many things.

The less we see, the easier life is. Not conflicts of interest, no moral qualms, nothing to make us uncomfortable, no need to
question what is going on. Life is sooo much easier that way.

[inthewind21]

64. Is it

really?

[Biophilic]

67. No I don't think it is but that is a message

That is often given and certainly one I was fed growing up. The more you see the more you have to think and then you start seeing more and more.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

53. Irrational, willfully ignorant, cruel, harmful, etc

[Emile]

56. QAnon

[Sympthsical]

57. Empathy to people we like is low effort

It's easy to like someone who agrees with you, thinks like you, or is useful to you in some way.

Empathy towards people you dislike, really don't agree with, and generally have a low opinion of takes a bit of doing. It requires challenging yourself to step outside your own biases, assumptions, pride, and righteousness.

Most people don't do it.

It reminds me of that good dating advice. Don't take note if your date is nice, kind, attentive, and generous with you. Watch how they treat the help. Watch how they treat people who mean nothing to them. That's where you'll see their true character.

People speak prolifically to their flaws and general insular rottenness every single day. They just have zero idea they're doing it. And people who are doing similar will never point it out. Peril of the spaces we inhabit, be it a family, religion, community, or online environment. It's something that needs to be actively worked against because support of it is so widespread.

The people on the Right aren't crazy. They're not mentally ill. They're operating out of a very, very different foundational frame than people of our political persuasion and ideology. They simply see the world much differently. It all starts with confirmation bias. Every news article they see and read is geared towards telling them what the world is like. We're really not very different in this. Every day, I can pull maybe a dozen articles from right here, go through them, and realize that objective reality is not close to what is being claimed to be true. The "narrative" comports.

We're basically two sides telling radically different stories. Obviously, I think our side is right on more things or I wouldn't be on it.

But if you can't empathize, you can't argue. Then it's just talking at each other, shouting at each other, then running back to one's own group for validation and approval.

Not super useful.

There's no need for a pejorative to describe them. They can simply be "the other side" or "the opposition" or just "the Right." Sometimes I'll just call them assholes if they're doing something egregious.

But, I'm in my early 40s. I outgrew childish name calling and cutesy online nicknames ages ago. It's not cute nor particularly clever.

[Jilly_in_VA]

58. You could look at it this way

There's a really old joke involving some Disney characters. It's not really about this but maybe the punch line would apply. You'll see. You can make up your mind at the end. (It's funnier if told in character voices, of course!)

Mickey Mouse goes to see a lawyer and tells him he wants a divorce from Minnie Mouse.
Lawyer: "But Mickey, you can't divorce Minnie just because you say she's crazy."
Mickey: "That's not what I said"
Lawyer: "Yes you did. You said Minnie was crazy."
Mickey: " I didn't say she was crazy, I said she was FUCKING GOOFY!"

So maybe these people are just FUCKING GOOFY.

[Biophilic]

68. Thanks

[Iggo]

61. Stupid. (n/t)

[Mariana]

62. Gullible.

[Act_of_Reparation]

65. Basic.

They are people ruled by base impulses and irrational fears, prone to magical thinking, personal mythologizing, and miserly cognition.

[Biophilic]

69. Interesting thoughts. Hmmm...

[BannonsLiver]

72. Sorry, but I'm sticking with "nut jobs"

The thought police can come and get me for all I care.

[Angleae]

75. Emotionally exhausted and morally bankrupt

Credit to Hawkeye and BJ of MASH

[Grolph_]

77. Brainwashed

I know a repeat.

Marketing works. Google (Alphabet) is proof, they gave us an index to the internet at no charge and became one of the wealthiest companies ever. We are the product. Another name for marketing is propaganda. (Your life will be fabulous with whiter teeth!! Your life would be even more fabulous without those pesky minorities!)

We have been targeted; by big business, by big crime, by our government, by foreign governments, by religion. It is to all their benefit to have a receptive audience. We have been conditioned for decades to accept and to be receptive to marketing.

When you willfully endorse things that are not true, you have been brainwashed. An empty mind is easy to fill.
The Internet Research Agency had easy targets. Once you have opened your mind to one conspiracy theory, believing the next one is easier.

Unfortunately, more powerful people direct the messages. So long as it is more profitable to keep us fighting, we will continue to feed the wealthy.

[Ported_Maryjoseph]

81. Pathological,...

(Perhaps)