In the depths of my passion’s flame,
Rage spreads its wings—looking for blame.
Lost in the tempest of my burning desire,
Igniting hate and fanning the fire.
But why do I still believe,
That justice resides in my own pain’s reprieve?
For virtue’s not drawn from your inner strife,
Or derived from inflicting injury on an innocent’s life.
It’s not through suffering that you’ll find peace,
For joy only comes when despair’s released.
By: ElRoyPoet © 2023
”I am Your RETRIBUTION”: Trump’s Most Incendiary Speech
Why Do Psychopaths Crave Power?
Unraveling the Pleasure in Others’ Pain: Neuroscience of Schadenfreude Explained
In the classic folktale “The Emperor’s New Clothes” by Hans Christian Andersen, a vain emperor is fooled by two con men into believing that his new clothes are invisible to stupid and incompetent people. The emperor pretends to see the clothes, and others follow his lead out of fear or belief. It is only when a child states that the emperor is naked that the illusion is shattered. This story captures the concept of malignant normality, where a narcissist with power and popularity normalizes an absurd alternate reality. This phenomenon can be observed not only in schoolyard and global politics, but also in various aspects of life.
Psychiatrist Dr. Robert Jay Lifton explains that malignant normality is rooted in history, particularly in the understanding of Nazi Germany. The Nazis manipulated ordinary people into embracing their ideology and participating in acts of genocide through a sense of normalcy. People didn’t have to fully believe in Nazism, but they had to accept the social order constructed around it. Their moral system and political beliefs were altered based on a narcissist’s lies.
Dr. Ramani Durvasula, a clinical psychologist, describes malignant normality as a mass delusion that originates from a specific source. This delusion is reinforced by various outside sources, such as news outlets, religious institutions, and political commentators, making it seem credible. However, a mass delusion is not the same as malignant normality. The shared belief becomes a malignant normality when it is deliberately propagated and reinforced by individuals or institutions seen as credible.
Dr. John Gartner, a psychologist who has studied narcissistic behavior, explains that the construction of reality is flexible and can be manipulated, especially when it comes from the top. A malignant narcissist, like Hitler or Trump, projects personal failures onto others by claiming that they are victims of unfair attacks. Such malignant narcissists propagate the rhetoric that “bad people” such as Jews, immigrants, liberals, and deviants are the enemy because they are trying to destroy us and our society. So anything we do to them is justified. The key here is that a politician creates a malignant normality by convincing people that falsehoods are true or that moral breaches are acceptable.
Dr. David M. Reiss, a psychiatrist, identifies four types of people susceptible to believing in malignant normality. They include those who are narcissistic and connect with another narcissist, people with sadistic or nihilistic aspects to their personalities, individuals attracted to powerful individuals without thinking through their attraction, and those who are genuinely confused and gaslighted, believing what goes against reality.
Malignant normality is not limited to politics but can also be seen in cults or scams like multi-level marketing campaigns. Malignant narcissists have the ability to create a sense of belonging and connection in those who fall into their narratives. These individuals may fear leaving the cult due to the consequences they may face if they admit to being deceived.
Stopping malignant normality is challenging but not impossible. Fact-checking and providing alternative sources of information can help individuals question their beliefs. It is possible for someone to question their beliefs if a person they trust subtly sows doubts or if being wrong hurts them in a way so serious that they can’t ignore it. However, it can be as difficult as trying to take away a person’s religion or God since they don’t want to let go of their beliefs and idols. This is a tragedy because the downstream effects of population-level gas-lighting can be observed as more and more of these individuals grow numb to cruel and perverse behaviors. Condensed excerpt from: If one person’s crazy beliefs suddenly become mainstream, that is malignant normality
Commentary: The rising prevalence of sadism—the perverse pleasure derived from inflicting pain or suffering on others—is a troublesome development in modern society, especially within Western cultures. This disturbing trend has caught the attention of experts in the fields of social and psychological science, who’ve been quick to sound the alarm at its defiance of fundamental human principles of decency and empathy.
This phenomenon is linked to the recent rise of Christian nationalism, an alarming trend motivated by a desire for power and control over others. Studies have shown that individuals who identify as Christian nationalists tend to hold more authoritarian beliefs and exhibit greater levels of prejudice and intolerance towards minority groups. This correlation is concerning because Christian nationalists often view themselves as part of an in-group that is superior to those outside the group, which can lead to contempt towards those who do not share their beliefs. Ironically, these Christian nationalists are suffering from self-delusion by believing that since they are evangelicals, it is their duty to conduct modern-day crusades.This sense of righteous indignation may lead to the cultivation of sadistic tendencies. Similar to addicts, these sadists tend to seek dopamine highs through the enjoyment gained from witnessing the misery of others, known as Schadenfreude.
The acceptance of sadism in contemporary society poses an existential threat to the very fiber of civilization and its institutions, as it challenges the bedrock principles of morality that uphold society. The quest for pleasure often leads to the impairment of our moral compass, as well as indulgence in bad behavior towards people we have never met. Historically, the judgment and collective punishment of entire groups have been among the darkest indictments of human nature. Notably, the most jaded and narcissistic groups are the ones with the most power—elites and government officials who are almost always immune to consequences for their actions.
This subculture also reflects a broader societal trend towards hostility and prejudice. It’s common to judge and condemn others based on their race, religion, sexual orientation or other minority group status. Such cruelty is inhumane and irrational, neglecting the inherent worth and dignity that all human beings share.
As members of a global community, it is crucial for us to strive towards compassion, tolerance, and respect for the human beings that make up our society. We must reject sadism in all its forms and endeavor always to build a fair, humane and just society.
“The devil will remind you over and over again, of your past. Because he knows, that the day you stop feeling sorry for yourself, he has no future with you. Holding on to old grudges will not remove the pain in your brain. Only Jesus can transform your life, if you allow him into your heart.” By: ElRoyPoet
“As it turns out, the act of getting pleasure from inflicting pain, suffering, or humiliation on others falls on a continuum. There’s a more subtle version commonly called ‘everyday sadism.’ Imagine a scenario where you have a heated argument with someone, and they retaliate with deeply hurtful remarks. Perhaps your wife sarcastically makes fun of a traumatic event you’ve shared in confidence, or your boyfriend cruelly criticizes what he knows is your most profound vulnerability. You’re devastated by this betrayal, and it shows on your face.
That’s the everyday sadist’s sweet spot. An individual without sadistic tendencies might feel a sense of regret or guilt even if they’ve “won” the argument. Winning the fight was the goal, not destroying the person in the process. The emotional havoc was just collateral damage.
For someone with sadistic tendencies, though, causing pain is the goal. People high on this personality trait often describe getting a rush of adrenaline when they hurt someone else; they feel dominant, powerful, and in control. One self-described everyday sadist said, ‘As they say, it’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. And then it’s even more fun and games!’ Think of the feeling you get when you do something fun or exhilarating, … and then imagine you get that feeling when you hurt someone. That’s what it’s like to be a sadist.” Excerpt from Getting Pleasure From Someone Else’s Pain
Rivalry: How to beat a basic instinct
“The sins of the flesh are bad, but they are the least bad of all sins. All the worst pleasures are purely spiritual: the pleasure of putting other people in the wrong, of bossing and patronizing and spoiling sport, and back-biting, the pleasures of power, of hatred. Prostitutes are in no danger of finding their present life so satisfactory that they cannot turn to God; the proud, the avaricious, the self-righteous, are in that danger. That is why a cold, self-righteous prig who goes regularly to church may be far nearer to hell than a prostitute. But, of course, it is better to be neither.” By: C. S. Lewis
As humans, we tend to act in ways that are very predictable and unfortunately toxic. The solution lies in treating others as you wish to be treated; “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Bible, Matthew 7:12). It’s tragic, but some people become so obsessed with gaining money and power, that they will continue to do harmful things to those around them, until they are finally compelled to stop. ‘Do not take revenge, but leave room for God’s justice, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.’ (Romans 12:19)
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