Anybody can understand the mentality of “us vs. them.” It’s the most basic divide.<\/p>\n
The stronger your group identity, the more likely you are to have negative views of outsiders.<\/p>\n
Nationalism is the most powerful political force in the world. It’s like fire. Very dangerous and very powerful.<\/p>\n
There’s a tremendous dark side to “us vs. them” thinking but there is a tremendous dark side to avoiding “us vs. them” thinking. The West has been overrun with pathological altruism. <\/p>\n
The audio montage in the following report? I love it!<\/p>\n
The New York Times says<\/a>:<\/p>\n The most striking hallmark was Mr. Trump\u2019s constant repetition of divisive phrases, harsh words and violent imagery that American presidents rarely use, based on a quantitative comparison of his remarks and the news conferences of recent presidents, Democratic and Republican. He has a particular habit of saying \u201cyou\u201d and \u201cwe\u201d as he inveighs against a dangerous \u201cthem\u201d or unnamed other \u2014 usually outsiders like illegal immigrants (\u201cthey\u2019re pouring in\u201d), Syrian migrants (\u201cyoung, strong men\u201d) and Mexicans, but also leaders of both political parties.<\/p>\n At an event in Raleigh, N.C., on Friday evening, his voice scratchy and hoarse, Mr. Trump was asked by a 12-year-old girl from Virginia, \u201cI\u2019m scared \u2014 what are you going to do to protect this country?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou know what, darling? You\u2019re not going to be scared anymore. They\u2019re going to be scared. You\u2019re not going to be scared,\u201d Mr. Trump said, before describing the Sept. 11 terrorists as \u201canimals\u201d who sent their families back to the Middle East. \u201cWe never went after them. We never did anything. We have to attack much stronger. We have to be more vigilant. We have to be much tougher. We have to be much smarter, or it\u2019s never, ever going to end.\u201d<\/p>\n While many candidates appeal to the passions and patriotism of their crowds, Mr. Trump appears unrivaled in his ability to forge bonds with a sizable segment of Americans over anxieties about a changing nation, economic insecurities, ferocious enemies and emboldened minorities (like the first black president, whose heritage and intelligence he has all but encouraged supporters to malign).<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018We vs. them\u2019 creates a threatening dynamic, where \u2018they\u2019 are evil or crazy or ignorant and \u2018we\u2019 need a candidate who sees the threat and can alleviate it,\u201d said Matt Motyl, a political psychologist at the University of Illinois at Chicago who is studying how the 2016 presidential candidates speak. \u201cHe appeals to the masses and makes them feel powerful again: \u2018We\u2019 need to build a wall on the Mexican border \u2014 not \u2018I,\u2019 but \u2018we.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Anybody can understand the mentality of “us vs. them.” It’s the most basic divide. The stronger your group identity, the more likely you are to have negative views of outsiders. Nationalism is the most powerful political force in the world. … Continue reading