Existentialism Part2

 

Associated with irrationality is the inability of experiencing life in the here and now , in part because of anxiety, and of being compromised by long work hours, low paying employment ,economic stress, drugs , alcohol, TV, apps, movies, novels,  electronic devices, vacations,    purchasing  and some “addictions”. The 60s was called the Age of Anxiety with the abuse of Valium. Today is the Age of  Addiction. Addiction is a repetitive involvement of behavior despite it being harmful to self and others. Do you know anyone that can leave home without their “ I”phone or other electronic devices ?  Separation  anxiety occurs when the device is missing or when it's not working properly.  In fact, some create special pockets to carry their precious device.  Research has found an association with a variety of mental illness traits with the over use and reliance on electronic devices. And ,it's also been reported that bulling on  social media has resulted in suicide.

Truth has been distorted by the massive amount of  propaganda, advertising ,and  technology of  algorithms. The political figures on TV frequently  repeat the same without any reference or any depth but generalizations .  It's true that there's been a flurry of executive orders, it's difficult to follow and remember all that's going on.  Suggestion: follow the money ,check out the credibility of the source and the theme . 

The dumbing down in our schools has also  contributed to impaired intelligence , not being in the here and now and the inability to employ logic and reasoning.effectively  Trump made 30,573 false or misleading claims over four years with most being hateful and malignant designed for harm .He is still going strong as every one of his sentences indicate that he and his  malignant lies are synonymous. Truth and  beliefs are not always the same. 

Do not rely on technical achievements or this government to give life  meaning and solve human challenges is the third existential point.. The electronic addiction provides many examples of  interfering with a meaningful and productive life and is also  harmful to the brain .

Science created vaccines for Covid-19 and people were advised  instead to purchase phony items . We now have Kennedy Jr being the top government public health official.  His credentials are suspect and his attitude towards vaccines are outrageous. With  a measles outbreak  in Texas and deaths , medical people are attempting to educate the unfortunate about getting vaccinated for this most infectious disease. 

Science and  technology will not solve our problems in part because of all the crazy people in charge with malignant character, and the rest being like sheep,and  following the crowd. Climate change denial is an example of discrediting  science for profit. The March 2, 2025 edition of the New York Times titled "Trump  Undoes Years of US Climate Policy In Just A Few Weeks" is an example. Science says that we are in danger from the climate and there's an absence of outrage, in part because manipulation and  propaganda keeps the power structure in charge. This administration is cutting medical research  funding as medical progress becomes limited. Also, are self driving vehicles more fun and safe? What about Tesla ? 

Many are  worried about the AI revolution.  A few dangers  include 1. When controlled by the scrupulous, the potential disaster and consequences are infinite for the rest . 2. The US is in competition with China for dominance.  3 . A I will replace too many humans in the workforce.  4 AI might wind up being smarter , with control and enslave man.  In other words, this new technology does not necessarily solve man's being  but creates additional  stress, anxiety and worry. Further, it's not surprising that the billionaire tech people from Silicon Valley and elsewhere donated heavily to Trump.  They certainly want to maintain their  geopolitical control and keep ahead of China.  As a result ,they need government funding and  a steady supply of  intellectual talent from India . In order to take advantage of that top 1% from India, the expansion of the H-1 B visa program is necessary. Also, no social media regulation keeps the algorithms  intact for more disinformation ,power and control . In other words, skilled immigrants are okay so the American Empire  can rule the world. along with keeping  the algorithms and lies going etc.  

Hollywood movies like Ex Machina, The Matrix and Inside Out and  the novels  Brave New World and  1984.  perhaps  foreshadows our  future. Will AI and genetic engineering trap us and will we  be controlled in an outer world dealing with human emotions ; being controlled by robots  and  without  a” free will”?  Will our brains be managed by a collection of biochemical mechanisms being manipulated by someone in  some headquarters? That suggests  that  we may someday soon  become at the mercy of an implementation of AI neurological engineering by a powerful entity

In tHuxley’s novel , people were controlled by biotechnology and social engineering through the use of love and pleasure as opposed to fear and hate.  However,  John the Savage  who was reared in  a real  or primitive civilization can't adjust to the present  form of government . And ,in the end, because of his inability to adjust to the new society, committed suicide. 

Mass production , mass communication ,propaganda  conformity ; societal forces and roadblocks  also impede the  development of humanism and morality . The development of a fully functioning human being with authenticity is the fourth existential point . Maslow’s Self Actualizing individual is one definition. In other words, societal forces get in the way of man dealing with his own existential crisis of insignificance, powerlessness, being alone and  facing mortality . All the above interfere with man being able to love himself  and others; be productive; utilize truth ,rationality;  be autonomous and not worship false idols . It’s difficult to  become authentic . Instead, today’s society distorts a productive being by putting  forth myths pertaining to the American Dream, family, children and  a home in the suburbs. And, chasing fantasy  ,the capitalistic dream places many in an  enormous amount of debt  Some believe, it’s too late, and authenticity is no longer possible to obtain. 

Our mind seems to be actively working whether we like it or not.  The amount of energy we spend on an idea during consciousness or in a dream state suggests its  relevance and importance.  Beliefs, ideas, fictions depending on their strength and importance  influence our actions.  These beliefs, ideas, fictions come from a variety of lifelong experiences and fill the workings of our mind.  The power of our species  ,like authoritarians , depend on creating  the fictions   Our mind is susceptible , easily influenced and ,if agreed upon in numbers, form cooperative groups, political parties and/or cults ,In essence, the  workings in the mind relates to authenticity  or inauthenticity depending on the  agreement  or disagreement with known facts and objectivity. On the other hand, the  authoritarians create their own  beliefs, fictions  irrespective of truth.  It was easy for Trump to incite a mob on January 6, 2020 and attack the Capital and its police.  Acting, submitting and believing the fiction of the stolen election is associated with being inauthentic.

Many illusions  and propaganda interfere with the reality of man becoming authentic and instead, he attempts to fit in , join the crowd , becomes a number , a cog in the wheel ,on a treadmill resulting in inauthenticity.  One  example of conformity is when the TV camera focuses on college kids at a basketball or football game. They all  yell, cheer, smile, put up a finger and shake all over.Inauthenticity is also exemplified with statistics on decreasing sex per certain  age groups , Increases in suicide,  child and marital abuse ,low college graduation rates for males, drug deaths, obesity, heart disease, and cancer with declining longevity. 

Another example of inauthenticity occurred when 77 million “stated “ they were dependent on a person who : 1. Was impeached twice and a convicted felon  2.  Whose primary concern is himself ,is transactional - will do for you only if you do for him  3 .Against the constitution, rule of law, government institutions, fair elections , people of color,  the poor , public education, scientific research, freedom of the press,,free speech by others , climate change and truth 4. Favors authoritarians and the wealthy .5. Above the rule of law ,wants to rule like Putin . However, some might not be happy about the tariffs, cost of eggs and the threat to Medicare , Social Security, Medicaid, etc.. The contradiction of dismantling the government is okay but don't take away my Social Security.  

In conclusion, there are a plethora of childhood problems .Parents are  being overprotective , holding on tightly to their children in fright . Will their children be killed at school, in the supermarket, at  a movie theater or in a crowd?  It's obvious that strong, irrational impulses can't be controlled successfully or comforted by religious ,political or scientific endeavors, which are  man made . In other words, if the existential crisis of being  can't be dealt with  effectively and is too anxiety producing, man can't achieve ,develop his potential and  let alone live  a holistic fulfilling and meaningful life ,especially in an authoritarian  run technological society.

Reference

Fromm, Erich.  The Dogma of  Christ

Harari,Yuval Noah.  21 Lessons for the 21st Century

The Real Battle To Define Trumpism Has Only Just Begun.  January 19 2025, The New York Times

Existentialism Part 1

 

The philosophy of existentialism is in reference with a human’s struggle of being per the writings of  Kierkegaard , Nitschke, Jaspers, Heidegger, Sartre, Camu, May and others. Some of their ideas were previouslyIt expressed by Socrates, St. Augustine and Pascal. This essay applies four ideas of existential  thought to Trump's America.

Years ago, Nitschke created quite a stir when he said that God’s dead. Nitschke's point was that the religion of the day had  less meaning than earlier Christianity as people have  less faith and a contradictory  practice of morality .Today, the same could be said to many evangelicals who represented a significant number of the 77 million that voted for the felon Trump. These evangelicals have failed to incorporate  and apply the messaging of Jesus and his prophets . 

The early followers of  Christ were poor,unemployed ,and hungry  proletariats .The rural masses of population were stressed by an extraordinarily heavy tax burden and as a result, these individuals were left out economically and socially from the upper class   as well as from the whole Roman Empire. These Christians suffered and  were exploited. They were also revolutionaries that harbored hate and revenge against their own rulers and especially the Romans. Jesus’s  message to the poor, oppressed and suffering was  for a place of immortality in God’s kingdom of heaven.  This message was based on the promise of a not so distant future in which the primary  needs of the poor and oppressed would be  satisfied  per Luke 6:20 ff.  “Blessed are you poor for yours is the kingdom of God.  Blessed are you that hunger now ,for you shall be satisfied.  Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh....... in other words, there was a complete socio-economic reversal from realities on earth 

Jesus said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  Luke 18:24. Do today's Christians  have the same degree of hatred against the wealthy rulers as was found in the early Christians?  And, whom do they hate ? Another example of the hatred of the rich "Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.  Your riches have rotted and  your garments are moth-eaten.  Your gold and silver have rusted and their  rust will be evidence against you and  will eat your flesh like fire......... You have condemned, you have killed the righteous man; he does not resist you.  Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.... Behold, the judge is standing at the doors ( James5:3 ff)  Trump's Christians bow down to the billionaires.

Many of today's Christians might not be well-off, but in debt . They might be hungry; they might be distressed and angry about the cost of a dozen eggs; they might hate Biden ,Harris and the Democrats but not the authoritarian billionaire authorities that have political and economic control. Early on, 1/3 ,in one poll , replied that they do not care , in agreement nor are aware  that thousands of civil service workers have been fired; foreign aid to the poor and other countries have been cut off; vaccination updates for the measles  outbreak and next year's flu vaccine are in jeopardy , the Constitution  ignored and the lawlessness  of executive actions ; medical research is in jeopardy etc . There has been a recent outrage and court rulings going in the other direction .

Love thy neighbor, and Christian brotherhood seems to be an illusion based on the massive plan to deport hard-working ,paying taxes  of millions and sending them to places like Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba or El Salvador .Jesus was about love and righteousness. Certainly, rhetoric from Trump , his disciples,  Fox News, and social media  messaging is not about love and unity but about hate , division and malignant aggression..One recent example was the White House horror show with the President of Ukraine.

Jesus died for the sins of mankind with messages of hope and a better afterlife for the masses.  Currently, this current father figure is about accumulating  money, possessions,control and status.  His messages are all about him and he's on his way of securing more profit and power.  These are two totally different  moral and humanistic models.  And, all the crazy "conspiracy" irrational ideas  suggest a loss of faith that has been replaced by  cognitive decline, paranoia, and the pursuit of greed. Greed is good.

Impoverished thinking leads to a second existential idea - the denial of the supremacy of reason and rationality. The strong malignant impulses  of hate, hostility and domination affect reason.  Defense mechanisms like denial, rationalization, intellectualization, distort the hazards  and difficulty of the anxiousness of reality.  Also, apparent  is cognitive dissonance in which  algorithms are employed in providing simplistic lies and a distortion of reality . And recently, Trump is not only controlling the press corps that follow him, but changing the format to limit information regarding him and his policies. According to him , the press is evil if they report the facts.

An article titled "The Six Principles of Stupidity "  was found in the February 2, 2025, edition of The New York Times.The article addressed  some of the craziness displayed in the Trump administration and gave examples of his vague rhetoric without constructive implications; ideas that were not reality based; giving all the power to one person; not being aware of one's actions and that stupidity is the opposite of rationality. The article did not ask the question, how 77 million people could have voted for a convicted felon; impeached twice ; instigated an insurrection on January 6 and said he'd be a dictator on day one.

A February 10, 2025 New York Times article  titled "May We Have Our Attention. Please?"made the following points: regarding social media and irrationality 1.  Social media engineers how we relate to one another online by selecting content that whips up strong emotions to draw us deeper into the feed 2.  More communication does not necessarily lead to more understanding.  3.  Left to our own devices, so to speak, we can get vain , careless, resentful and cruel.  4 Different points of view are not seen as opportunities to learn, but as provocations to attack 5 News ,entertainment ,conversation and all other forms of human expression would from now on be in direct competition angling for both the consumer's fleeting attention and the  algorithms blessings..

A neurological point of view assessing Trump voters  employing a brain-body connection  based on plasticity, loss of cognitive reserve and;the reciprocal mind -body interaction follows: :1.A decrease in cognition resulting in voting against their interests .2. There is an absence of significant  neurogenesis in their brains occurring along with the  level, if any, of cognitive reserve 3. Research  demonstrates  that  aging brains either shrink or expand , as evidenced in neuroscientist McGuire's  hypothalamus findings.4. Super agers  brain  functions rejuvenate and expand while the brains of the control group have decreased functioning  accompanied by  a shrinking  brain .5. The workings of the anterior cingulate with  its  (cognitive,emotional,attentional functioning ),hippocampus (primary  memory formation  )and cerebral cortex( ( comprehension of language, abstract reasoning ,social behavior) are necessary for rational functioning  Further, a February 2, 2025 article titled Think Big in the New York Times  stated the following "What appears to be a difficulty with life is in fact a difficulty in our thinking about life." And, Einstein said, "Once you stop learning, you start dying."

The preponderance of physical and mental disabilities, like obesity, diabetes,cardiovascular disease ,cancer, dementia, aphasia, language, depression, chronic pain  and so forth affect  brain health and rational thinking . Chronic pain becomes a major factor and interferes when it comes to searching for truth and objectivity for those suffering individuals . It's no surprise that the irrational thinking and behavior of too many of these voters have become the norm and  a significant variable for that population seeking safety, comfort ,relief and protection from a political leader as they are saddled with emotional pain and in a crisis of despair.about the here ,the now and future  ..

This section concludes the first two ideas of existentialism.  The next section completes this essay with two more existential  ideas  

Existentialism Part 1

The philosophy of existentialism is in reference with a human’s struggle of being per the writings of  Kierkegaard , Nitschke, Jaspers, Heidegger, Sartre, Camu, May and others. Some of their ideas were previouslyIt expressed by Socrates, St. Augustine and Pascal. This essay applies four ideas of existential  thought to Trump's America.

Years ago, Nitschke created quite a stir when he said that God’s dead. Nitschke's point was that the religion of the day had  less meaning than earlier Christianity as people have  less faith and a contradictory  practice of morality .Today, the same could be said to many evangelicals who represented a significant number of the 77 million that voted for the felon Trump. These evangelicals have failed to incorporate  and apply the messaging of Jesus and his prophets . 

The early followers of  Christ were poor,unemployed ,and hungry  proletariats .The rural masses of population were stressed by an extraordinarily heavy tax burden and as a result, these individuals were left out economically and socially from the upper class   as well as from the whole Roman Empire. These Christians suffered and  were exploited. They were also revolutionaries that harbored hate and revenge against their own rulers and especially the Romans. Jesus’s  message to the poor, oppressed and suffering was  for a place of immortality in God’s kingdom of heaven.  This message was based on the promise of a not so distant future in which the primary  needs of the poor and oppressed would be  satisfied  per Luke 6:20 ff.  “Blessed are you poor for yours is the kingdom of God.  Blessed are you that hunger now ,for you shall be satisfied.  Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh....... in other words, there was a complete socio-economic reversal from realities on earth 

Jesus said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  Luke 18:24. Do today's Christians  have the same degree of hatred against the wealthy rulers as was found in the early Christians?  And, whom do they hate ? Another example of the hatred of the rich "Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.  Your riches have rotted and  your garments are moth-eaten.  Your gold and silver have rusted and their  rust will be evidence against you and  will eat your flesh like fire......... You have condemned, you have killed the righteous man; he does not resist you.  Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.... Behold, the judge is standing at the doors ( James5:3 ff)  Trump's Christians bow down to the billionaires.

Many of today's Christians might not be well-off, but in debt . They might be hungry; they might be distressed and angry about the cost of a dozen eggs; they might hate Biden ,Harris and the Democrats but not the authoritarian billionaire authorities that have political and economic control. Early on, 1/3 ,in one poll , replied that they do not care , in agreement nor are aware  that thousands of civil service workers have been fired; foreign aid to the poor and other countries have been cut off; vaccination updates for the measles  outbreak and next year's flu vaccine are in jeopardy , the Constitution  ignored and the lawlessness  of executive actions ; medical research is in jeopardy etc . There has been a recent outrage and court rulings going in the other direction .

Love thy neighbor, and Christian brotherhood seems to be an illusion based on the massive plan to deport hard-working ,paying taxes  of millions and sending them to places like Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba or El Salvador .Jesus was about love and righteousness. Certainly, rhetoric from Trump , his disciples,  Fox News, and social media  messaging is not about love and unity but about hate , division and malignant aggression..One recent example was the White House horror show with the President of Ukraine.

Jesus died for the sins of mankind with messages of hope and a better afterlife for the masses.  Currently, this current father figure is about accumulating  money, possessions,control and status.  His messages are all about him and he's on his way of securing more profit and power.  These are two totally different  moral and humanistic models.  And, all the crazy "conspiracy" irrational ideas  suggest a loss of faith that has been replaced by  cognitive decline, paranoia, and the pursuit of greed. Greed is good.

Impoverished thinking leads to a second existential idea - the denial of the supremacy of reason and rationality. The strong malignant impulses  of hate, hostility and domination affect reason.  Defense mechanisms like denial, rationalization, intellectualization, distort the hazards  and difficulty of the anxiousness of reality.  Also, apparent  is cognitive dissonance in which  algorithms are employed in providing simplistic lies and a distortion of reality . And recently, Trump is not only controlling the press corps that follow him, but changing the format to limit information regarding him and his policies. According to him , the press is evil if they report the facts.

An article titled "The Six Principles of Stupidity "  was found in the February 2, 2025, edition of The New York Times.The article addressed  some of the craziness displayed in the Trump administration and gave examples of his vague rhetoric without constructive implications; ideas that were not reality based; giving all the power to one person; not being aware of one's actions and that stupidity is the opposite of rationality. The article did not ask the question, how 77 million people could have voted for a convicted felon; impeached twice ; instigated an insurrection on January 6 and said he'd be a dictator on day one.

A February 10, 2025 New York Times article  titled "May We Have Our Attention. Please?"made the following points: regarding social media and irrationality 1.  Social media engineers how we relate to one another online by selecting content that whips up strong emotions to draw us deeper into the feed 2.  More communication does not necessarily lead to more understanding.  3.  Left to our own devices, so to speak, we can get vain , careless, resentful and cruel.  4 Different points of view are not seen as opportunities to learn, but as provocations to attack 5 News ,entertainment ,conversation and all other forms of human expression would from now on be in direct competition angling for both the consumer's fleeting attention and the  algorithms blessings..

A neurological point of view assessing Trump voters  employing a brain-body connection  based on plasticity, loss of cognitive reserve and;the reciprocal mind -body interaction follows: :1.A decrease in cognition resulting in voting against their interests .2. There is an absence of significant  neurogenesis in their brains occurring along with the  level, if any, of cognitive reserve 3. Research  demonstrates  that  aging brains either shrink or expand , as evidenced in neuroscientist McGuire's  hypothalamus findings.4. Super agers  brain  functions rejuvenate and expand while the brains of the control group have decreased functioning  accompanied by  a shrinking  brain .5. The workings of the anterior cingulate with  its  (cognitive,emotional,attentional functioning ),hippocampus (primary  memory formation  )and cerebral cortex( ( comprehension of language, abstract reasoning ,social behavior) are necessary for rational functioning  Further, a February 2, 2025 article titled Think Big in the New York Times  stated the following "What appears to be a difficulty with life is in fact a difficulty in our thinking about life." And, Einstein said, "Once you stop learning, you start dying."

The preponderance of physical and mental disabilities, like obesity, diabetes,cardiovascular disease ,cancer, dementia, aphasia, language, depression, chronic pain  and so forth affect  brain health and rational thinking . Chronic pain becomes a major factor and interferes when it comes to searching for truth and objectivity for those suffering individuals . It's no surprise that the irrational thinking and behavior of too many of these voters have become the norm and  a significant variable for that population seeking safety, comfort ,relief and protection from a political leader as they are saddled with emotional pain and in a crisis of despair.about the here ,the now and future  ..

This section concludes the first two ideas of existentialism.  The next section completes this essay with two more existential  ideas  

An Evil Human

 

Elon Musk  is the news  And, his massive contribution to Trump's reelection puts him in the White House.. In fact, the White House has given him a special position with neither  oversight nor significant negative consequences .Favorable consequences come later.  This essay provides a character orientation supposition of  Musk.

Homo sapiens are saddled with existential anxiety, biological and ego needs during  development.. Existential needs of separateness, dependency, powerlessness, insignificance are based on awareness, intelligence and imagination  This  condition results in a state of constant disequilibrium as man has to deal with  being.  As a consequence, various passions, such as love, justice, truth, hate , cruelty, sadism and masochism affect and are represented in the character orientation of man..Moreover, In dealing with the frightening reality of life, the tendency for unlimited power, possession and status become neurotic for some .

Man requires an orientation and a devotion. He requires a map, a concept of his national ,social,economic and psychological world .A frame of reference  or roots that incorporates ideas often derived from the consensus of others ; rational and/or irrational doctrines pertaining to morality, socialization, economics, politics and religion. These reference points  make man vulnerable to  following false prophets. Money can be an object of devotion . Needs, goals of  devotion  become a focal point for his strivings, which are unsuccessful strategies employed  in an attempt to protect him from his loneliness, his isolation,his existence and  to provide security  which gives some meaning to his life.

Homo sapiens begin life in the womb that provide nurturance, warmth, security and safety.  Then with birth, there's a trauma resulting in terror, symbolically and realistically of being alone, helpless, insecure and not safe.  Mother becomes the fountain of life as she provides nurturance, safety, warmth and meeting the biological needs.  The first three years present psychological trauma as in the oral , anal and pre phallic stage of development.with significant  psychic implications during these formative years and present themselves in various degrees and intensity throughout one's lifetime.  Notably, the birth trauma separation represents a longing for situations as it once existed psychologically  but never ceases completely.  In other words, every adult is in need of assistance, warmth , dependence and protection for being . The dynamics of these needs continue to be repeated during a lifetime.

Elon was born in 1971 to wealthy parents in South Africa.  His parents divorced in 1980 and he  initially chose to live with his father.  He stated his father beat him after learning that he was beaten severely by a fellow student  leading to him being hospitalized for his injuries.  He hated his father and later reunited with his mother.

These early traumatic experiences resulted in him being  dependent and emotionally tied to his mother  especially during  the oral, anal and phallic stages of development.  What are Elon's dependent , emotional and cognitive ties?  How does Elon recapture that need for warmth,  affection and security  ?  Because of him being early tied to his mother, what other  avenues has he chosen ? 

For instance, a few Issues associated with the anal stage  of development  for Musk are as follows: 1.  The sphincter battle for autonomy  between mother and son.  Who was going to win this conflict of when to hold onto tightly or when to let go of his prized or special possession ? A bowel movement is a thing , not a person as in  an example symbolically of dehumanization.  All the people that were fired were simply things; all his companies are just possessions; all his wives,girlfriends, children are his possessions.  These possessions are associated with malignant hostility ,and control 2.  Will there be a defiance or fear that's associated with being sensitive to a loss of love?  How many wives and how many relationships are required to find and recapture symbolically that first love?  How much power, money and possessions are needed and required to fill his depth  of insecurity ?  3.  His  defiance of norms, humanness and morality expressed suggest  that there is only one way of doing things and it's his way?  Dismantling and destroying without significant consequences the federal government.is his way .The legal system and monetary fines are irrelevant .  4.  The tendency for noncompliance, negativism, controlling others and invoking arbitrary rules with no consequences are sadomasochistic and hateful with contempt.

Proceeding to the pre-oedipal and oedipal stage of development suggests the following :The pursuit of love ,comfort and security results from his first identification and imitation of his mother or his first sole love object.  His second identification  and imitation was his father.  2 How and to what degree is he expressing” love “ for all the relationships and with his 13 children?  Does he  model his mother or his father?  3.  The origins of his conscience, and superego of good ,bad ,right ,wrong are established.  And his transactions with his mother and father set the stage and range for him being a helping ,loving or a hindrance, hating mankind.  His actions toward government employees and programs are sadistic and cruel.  4.  Oedipal fears are related to sadomasochistic tendencies. Are his wives, other relationships sexually motivated or are they simply object possessions that he acquires ? Are his children likewise possessions too? 5. With the  castration anxiety dynamic,follows  anger, jealousy , resentment and the talion principle of revenge. His symbolic chainsaw  attack is simply one example ..6. His narcissistic unfulfilled fantasies and wishes seem to be symbolically acted out hatefully. They are clearly sadomasochistic  with malignant aggression . 

 How many wives , divorces and  impregnations  ?  He obviously can't find safety, security, affection and dependency in any one woman. His notion of marriage and  family ?  Perhaps his relationships do not have to do with sex and pleasure, but with fathering children.  He fathered 14 children and one  died as an infant.  How much nurturance ,love, affection, attention   and personal involvement as a father does he  exhibit with his children?  Also, his malignant sadism is unconsciously expressed in subjecting his wives and children to divorce.  His wives, girlfriends and children are simply possessions.  His malignant sadism is also expressed in naming the children on their birth certificate  letters that are impersonal ,nonhuman characters,and symbols. associated with an oral and anal character, tendencies  

Other illustrations  of an anal character orientation are possessions as  pleasure in his possessions and in his properties. Characteristics of a anal character orientation are associated with being stingy, suspicious, cold, anxious, stubborn, indolent,obsessional and possessive.His possessions over the years have included: 1.  Zip2 2.  X.com and PayPal.  3.  Space X 4.Starlink: 5.  Tesla 6.  Hyperloop 7.  Open AI and X AI. His foundation donated money to his Open AI and the assets reached 9.4 billion by the end of 2021 but he only dispensed 160 million to charities that year. His self-serving foundation received another 6 billion . A World Food program director David Beasley said the money could have fed 42 million people for a year .Musk says he’s  a christian with what moral code? He pays what in federal income tax ? He knows fraud with intimacy. 

Elon's exploitive character orientation has been  certainly more on public  display since January 20.  Behavioral tendencies , of him, include being exploitive, aggressive, egocentric, conceited, rash and arrogant.  How many civil service and federal  employees, agencies, government contracts have been severely affected by his cold, narcissistic, malignant actions?  He was seen smiling on the stage with a  chainsaw . A chainsaw is used to cut wood. Limiting democracy, stealing  data , neutralizing investigations into his companies  and use of government funds and technology are his goals .Also,,his sadistic representation of people is characteristic of his dehumanizing hate. Furthermore, this smiling dependent apartheid  South African has terrific  use of his sphincter muscles with his expulsions on people of color ,vets, and our country.

Aggression

 The behavior of Homo sapiens are varied , contradictory,  complex and it can be argued whether or not man has an essence or human nature.  With that in mind, are a couple of  ideas pertaining to man’s motivational tendencies including  benign and malignant aggression 

A few examples of ideas from the days of old, depicting man, incorporating  his ability to think and his aggression related to good  or  evil. 1.Socrates suggested that it was man's ignorance that was the source of his disposition.  His evilness was a vice and  man's error 2.  The Old Testament described man's  disobedience. This disobedience (benign aggression) was a basis for man's self-awareness ,for his capacities to choose between good and that of evil, and that man must choose between good , evil ,blessing,  curse,  life and death. And it was the messengers and prophets that taught the norms which led to the realization of goodness.; Identify the evil and to warn and to protest but it was man's decision and his alone. They also recognized that if man does evil, he becomes more evil as represented by Pharaoh's heart which hardened because he kept on doing evil . 3.  In the Middle Ages, Augustine described man's nature as corrupt( Adam's fall  was malignant aggression.  Each generation was born with the curse caused by man's disobedience and only God , the church and its sacraments could save man.   4.  Later ,in the Middle Ages, were the ideas  and beliefs in man's dignity, power and natural goodness  5.  Luther and Calvin expressed man's intrinsic (malignant aggression) evilness,and powerlessness .  The greatest obstacle for man was his  pride that he can only overcome by guilt feelings ,repentance, unqualified submission to God and faith in God's mercy.

Psychologically speaking, Freud believed in reason ,the right to protect man’s natural claims against societal conditions within the existence of cultural pressures;. He saw man as lazy, self-indulgent, and had to be assisted to be socially useful . He also saw man's irrationality and destructiveness .Further, a mentally healthy individual was one that was able to love and work productively.

In the  “archaic “ and “old” brain structures of Homo sapiens are areas associated with aggression ( Hunger ,fight or flight ,fear responses, defending territory, keeping safe) and research has shown they can be activated or deactivated.  Aggression is built in and necessary for man's survival and has been identified as an ego need.  We witness the newborn expressing aggression by biting the nipple, crying , thrashing all related to its survival ; in  the terrible twos we see more aggression, disobedience, and the power of no which is not  related to the infant's survival. Furthermore, when a youngster says to his mother,  "I hate you" that's an example of benign aggression and very likely the  child is angry with no  intellectual concept of  the emotion of hate. 

 Aggression can be classified as benign when it's in the service and associated with survival. It's a biologically adaptive defensive reaction.  Of course, another response could also be fleeing and escaping the danger.  On the other hand, malignant aggression is not associated with survival and in fact at times, the individual perpetuating the aggression seems to enjoy , find favor and satisfaction in those actions.

With development the following occurs in various degrees depending on a multitude of factors. 1.  A tendency  for  moving toward another as in dependence , love  and cooperation.  2. A tendency for aggression, domination, exploitation in moving against another. 3. A tendency to withdraw from others as in self protection   4. A tendency for thinking rationally ,  irrationally , feeling , perceiving and sensing .. 

As a child, I didn't like Brussels sprouts.  I complained but didn't understand that Brussels sprouts were good for me and perhaps if they were prepared differently,  I might've liked them.  Thinking, feelings of disgust and benign aggressiveness were displayed .  Much later, I began playing competitive football. In this game, in order to get the coaches attention,  I  aggressively dominated a teammate.  During those benign  aggressive encounters, I didn't like my teammate.  I didn't hate  him, but he certainly wasn't a friend at that point.but an external obstacle or threat  . As my football career progressed.  I learned about Denby's bitter rival-Pershing.  I didn't hate them, but I thoroughly disliked them.  One Friday evening during a football game.there was a knife fight and someone was seriously injured . That was the end of Friday evening football and the  games were moved to Friday afternoon.  Certainly, there was irrationality ,feelings of hate with sadistic  and  malignant aggression expressed between those combative individuals.

Currently, an article titled "Hate 'Em  If You Want.  They're Still on Top"  In the February 9, 2025 edition of the New York Times was about the Kansas City Chiefs dominance; they are hated just like Tom Brady and the New England Patriots were before because of, in part, the envy over Mahome's ability and the Eagles seeking revenge. What goes on between one's ears and stays there even if irrational, can be classified as benign aggression.  However, once those thoughts or feelings are expressed against another, it  becomes malignant aggression.Thinking that you hate and are envious of Brady  or Mahomes  suggests shortcomings and the irrational .Blaming them is  scapegoating . That thinking suggests that man's intellect is weak un reliable and influenced by various desires and passions. However, expressing hate, slander, and misinformation on social media is not benign aggression but malignant aggression. That passion of hate and expression  is irrational  and malignant because Brady and Mahome pose  no real  threat to one's well-being, safety and security.  However, with malignant aggression, that  passion  of hate comes from within and is a character flaw of that individual. 

There's a relationship between rational , irrational thinking, feeling and behavior.  Emotions influence thinking and behavior and thinking influences emotions and behavior.  In other words, a certain type of thinking leads to and is in concert with a certain type of emotions and behavior as described by Albert Ellis. For example,the emotion of hate can be based in some form of rationality like when there's an actual  external threat affecting  freedom,  ideas  or  life like in war. Yes, the government can and does create  illusions of some external threat and create hate.  Do we need to acquire Greenland for security purposes ?  I thought Russia's now an ally .Hating  or disliking Pershing , Brussels sprouts ,Brady or Mahomes is not a threat to  freedom, ideas , survival  or life.  It was simply irrational hateful  thinking .

On the other hand , a hostile person who is committed to hate ,expresses a malignant aggressive  tendency to hurt and harm another . In this case, the stimulus comes from within. This  inner hate is a component and associated with one’s character orientation  . These individuals blame and scapegoat others for their hate  and their actions are then  rationalized .

Frustration is one example  related to aggression. Take the propaganda related to the so-called   2020 stolen election  that resulted in violence.  In this example, Trump’s needs, desires were frustrated when he lost and as a result, an enemy  was created and scapegoated as the cause.  In other words, frustration of a need, a desire can result in  malignant aggression.  Also, with Trump’s frustration and hostility the feeling of envy(wanting what Biden has) and feeling of jealousy  was triggered by emotions of inadequacy, helplessness, anger, fear  and resentment .

Violence and aggression are also associated with revenge even though the injury( lost election,impeachment etc.) has already occurred . And revenge won't magically change the original assault .  It's an eye for an eye mentality  and  Gandhi once said “Makes the whole world blind.” Trump has selected numerous individuals in his cabinet and others to go after his political enemies.  This active revengeful malignant aggression will not restore his self-esteem.  It's simply his neurotic desire to protect his inflated ,unrealistic image of himself to regain control and reduce anxiety.  The intensity of the revenge resulting from him being impeached ,the breakup of his economic holdings in New York, and being a convicted felon are some of the obvious factors pertaining to this man's character inadequacies 

.More specifically, hate, and/destructiveness are inherent in all humans.  However, note that in Albert Maslow's theory of self-actualization, there was a significant absence of hateful malignant tendencies toward others. These individuals were more fully developed- intellectually ,emotionally, sensually and productively.  Individuals studied gave to others and helped create a better society . One can be aggressive or oppose forcefully when necessary .His sample achieved, mastered , overcame obstacles, excelled, and surpassed others.  They cooperated with others, were affectionate and were loyal individuals.  They were healthy . Spinoza ,Marx ,Freud, Spencer and others also wrote about man's developing self and being productive within society.

One's early experiences, genetics, socioeconomics, and other factors influence development of character, personality ,create and influence  tendencies for  developing mental health ,illness and hate.  With illness and hate , these individuals have limitations, blockages ,and traumatic experiences in their experience during development.  They are not self-actualized, but with their limited intellectual, emotional aspects, they fail to fully develop themselves .And as a result of these limitations, their  malignant aggressive destructiveness is directed  inward toward self and outward toward  others.  When the self is fully actualized, there's an  important absence or limitation of hate and malignant aggression toward others .

According to Freud, man has a certain amount of psychic energy .If there is blockage of a  spontaneous expression of sensory, emotional, physical and intellectual energy, this occurrence affects the ability to grow  and develop .In other words, man’s productivity and potential  for fully living becomes compromised. This blockage  is the result of individual and social casualties .Then,the blocking of  life furthering energy becomes  transformed into destructive energy  Thus, when a significant amount of the psychic energy is directed malignantly, that leaves little or less opportunity for growth, well-being and benefiting others .  

In summation , the actions of benign and malignant aggression characterizes man.  There are many examples of benign aggression in sports and everyday interactions.. Unfortunately,  current examples of Trump’s GOP ,social media, movies, TV, novels  etc. are filled with malignant aggressiveness that characterize man's negative passions such as hate, sadism, masochism, destructiveness,  jealousy, envy, narcissism and so forth. Further, the power of malignant suggestion in  propaganda is too prevalent and  reflects divisiveness. Human passions of love and tenderness don't seem as prevalent today.  The governmental actions of Trump ,Musk, the GOP are deplorable and yet a recent poll found that 30% trusted Trump’s positions .

Reference

Brain Injury. Institute for Natural Resources.