By Stephen Winham, Guest Columnist
I have, for quite some time now, and in many different places, seen evidence that my reality is significantly different from that of people who support President Trump and his Republican Party. I could tell myself these were just very large differences of opinion until a recent incident.
A woman in the neighborhood with whom I visit several times a week during morning walks is, unabashedly, very conservative politically. We both know better than to ever discuss politics on these walks. We love our pets and our conversations usually revolve around them and neighborhood goings-on. Our visits are always pleasant and fun – She is vivacious and has a great sense of humor.
One day last week I mentioned in a Facebook post that I consider the President of the United States to be a psychopath. She responded that she is positive he is not a psychopath and pointed out that her studies are in that field. She followed through with a list of traits of psychopaths in support of her position. I looked at the list and found it very much confirmed my position. Here are 7 traits of a (modern) psychopath from a 2018 piece in Psychology Today. They are consistent with her list:
- Pathological Lying and Manipulation
2. Lack of Morality and Rule Breaking
3. Lack of Empathy and Cold-Heartedness
4. Narcissism and False Superiority Complex
5. Gaslighting and Psychological Bullying
6. Lack of Contrition and Self-Serving Victimhood
7. Situational” Psychopathy – the individual extends cordiality, respect, and regard towards some, but exhibits inhumanity, harshness, and cruelty towards others.
It turns out we both have master’s degrees in psychology and even attended the same university, though at different times. Her Master’s Degree is from Texas A & M. Mine is from Louisiana Tech. We grew up in the same part of Louisiana. We live in the same relatively small neighborhood. She is younger than me, but by less than 15 years so we have had some of the same experiences as adults. To my mind, the only explanation for our total difference on this is that we really do see the sitting President in completely opposite ways. She presented this list to support her position that he is not a psychopath, yet it confirms my position he is.
The reason this is so important is that I often hear supporters of Donald J. Trump say things like, “He’s a scoundrel, but I support his and his party’s policies so I am able to overlook his boorish behavior and bad personality.” Being a psychopath is a far cry from just being a scoundrel or boor. Psychopaths are actually and truly dangerous. It is often said they lack what we call a conscience. This is a HUGE difference.
The thing that makes Donald Trump a little less dangerous than other psychopaths is that he is also essentially unlikeable. Some would use this distinction to define him as a sociopath rather than a psychopath, but that is hardly something to claim as a bragging right. The most dangerous psychopaths are charming and able to get away with more.
Despite his dour and bullying personality, Donald Trump has wide personal appeal. It is seen by his admirers as refreshing candor, toughness and, of all things, honesty – despite the fact he lies daily, sometimes repeatedly in the same day. Do some people like this, or do they actively ignore it?
What is there to admire in a person with any of the 7 traits listed above? How can anybody observe him and not see him exhibit each one of them? I submit any person with normal intelligence can see them in him quite easily. No degrees or diplomas are required. To his credit, he does nothing to cover them up and they are on display constantly, but even when people of ostensibly similar backgrounds see him do and say precisely the same things, we really do not.
How is this complete dissonance of perception possible? I frankly do not know, but it is the most frightening thing about Donald John Trump as President of the United States of America. How can we possibly unite as a people to create a better country and world if we are unable to experience the same reality and see the same clear and present danger he presents?
I know many of you reading this will pass it off as meaningless in the face of the looming socialism, nay communism, you see in the Democratic Party and its candidate. Many of you have closely held religious beliefs that justify your support despite your dislike of President Trump’s personal behavior and a lack of concrete evidence he supports your views. I can only stress, again, that his are not just character flaws. President Trump’s psychopathy should set off alarms so loud that you could never vote for him, just as you believe you could never vote for Joe Biden. Please re-think your position. This is not just about you or me – it is about our collective survival.
(Stephen Winham is a retired State Budget Director for the State of Louisiana. He resides in St. Francisville.)
Louisiana Voice 
I don’t understand how anyone, even a very young person, could read the professionally recognized list that you presented, compare it to Trump’s very open and known behaviors and not admit that he dings every point on the list….therefore he must be diagnosed as a very, very sick and dangerous person to have any authority over anyone….let alone and entire country. But, to learn that a person with very good professional credentials cannot do this is beyond disturbing. I only hope that your friend is professional in a very small minority…
Mr. Winham…this is a PS to my post. Did your friend ever give reasons as to why Trump didn’t exhibit the actions as they are listed? It would be interesting to hear why she doesn’t think Trump is a liar, bully, cold-hearted, etc. when he so blatantly displays them….what does she see him doing? I can’t see how a professionally trained psychologist could miss any of these and Trump’s acts.
Yes. Her answer was quite simple: She does not see him displaying any of these traits. So, her perception of him is simply the opposite of mine. How this could be remains a mystery to me.
P. S. Like several other of his supporters, she does admit he is a narcissist, but considers that of minor significance.
Thank you Stephen for this well written concern for the reuniting of the trumpers and the anti-trumpers after the election.
A psychopath stuck away in some corner of the world where he has few friends and no-one that he influences is just a bother easily dealt with. But when the psychopath is the President of the United States with great influence and powers, that’s a real “clear and present danger” and not to be dismissed as just academic babble.
It is quite a paradox isn’t it? I, like you, have really tried to understand the reason for the divergent views between tRump supporters and the rest of us. As you point out, the fissures between us are markedly clear. Maybe never so clear. But what is not clear to me (and Lord knows I have tried to read everything I can to understand their reasoning) is how his supporters can believe his lies, his lawlessness, and in his aberrant behavior. I can ascribe their views to white grievances, racism, fear of government socialism, resentment of intellectuals, or other such motives. But in the end I am still left with no explanation that gives me an “aha” moment. When four out of ten people view tRump through rose-colored glasses and not see the dictatorial direction he is taking, it really, really concerns me for our future.
Is a tRump dictatorship in which he has absolute power better for us than democratic socialism in which extensive state regulation, with limited state ownership is employed by democratically elected governments in the belief that it produces a fair distribution of income without impairing economic growth? Apparently forty one percent of the population think dictatorship is better.
Thank you Mr. Winham for your excellent piece.
Excellent, Stephen. In my opinion, his actions during the debate was clear evidence of his character. As other posters have commented this election is not about platforms and agendas, it’s about not reelecting the person you described above. There have been other people who have pursued a political office with the same rhetoric. However, opponents didn’t dislike the messenger, just the message. In this instance, the people dislike the messenger more, not the message.
Stephen, thanks. I appreciate and look forward to your comments and posts on this blog. Your voice doesn’t carry the zing and zest of Tom’s writing (a skill he’s honed over years of political journalism) but I always find your remarks informative, measured, well crafted, and spot on. Your observation that Donald Trump’s words and actions create radically different realities in otherwise normal people is true and widespread. Sadly, the division that it’s symptomatic of is a problem our nation will have to contend with long after Donald Trump is no longer President. He’s a master at exploiting that divide, but those separate realities have been building for years.
An underlying mechanism for the phenomenon of separate realities is clearly described by psychology professor Keith Stanovich in his article detailing the cognitive bias called “myside bias”. It’s a bit of a lengthy read, but very informative. With your background in psychology you might find it quite interesting.
https://quillette.com/2020/09/26/the-bias-that-divides-us/
Great article! I also struggle to make sense of how rationale, reasonable, faith-based people around me can support a man who clearly doesn’t live the values that they do. At this point, I don’t think I ever will. But I won’t let that stop me from trying to reconcile with them after this is all over with. Your article will be helpful with that.
That is an excellent article. You articulated my thoughts in this very well. I do not understand how anyone viewing djt- his actins and words cannot see that he is a danger – he lacks empathy, concern for others, honesty, class and grace. I have quite a few family and friends- well educated, etc who support him. No matter how many times I am told -well he hates the People they hate, the « anti-abortion etc. I just don’t get it . And please explain how someone can claim to be « pro life and against healthcare for everyone, not be concerned by the police murdering people, etc. Their pro life agenda ends at birth.
(second attempt that this post – apologies if it shows up twice)
Stephen, thanks. I appreciate and look forward to your comments and posts on this blog. Your voice doesn’t carry the zing and zest of Tom’s writing (an useful skill he’s honed over years of political journalism) but I always find your remarks informative, measured, well crafted, and spot on. Your observation that Donald Trump’s words and actions create radically different realities in otherwise normal people is true and widespread. Sadly, the division that it’s symptomatic of is a problem our nation will have to contend with long after he’s gone from the political scene.
A reasonable explanation for that phenomenon is clearly described by psychology professor Keith Stanovich in his article describing the cognitive bias called “myside bias”. It’s a bit of a lengthy read, but very informative. With your background in psychology you might find it quite interesting.
https://quillette.com/2020/09/26/the-bias-that-divides-us/
Take the question to a professor. Clearly your neighbor is not processing Trump’s behavior accurately. Perhaps an a qualified neutral arbiter would be persuasive to her. To you both. Clearly you can fool some of the people some of the time-but gratefully not all of the people all of the time.
Thank you. You have voiced my concerns very well. I am left absolutely scratching my head when reading or hearing the responses of others when I know these people and I know them to be good, moral, reasonably intelligent, normally well-meaning people. They seem to be viewing an alternate universe and I do not understand why or how. I am so very afraid for our country, our way of life, and our very morality. And as a Christian it is particularly hard for me to see others holding him up as embracing their Christian values. That alone has driven more young people away from the church than anything else in modern times. At first, I thought that by talking about my views with others might make a difference, but I have learned that nothing changes their mind. I do blame Fox news for a certain portion of that, because if that is their only source for “news”, that really become brain-washed after a while. So scary.
Thanks, Stephen. You and I have discussed the alternate universes topic before. Well written article!
Steve’s article is indeed provocative. The general question of why “intelligent” people support Trump should be probed by all good citizens. I believe the main dynamics lie in social approval, the kinds of gratifications the Trumpers get from supporting Trump; but I believe there are several strong dimensions of causation involved. One kind is policy-based opposition to the Democrats that is allowed to override the repulsive reaction to Trump’s personality. All parts of the question should be studied, and they are being studied right now, as Internet research will show. I hope people looking into these things will think about ways that ordinary people may encourage others to fantasize more than reason on important subjects.
You people are getting dumber and dumber. The world is waking up seeing the manipulation from the news media and both parties. You’re stuck in Trump derangement.
We’ll take that as a compliment and you are correct, we are stuck in the results of Trump derangement which we see the opposite of your apparent definition, just like we see everything else in our separate reality from yours.