There is no clinical TDS, though some psychologists are willing to go there, a very tiny, generally pro-Trump minority. Without a doubt, since I’m a senior, I hate to see my later years having to deal with this s***. But, I just studied history too closely. Decades ago, and with the emphasis on 20th century Europe, and the rise of fascist movements. Still, decades ago, and I did not realize that a 50+ year old education would make it so easy, so immediate even, to recognize Trump was the very type of leader, leading a similar movement, to those I had studied all those years ago. I was not expecting that, but, all of a sudden, despite Vietnam, despite Watergate, here I was actually caring again.
I think Trump can certainly induce depression. And he can certainly induce anxiety. And deep concern for the future of human rights themselves, and the future of a democracy in America. Those are not pleasant emotions. Not an enjoyable mental state. One of my sisters lives that daily, I do my best to remind her MAGA will fail eventually.
Depression at times. But not when finding oneself involved in revolutionary times. Resistance!! Resistance is its own reward, gathering with like minded patriots, all that is very, very enlivening. That part, gathering like they did in Minneapolis and cities nationwide yesterday, those times are so enlivening and uplifting of the spirit!
It’s very good to know one is on the moral side of an historical crisis. And that is side with which I stand, and stand in pride. Proud to be an American who did not fail to recognize who Trump was and what he represented. And if you fit that description, good for you, you are on the right side of History. You are a responsible citizen! You do not have the non existent condition the woefully ignorant call TDS.
How did a belief in TDS develop? TDS, as understood by MAGA, developed out of the inability of the Trump cult, and even more sane Republicans who do not understand History the way I do, the way many, many educated Americans also clearly do, to simply recognize how Right Wing populism can lead to extremely ugly results. TDS is simply a term used by Trumpers because they do not understand history, do not understand the role of demagogues in History, do not understand how a crisis enveloping citizens who are feeling cut out, marginalized by the “Deep State”, not benefiting as much as others, can lead to populists who instinctively understand there is this large segment of disillusioned citizens(that IS the GENIUS of cynical demagogues like Trump!), and who know how to say exactly what his audience wants to hear. That’s what Trump excelled at. Many who claim TDS exists are those very disaffected Americans that Trump knows he can draw in, it’s the very reason they cannot recognize TDS was something they themselves created out of their inability to see Trump was manipulating them! Sad!
This is how a belief in TDS arose: The people who actually believe TDS exists as a clinical psychiatric disorder do so because they simply cannot understand how anyone could be that alarmed by Trump, that angry at Trump. Because they cannot comprehend how anyone cannot think exactly as they do, they conclude that rather than there be any actual genuine reasons for such anger at Trump, it must be a DELUSION. They would rather believe dislike of Trump, TDS, is a mental illness, a delusion without any basis in truth, than actually perform a self examination of themselves!!!
And that’s what the folks promoting TDS are demonstrating. That they have pathetically little self understanding, do not know the cause of their own delusions, have no interest in learning the truth. So detached from the reality of Donald Trump that so many can see, and see clearly, that their failure to understand led to their belief that anyone that does not love and admire Trump must be mentally ill!
They created TDS to comfort their own ignorance.
They cannot see themselves as others see them! With no self understanding of the reasons for their own emotions, and without the knowledge of History that proves the past….INFORMS….the present, they simply fail. Maybe their grandkids will ask them “what the hell was your problem, anyway?!”, or maybe they’ll get to live in a fascist state of their liking for awhile.
But: Truth wins out. In History, Truth wins out eventually.