United for Democracy

Explanation based on the four phases of a narcissistic relationship

Phase 1 – Idealization

When you get to know a narcissist, he will try to capture you completely. He puts you on a pedestal, praises your beautiful qualities, emphasizes how special you are. You and the relationship are idealized. Something like the two of you together is special, unique. This treatment releases a strong dose of dopamine, a hormone that gives you an intensely happy feeling. This shot of happiness is addictive. Winning at gambling releases the substance, as well as rewards from digital games and positive feedback on social media. No matter what else happens in the relationship, no matter how he treats you, you will always long for that reward you once received.

No politician
Donald Trump, when he entered politics, did the same to people within the Republican Party and to their supporters. It is not without reason that the movement is called MAGA, after the slogan: Make America Great Again. We are the most special country in the World. And I’m different from anyone you’ve ever met, than anyone you’ve ever voted for. Donald Trump was not a politician and that is what made him so special to his followers. According to Trump, America was no longer great because of politicians who had their own evil agenda. You couldn’t trust politicians, but you could trust him. He was a brilliant businessman and the smartest the world had ever seen to save the greatest country ever from destruction.

Trump reminds me of the kind of narcissist who picks a vulnerable woman, talks to her about the horrible ex who mistreated her and tells her she never has to worry again because he will protect her. She is actually very special and he understands her, sees her for who she is. He is the most altruistic man she has ever encountered; he is her devoted slave. The relationship is ideal. In the meantime, he has heard her all out and remembered where her pain points are, where she is most vulnerable. That’s for the next phase, to make her addicted to his ‘love’.

Savior
The US had a good economy after Barack Obama’s presidency, but most citizens did not notice it much. The minimum wage had been the same for decades and getting seriously ill was still something that would force someone to sell their house to pay the bills. The democratic system protected citizens, but formulating and implementing policy took far too much time. The power of the multinationals and the richest was already very great. They did not cooperate in fair distribution of prosperity. In that case they would loose their shareholders and thus the value of their company. No president could change that in eight years or less.

For Trump, this was a great opportunity to define the role of the bad ex. He picked up a piece of Russian rhetoric, conspiracy theories about an evil elite, and there was the scapegoat: the left-wing elite. That elite deliberately did nothing for the American people. He would do it differently, but more than that, he would tell the elite the truth. The MAGA of course loved his insulting attitude towards other heads of state, which we found so objectionable. He stood up for them, for the people of America who deserved to be great. Thus he became their savior.