How Mass Formation Psychosis takes over societies (ft. Mattias Desmet)

Rupa Subramanya
TNC.news
Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:00 UTC

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Comment: Readers here are no strangers to the words of Mattias Desmet, and here the author (interviewer) takes Mattias through the steps. The author herself experienced first hand what was going on in Canada through the extremes of political/corporate covid, such as:

• I spoke to close to 100 protesters and didn't find a single insurrectionist, white supremacist, racist or misogynist
• The truckers have changed Canada forever

How do totalitarian regimes emerge? What makes regular citizens report their relatives and neighbours in to authorities?

Professor of Clinical Psychology at Ghent University and author of "The Psychology of Totalitarianism" Mattias Desmet joins The Rupa Supramanya Show to discuss Mass Formation Psychosis, a phenomenon deeply rooted in group psychology where intolerance towards dissident voices and allegiance to ideology are seen as an ethical duty in affected societies.

Mattias and Rupa talk about instances of Mass Formation Psychosis occurring even before the Covid-19 pandemic, such as during the Iranian Revolution and in the Soviet Union.

Lastly, Mattias shares his thoughts on how this psychosis can have a lasting effect on the culture for years.

Comment: Mattias Desmet offers up some thoughts into the world of dictators vs totalitarian societies, citing the philosopher, Hannah Arendt. So listen in to Rupa's show to see how his arguments develop and take shape.

In looking at Arendt, one such message from another time, seems to strike a near exact cord in our times now:

Totalitarianism in power invariably replaces all first-rate talents, regardless of their sympathies, with those crackpots and fools whose lack of intelligence and creativity is still the best guarantee of their loyalty

― Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism