America's "national IQ" in freefall—rejecting history, reason, freedom for all rather than the few & democracy by re-electing convicted felon Donald Trump who undermines institutions, foments chaos, & pardoned violent insurrectionists and sides with our international autocratic enemies like war criminal Vladimir Putin.
A nation embracing autocracy is a nation in decline.
If we were to imagine a "national IQ" as a metaphor for collective reasoning, decision-making, and long-term planning, the trajectory of the U.S. would suggest a severe decline in critical thinking and civic responsibility under the scenario you describe.
After the Obama and Biden administrations—both of which emphasized democratic norms, institutional stability, and a return to global alliances—the re-election of a convicted felon with autocratic tendencies and a history of undermining democratic institutions would indicate a failure of national judgment. It would suggest that a significant portion of the electorate is either unable or unwilling to recognize the dangers of authoritarianism, misinformation, and corruption, despite the clear historical warnings.
The pardoning of convicted violent criminals from the January 6 insurrection would further signal a breakdown in the rule of law and an embrace of political violence as an acceptable tool of governance. This would mark a shift from a nation that values democratic principles to one that tolerates or even encourages lawlessness when it serves the interests of those in power.
If a nation’s IQ were measured in its ability to uphold democratic values, sustain rational governance, and protect its institutions from internal sabotage, then under these conditions, the U.S. would be in intellectual and moral freefall. It would indicate not just ignorance, but an active rejection of wisdom, history, and accountability—factors that typically lead civilizations into decline.
The terms disease and malady are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings and connotations:
Disease – A specific pathological condition with identifiable signs, symptoms, and causes, often related to infections, genetic disorders, or environmental factors. It typically implies a medical diagnosis.
- Example: Diabetes, tuberculosis, and cancer are diseases.
Malady – A broader term that can refer to any kind of disorder, affliction, or condition affecting health, including physical, mental, or societal issues. It has a more general and sometimes metaphorical use.
- Example: Anxiety, corruption, or social unrest can be called maladies.
Key Differences:
- Medical specificity: "Disease" is more medically precise, while "malady" is more general.
- Formality: "Disease" is the preferred term in medical and scientific contexts; "malady" is often used in literature or philosophy.
- Scope: "Malady" can refer to non-medical afflictions (e.g., "the malady of greed"), whereas "disease" does not.
People susceptible to authoritarian or extremist ideologies, including MaGA’s more extreme elements (or perhaps any element), often share specific psychological traits and cognitive tendencies. While not all supporters fit this mold, those who become deeply entrenched in authoritarian thinking or conspiratorial beliefs tend to exhibit some of the following characteristics:
Psychological Traits Susceptible to "Mind Worms" Like Authoritarianism
- High Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) – Prone to submission to perceived authority, aggression toward outsiders, and conventionalism.
- Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) – Preference for hierarchy and dominance over perceived lower-status groups.
- Low Cognitive Reflection – Quick to accept intuitive (but often incorrect) answers instead of engaging in deeper analysis.
- Need for Cognitive Closure – Discomfort with uncertainty, leading to a preference for black-and-white thinking.
- Fear-Based Thinking – Higher susceptibility to fear messaging, often linked to personal or societal insecurity.
- Low Openness to Experience – Resistance to new ideas, cultures, or perspectives, preferring familiar and traditional norms.
- High Conspiratorial Thinking – Tendency to believe in grand conspiracies that explain complex realities in simple terms.
- Collectivist vs. Individualist Loyalty – Often prioritizes group identity (e.g., party, nation, race) over independent moral reasoning.
Why "Mind Worms" Work on This Personality Type
- Repetition & Echo Chambers – The more a claim is repeated, the more it feels true (illusory truth effect).
- Identity-Driven Politics – When ideology is tied to personal identity, questioning it feels like an attack on the self.
- Emotional Manipulation – Fear, anger, and grievance are powerful motivators, often overriding logic.
- Us vs. Them Mentality – Encourages tribalism and distrust of "outsiders" or "elites."
This isn’t exclusive to MAGA—historically, all forms of authoritarianism (left or right) thrive on these traits. But MAGA’s blend of nationalism, grievance politics, and anti-institutional rhetoric makes it particularly effective at exploiting these vulnerabilities.
If the U.S. were in full democratic crisis (as it is nnow)—facing an autocrat in power, the erosion of institutions, replacing agency and department heads with sycophants loyal to Pres. Trump and not the US Constitution or the People, in the pardoning of insurrectionists to send the message, "Break the law for ME and you'll be protected"—the emergency path to restoration would require immediate and decisive action.
Here’s what should happen right now:
Compiled with aid of ChatGPT
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