Is Your Personality Profile Being Used To Brainwash You and Undermine Democracy?

Thought for the Day: I have intentionally, with a heavy heart, been silent on this blog for some time now.  Followers of my blog know I usually have something to say about the psychological impact of significant events in the news. Throughout the contentious campaign and election, I avoided politics and wanted to be respectful of all political views. As a psychologist, I feel my political opinions do not belong in my practice as a therapist. However, current events make me feel it is my social responsibility as a psychologist to speak up. I feel it is imperative to warn people of the misuse of psychological research to usurp people’s privacy in an effort to influence their behavior in unethical and possibly illegal ways. I am also concerned about the impact of the political climate on the emotional health of my clients, America, and the entire world. I do not consider myself an alarmist, but am increasingly worried that the abuse of what should be protected psychological techniques and information is endangering the future of our democracy and the free world.

     I started writing this post in December, but found myself unable to finish it until now. Psychologists are not immune to traumatic events, misleading information or targeted advertisements. Like many people in our great country, the results of the election left me shocked, dumbfounded and frightened. For the first time in my life, I was reluctant to speak my mind publicly. Would I be black-listed like people in the McCarthy Era? Would trolls start posting on my blog, Facebook page or twitter feed? Would my professional credibility be questioned? Could my family be endangered?  

     Although I am still fearful that speaking my mind may lead to potential harm, I have come to realize that unprecedented times demand unprecedented actions. I saw a sign at a demonstration which said, "Nothing About This is NORMAL." As a psychologist who has lived through many transitions of power, I can attest that what is happening in our nation is not normal. As a child, I often wondered what I would have done if I had grown up during World War II. I hoped I would have been part of the resistance. As a Jew, growing up in Texas, although I was in a minority, I barely experienced anti-semitism but was well aware of the devastating impact of genocide of my ancestors who were unable to make it to the United States. My grandmother lost four siblings, her parents and most of her aunts, uncles and cousins in the Nazi death camps.

     I have always been proud to have the freedoms provided by being a citizen of the United States. I have supported and fought for civil rights of others and against injustice. My parents taught me to speak my mind, to cherish the right to vote and to accept the results of elections even when my candidate lost. Following the last election, I first took a wait and see approach. When I began to worry about the transition, I joined groups, made phone calls to congressmen, sent post cards to elected officials, demonstrated in NYC and at the Women's March in DC, and posted a few Facebook posts more privately. Even though I did these things, in many ways it felt like it could have been as anonymous as attending an AA meeting. I have been in a quandary as a clinical psychologist and author about daring to write and speak my mind more openly. These fears have been engendered by the current president and the Republican Party members bullying and challenging their opponents to simply "get over it." This is not due to being "sore losers." It is due to genuine fears of the tactics being used to undermine democratic safeguards and to destroy institutions designed to promote checks and balances in a democracy.

   Something changed for me since the Muslim Travel Ban was imposed. I spent the weekend with my husband, brother and two sisters-in-law in Vermont. The retreat had been planned since December and I was looking forward to a reprieve from post election stress. When the news broke about the Muslim Ban, I was shocked and upset to see the events unfold across the nation and around the world. We talked, commiserated, and tried to come up democratic solutions to resolve the state of affairs. We sang songs Saturday night hoping it would provide some therapeutic relief. However, even songs that had nothing to do with politics seemed to take on new meanings as we tried to cope with the madness unfolding across our great nation. 

     Perhaps having the support of family as we tried to cope with the constant barrage of the new president and the GOP’s plans to create chaos in our society helped me find the strength to speak up. In addition, an article I read online caught my attention also gave me courage. As a psychologist, I feel compelled to help the public understand how the invasion of privacy and misuse of personal psychological information by the Republican Party is endangering the democratic process. Read on to learn more…

Father's Day Part I: What Is or Was the Most Special Moment You Had with Your Dad?

My Conversation with Abraham Lincoln & My Father

Thought for the Day: In this Father's Day week, what is or was the most special moment you had with your dad? Holidays like Mother's Day & Father's Day can be hard if your relationship with your parents was not picture perfect or if your parent has passed away. Whatever your relationship was like, whether they are here or no longer with you, it may be helpful to remember special moments. When I saw a request for posts about special moments with your father on a facebook group of alum from my High School, the stories were wonderful.

      My first reaction was mixed. I was touched, but was also a bit envious of the multiple posts about special moments with fathers. I felt I did not have many stories I could recall in my memory. I wrote this:
       What wonderful stories. Since my parents were divorced, I have more negative stories than positive ones about my father. That is one of the worst things that happen to children when marriages end & parents don't get along. My father did take us out on Sundays & some of the visits were positive, but usually they ended in sadness. He would complain that we did not call him during the week. He was, however, an amazing parent substitute as an adult leader to tons of teenagers in Bnai Brit. When we would visit, his house would be filled with other people's children who called him, Uncle Morris & turned to him as a father figure, mentor & advisor. It always seemed ironic to me that my brothers & I never felt that way towards him. I would not even join Bnai Brit. Fortunately, he was a better grandfather than father & as an adult we developed a better relationship.

After I posted that story on the facebook page, I thought some more about my father & recalled this story & posted it:

Morris Bogdanow. 1912 - 1988

      Even before the divorce, when we traveled with my father, we got more of his undivided attention than in every day life,  One of my best memories of my father was on one of our vacations on a visit to the Lincoln Memorial. Lincoln was one of my father's heroes. (FDR was probably his 2nd most admired president.) On that particular trip, I was about 5 or 6 years old & he told me that President Lincoln could hear me. I spoke to President Lincoln's statue & my father pretended to answer me from near the statue. I thought the president was addressing me! 
     Not long after that my parents were divorced & many of the memories were jaded by their discord. My brothers became my father figures & did a good job at stepping in for him. He was a lawyer who fought for clients of all races religions & creeds. My respect for both Abraham Lincoln & my father's views on social justice remain strong. I appreciate the values my father represented to me. Despite the divorce & the painful memories, he helped instill in me a genuine love of reading, social activism, human rights & respect for all people. I am thankful for these lessons that I learned from him.

What is or was the most special moment you had with your dad?

Women Dancing for Change

Thought for today: If women ran the world would there be wars?

Today I'd like you to take a look at a short video clip. The exuberance of the music & the women simply dancing in public speaks louder than words. It shows an example of how women protested without violence & made a powerful statement.

I saw the movie War Horse this week. Perhaps my favorite scene in the movie is when two men from opposing sides of the battle free the horse from barbed wire in a brief cease fire. Those men were allowing their caring, "feminine" sides, out to save the life of a suffering animal. If people would simply put down their weapons & interact as human beings to save the lives of their fellow men, the world would be a very different place.  Could feminine solutions to differences put an end to wars? As women become more involved in politics & less afraid to use their feminine sides to confront the problems we face hopefully we will see changes & a reduction of combat. 


Have you ever protested without raising your voice? What did you do? Whether you are a man or a woman, do you let your "feminine" side out to help you resolve conflicts & differences? Share your ideas & thoughts about music, dance, creativity & changing the world. Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts and dreams!