“How the Bewildered Herd is Kept on Course” by Rainer Mausfeld, October 2017

I want to share several insights from the psychologist Rainer Mausfeld in his recent lecture “How the Bewildered Herd is Kept on Course”: 1) Social antagonism is shifted into one’s own person. One becomes a slaveholder of oneself under the neoliberal ideology of human capital. Everyone is a little I-company that must optimize him/herself. (2) Estrangement or de-solidarity can only occur when a necessary measure of fear and uncertainty is induced in individuals. (3) Fear must be induced and has nothing to do with reality. This is an important rule technique. The most important resource in neoliberalism is “accumulation of the fear raw material” (Oscar Negt), “The people are threatening for the rulers when they are without fear” (Tacitus)

Job creation, closing tax havens, redistributing income and wealth and building affordable housing, schools, and hospitals are all trivialized or ignored in the GOP tax bill – in the irrational frenzy to give more benefits and deductions to owners of yachts and private jets!

marc

Here are two remarkable addresses by the psychologist Rainer Mausfeld:

Why are the Lambs Silent? – Rainer Mausfeld, June 2015

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/02/29/18783480.php

Neoliberal Indoctrination – Rainer Mausfeld, January 2016

http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2016/02/431734.shtml