Tag: American presidents

“When the Syrian refugees are going to start pouring into this country, we don’t know if they’re ISIS, we don’t know if it’s a Trojan horse….it could be the great Trojan horse of all times

Question 1: what can a politician gain when he makes a comment like this?

Your answer (Select all that apply.)

1. a sense of power from successfully manipulating people’s emotions.
2. actual power through gaining votes by portraying themselves as tough on crime and terrorism.
3. delight in the media attention and the endless money and fame it can generate.
4. a quiet sense of satisfaction from recognizing that they are doing everything possible to promote peace and human rights.
5. recognition that they may be nominated for the next Nobel Peace Prize.

Question 2: What would a politician’s followers gain from accepting such messages and using them to guide their behavior?

Your answer (Select all that apply.)

1. the comfort that comes from finding a strong leader who will take on troublemakers and knock them out of action.
2. pleasure in finding a leader who confirms your beliefs concerning what is right and what is wrong.
3. confirmation that there are real and present threats to the American way of life that have been too long neglected by weak Presidents.
4. reassurance that good people from all walks of life can work together to achieve solutions that make the world better for everyone.
5. the ability to see themselves as good people who live by the Golden Rule.

Question 3: What could a politician’s followers lose or escape from by accepting such messages and using them to guide their behavior?

1. anxiety related to not knowing whom they can blame for any current dissatisfactions or fears in their lives.
2. unease related to the feeling that there isn’t anyone around who is tough enough to put a stop to the threats to the American way of life.
3. the sense that they are increasingly powerless in a country where the government cannot be trusted to represent their interests.
4. a sense of pride in knowing that they have reached out to people with different backgrounds and different experiences before making a decision regarding their future and the future of their country.
5. recognition from leaders of the human rights and environmental movements concerning their sense of morality and concern for others and the planet.

Final Questions:

Who gains the most when politicians make statements like the one above? The politicians? Their followers? The American people? People around the world? Terrorists? Victims of terrorism?

Who has the most to lose when the message above is adopted by advocates of the message?  The politician? The politician’s advocates? The American people? People around the world? Terrorists? Victims of terrorism?

What do YOU have to lose?

Kathie Malley-Morrison, Professor of Psychology