State of Confusion: Political Manipulation and the Assault on the American Mind

by Bryant Welch

"A vitally important and highly readable investigation...by this insightful psychologist and political activist." --Lawrence Tribe "A fascinating and compelling case that right-wing politics has subverted our democracy...This book unmasks the politics of fear--the deeper chords touched by campaigns that appeal to the dark side." --Robert Shrum, author, "Concessions of a Serial Campaigner" "Bryant Welch sees through the smoke and mirrors and offers the only remedy that will place democracy firmly in the grip of the people from whom it is being stolen." --Harold I. Eist, former President, American Psychiatric Asociation "This beautifully written, urgently relevant work should be on the bookshelf of everyone who cares about the survival of American democracy." --Nancy McWilliams, former President, Division of Psychoanalysis, American Psychological Association FROM THE "I published the first edition of 'State of Confusion' in 2008. I am a clinical psychologist and attorney, and the previous two decades had given me an unusual perch from which to observe the American mind as it played out in the political arena. I became increasingly concerned with the growing instability of the American mind itself as it struggled under trauma and political manipulation to bear the psychological burdens needed to maintain a democracy. As frightening as our neglect of the deterioration of the environment was, the deterioration of our minds was even more worrisome and even more neglected. What was shocking in 2008, now just a decade later, seems almost quaint and illustrates the rapid deterioration of our mental state -- an increasingly dysfunctional state of confusion. Fortunately, as rapidly as the mind has deteriorated, so has our understanding of the mind increased. The most important and hopeful antidote to our current predicament is psychological awareness, awareness of the nature of the mind itself and an awareness of the forces that have so distorted our American character and mental stability. When we understand the nature of our mind we see that awareness itself can be profoundly healing and can illuminate the constructive things we can do to restore the American mind to rationality, tranquility, and vibrancy. Despite our current dire situation America’s promise is still vast. The hour is getting late, however. Awareness, deeper psychological awareness itself, must become America’s new Manhattan Project. This book is dedicated to that effort." ABOUT THE Bryant Welch is a nationally renowned clinical psychologist and attorney. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, he received a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of North Carolina and later was a Research Associate Graduate of the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute. He lived in Washington, DC for seventeen years where he served as the first Executive Director for Professional Practice of the American Psychological Association. He oversaw organized psychology’s most impactful advocacy era, leading successful efforts to expand access to psychological care and using psychological understanding to combat human rights abuses in many settings. For these efforts, he received numerous awards including an APA Presidential Citation for Seminal Contributions to the Field of Psychology. He was an outspoken opponent of the APA’s involvement in human torture under the Bush administration. Bryant currently lives with his wife, Leni Miller, and practices clinical psychology in Sausalito, CA.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

365 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 10, 2008

Reviews

[Jon]

Enjoyable and disturbing look at the phenomenon of political "gaslighting" (this term refers to the process of slowly driving someone nuts with, primarily, verbal abuse and is derived from a play by Patrick Hamilton, which has been filmed twice; oddly, Welch apparently is unaware of the existence of the first film version and of the original play). As someone who's been gaslighted by some true geniuses at the art, I appreciated Welch's analysis of this form of psychological torture. More questionable is the analogy Welch makes between gaslighting on a personal level and the attempts of mass media and politicians to turn our brains into mush. Perhaps the point is that no one can gaslight you without your, at least tacit, consent.

[Jeff Brailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author makes the case that the US electorate (at least the ones who were scared into voting Republican in the last presidentail election)are collective victims of a mass psychosis that was purposely caused by the right wing.

He makes his case well. I am proud I am one of the sane voters who didn't vote for Bush and I certainly hope everyone who did will take the time to read this book and hopefully have their pyschosis cured.

[Mike Edwards · Rating 1 out of 5]

Welch is a clinical psychologist by training, and he applies that training to the American electorate as a whole. He argues that conservatives (note: just conservatives; for some reason liberals are either too kindhearted or too stupid to understand how to do this) use fear to manipulate an ignorant electorate into supporting bad conservative politics (like the War in Iraq). It's a partisan assault on the right dressed up as social psychology, and not worth reading.

[JM · Rating 4 out of 5]

A psychologist’s take on the American psyche’s manipulation by certain, less than honorable, elements in the US. I enjoyed it, although I cannot say I liked what I was reading.

[Expose Austin Texas Duty To Care For Others · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book on gaslighting (i.e., social manipulation, psychological abuse, cultural hegemony, etc.)

[WebSkipper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I am stunned. Long perplexed by my own views, those of my fellow Americans, and our apparent vulnerability to the political system, pundits, talking heads and media, this book really helps me to make some sense of it all. Most especially when it comes to our seemingly endless wars and our relationships with the world at large. Written by a clinical psychologist and lawyer who examines the mind, the world, law and politics to help understand how they relate and interact, he draws on his own education and decades of clinical practice in understanding the mind and how it is mercilessly manipulated in the pursuit of petty political ends.

Those who know me are well aware that when I'm particularly impressed by a book, I get one or more extra copies to loan out or give away to my friends. This is one of those, and I just now purchased another copy.

I only very rarely give five stars, but this book most certainly deserves all five. And a read by those who haven't yet done so.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had similar views about the necessity for widespread cognitive awareness going into this book, and I was not disappointed by Welch's exploration and elucidation of the subject. I had a little light go off when he described the amorphous nature of jealousy. I was slightly disappointed by his treatment of Hillary Clinton, who I consider a sort of gaslighter, and so felt a bit of gaslight-by-proxy in the occasional adulation. That said, I don't disagree that sexism plays an obvious role in the virulence of anti-Hillary Clinton sentiment. Overall, this was a rather minor issue for me. Welch's psychological insights are valuable; and he says many things that I have been trying to say, but with greater eloquence and depth.

[Christine Hernando · Rating 1 out of 5]

Waste of time

This book had potential and the author failed to deliver. The author is so clearly biased that it clouds his judgment and prevents him from seeing/acknowledging that gaslighting is not just a conservative/right/Republican phenomenon; it is clearly present among liberal/left/Democrats. This bias detracts from the author’s credibility and left me, for one, feeling like he was trying to gaslight me. Fortunately, I’m not as weak minded as he would like. Don’t waste your time reading this. I regret that I stuck it out as those are hours I cannot get back.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Of you want to learn what makes you and your opponents tick I highly recommend this.
I really enjoyed it!!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still reading this book but it's spot on. Welch argues that Americans are being gaslighted, or manipulated to question reality. This opens them to suggestion against their own interests and well-being.

[JOANNE MACPEEK · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting analysis on how paranoia, envy, and sexual perplexity have deep affects on our minds. Is it possible to see through the manipulations put upon us? I hope so!