Where is the Outrage?

Last evening I read a brief review of Lee Iacocca's new book in which he asks why the public does not seem outraged by the Bush administration. This is a worthy question and should be looked into.

One of my areas of investigation recently has been the subject of psychological abuse. So far I have learned some of the techniques of abuse. I have learned there is often a cycle, or pattern involved which includes a low-level blame phase escalating into a blow-out and leading to a reconciliation. This pattern is repeated over and over.

A few prominent academics in the field of psychology have recently made the case that G.W. Bush has practiced something like psychological abuse upon the American people. I am not able for reasons of time to delve into their writings at this time. However, I believe that one frequent psychological trait manifested by victims of abuse is denial. And I further believe something like this has been going on in America. After being scared to death by the events of September 11, 2001, the American people have accepted and endured much they never would otherwise have countenanced. (Examples include the assault on civil liberties. To their credit, the American people did not accept the use of torture, although Bush is presently attempting to continue its practice by other means.)

I should say swiftly that I am not necessarily a follower of much that is offered by the psychiatric establishment. This is not to say, however, that psychology is not an important field of study. And a nation, afterall, is made up of individuals. Mass psychology comes ultimately from the feelings and thoughts of individual persons.

In the future I look forward to continuing this investigation.