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  • The Psychology of Totalitarianism

  • Written by: Mattias Desmet
  • Narrated by: Dan Crue
  • Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (120 ratings)

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The Psychology of Totalitarianism

Written by: Mattias Desmet
Narrated by: Dan Crue
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Publisher's Summary

We bear witness to loneliness, free-floating anxiety, and fear giving way to censorship, loss of privacy, and surrendered freedoms. It is all spurred by a singular, focused crisis narrative that forbids dissident views and relies on destructive groupthink.

Totalitarianism is not a coincidence and does not form in a vacuum. It arises from a collective psychosis that has followed a predictable script throughout history, its formation gaining strength and speed with each generation—from the Jacobins to the Nazis and Stalinists—as technology advances. Governments, mass media, and other mechanized forces use fear, loneliness, and isolation to demoralize populations and exert control, persuading large groups of people to act against their own interests, always with destructive results.

In The Psychology of Totalitarianism, world-renowned Professor of Clinical Psychology Mattias Desmet deconstructs the societal conditions that allow this collective psychosis to take hold. By looking at our current situation and identifying the phenomenon of “mass formation”—a type of collective hypnosis—he clearly illustrates how close we are to surrendering to totalitarian regimes.

©2022 Mattias Desmet (P)2022 Dreamscape Media, LLC

What listeners say about The Psychology of Totalitarianism

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For the truth of the soul.

[It seems that onli books perfect for the Now-Space find me. A must read for comprehending the current mass formation.]

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here is a MUST-READ

This book is a masterpiece, reete with revelations that enable us to understand our current individual psychological states, as well as our collective social state, and to contextualize these with regard to time and the deepest truth of our humanity. It gives hope, clarity and direction. Also, it is not a slog to read, with potent and fast-moving elucidation of all points.

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Resonant and Coherent

Very interesting thesis. Well worth digesting. A world embracing narrative connecting our current social environment to our current understanding of the nature of existence. A message of positivity. Very much in alignment with the teachings of the Baha’i Faith.

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Powerfully informative and inspiring of hope.

The explanation of mass formation, regarding the primary narrative during C19, has given me such a deep sense of relief and hope for our future. We felt so alone and betrayed by our friends, neighbors, colleagues, and Countrymen that happily or silently went along with segregation and discriminatory restrictions and mandates.

Knowing that the conditions were ripe for a mass formation tk take hold due to isolation and lack of meaning, has allowed me to begin the path of forgiveness and shift focus toward moving on and building our new life.

Thank-you,
Danny Bulford

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A Map in the wilderness

Mattias’ method of defining the fundamental characteristics of mass formation are useful to say the least. His analyses of events, both historical and contemporary, weave together an understanding that little has changed despite our many advances as species. A recommended read for the lonely dissident.

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outstanding

Thoughtful, and so well written.
Clear, concise and so very interesting! You won't regret this purchase.

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Absolutely required reading for our time!

Fantastic assessment of the psychology that's taken the globe over during this pandemic. This book may never get the credit it deserves in its time. but I truely believe it will be a priceless time capsule for future generations to look back on as a cautionary tale.

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Great book!

Feels good to finally hear someone with relevant information and arguments to criticize the popular narrative that took all the place in the media for the last two years.

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This book is the best medicine

I've genuinely struggled to understand and accept all that has happened over the past two years. The behaviour of people I thought I knew, the insidious uniformity across culture and society, why our society seemed so eager for a crisis and so fanatical in the persuit of simple answers for someone to blame. This book has taken me out of my confusion, anger, and paranoia, and has provided me with a healthy understanding and even a strange sense of optimism. Thank you Doctor Desmet

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chapter 8 is weird

chapter 8 got a little suspicious but I enjoyed the rest of the book

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