In the meanwhile, Hillary came out with a series of economic proposals that are very interesting but that no one is discussing because everybody is fascinated with the cathartic spectacle of Trump.
Economy is currently good*, and nobody is that interested in the long-term, so Hillary ‘ s efforts are going largely unnoticed. Trump, on the other hand, enacts the “cry of the goat” – a venerable ancient ritual – that offers a cathartic release to the viewers.
Everybody has something they are not saying and desires they are not acting upon. This is the price of civilization, as Freud pointed out. If we want to live in a civilized society, we have to repress many of our impulses. Nobody but an infant urinates or defecates wherever the fancy takes them, for instance. We all make an effort to conduct the process in a civilized way.
All of the dark thoughts and impulses every one of us has are similarly repressed and never shared with the world. Our dark thoughts might or might not be about Mexicans or Vietnam vets but we all have them. And we all pay the price of neurosis for repressing them.
When Trump enacts a carefree release of dark thoughts and impulses, we can vicariously experience this release by observing him. This is the function of a sacrificial goat: to offer a cathartic experience to the public who identifies with the goat and is, for a moment, free of the burden of neurosis.
And for those who will proudly declare that they are not following Trump’s performance and are experiencing no catharsis through him, I have to disappoint. This doesn’t mean you have no store of things that have to be kept buried deep inside. You simply found another sacrificial goat to verbalize them.
* Before you erupt in protest, as I know many will want to, and tell me that the economy is horrible and everything sucks, remember that the message of “the economy improved dramatically thanks to a Democrat administration” is not only correct but will win us the election. Or is the pleasure derived from the “everything is so hooorrrrrible” anthem worth seeing Walker in the White House? Will that make the economy better?
Clarissa's Blog 
Leave a comment