Customer Reviews

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

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Bryant Welch's recent book, State of Confusion: Political Manipulation and the Assault on the American Mind (2008) Thomas Dunne Books, provides a compelling psychoanalytic framework for understanding the collective mental pathology driven by current sociopolitical machinations. He describes three "battleground psychological states" (paranoia, sexual perplexity and envy) that are manipulated in "gaslighting" the public--duping voters and consumers through the provision of defensive maneuvers that alleviate anxiety and create unquestioning believers in causes benefiting those in power.

Mental dynamics remain in focus throughout Dr. Welch's penetrating analysis, the uniqueness of which stems from his perspicacity, the breadth of his professional experience (psychology, law, and politics) and the intensity of his effort. A personal anecdote in his acknowledgments is illuminating: "My personal mental image while writing the book was to framing a house. What made it especially difficult was the sense that I had to drive every nail with my head." (Page xii)

While reading State of Confusion I remembered that when I decided to major in psychology (during the Nixon Administration, the Vietnam War, post political assassinations) I wanted viable answers to why our nation was so crazy. Forty years later I had all but given up hope that psychology could be of much help countering the formidable power of self-serving politicos and marketers. Reading Bryant Welch's book renewed my hope.

Bryant gives us a practicable framework with which to promote healthier functioning of "The American Mind." I hope the American Psychoanalytic Association takes advantage of this opportunity by supporting and elaborating his ideas, joining him in the arduous task of driving each nail with our heads.

If you're interested in -- or just curious about -- how the US got where it now is in Iraq and among the nations of the world, you need to read this book. It explains how the "gaslighters" [Karl Rove, Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, etc] manipulated the minds of American citizens, increasing their vulnerability after 9/11, to make Americans more dependent on "their" brand of reality and to enable their agenda to be achieved. They warped American citizens' ability to "think," and discredited those persons and professions that could foster "clearer" thinking and decision-making. The psychological explanations are invaluable tools for helping readers identify similar on-going manipulations from the current Presidential campaigns. State of Confusion: Political Manipulation and the Assault on the American Mind

This is a highly informative book about how the Bush administration and its right-wing political ideology have created our multiple current crises. Bryant Welch submits his comprehensive knowledge (both broad and deep) of global and domestic conflicts, especially the players within them, to an incisive psychological analysis so that we may understand the oft-times puzzling actions of our leaders. No matter your political persuasion, this is a book for everyone to read - you will have more substance to your arguments with Welch's research and analysis behind them!
Andrea Celenza

I'm somewhat perplexed by the string of five-star reviews. Despite agreeing with the author on virtually every point, I do not think this is a very good book. The book lacked depth at certain points, borders on abject ignorance whenever matters of religion are addressed, and consistently lacks in nuance. I also found the book marred by a tendency to engage in psychoanalytic citing of anonymous cases, something that is simply out of place in writing about our current political crises.

I have to confess that as a film buff I was put off at nearly the very beginning, when Welch introduces the notion of "gaslighting" -- a metaphor that is quite apt in discussing the Right's persistent and largely successful attempt to muddy the minds of Americans in thinking about politics -- and talks exclusively of the 1944 Hollywood film starring Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman that was a remake of a superior 1940 British film starring the great Anton Walbrook, which was itself a film version of the Patrick Hamilton stage play. OK, not mentioning any of this is indicative of the persistent lack of depth I found in the book. No doubt the author wanted to keep things simple (assuming he was aware of the earlier film or play; it is possible that he knows only the later Hollywood version), but throughout the book I found myself wanting to add footnotes. The fact is that I am not sure I learned a single new fact reading the book. Any reader who has read a substantial number of recent books on the state of politics in America will already know everything contained in the book. Many will already have a deeper understanding than can be gained from the book. Though the concept of gaslighting is helpful, it is the only new thing I gained.

I do think the discussion of healthcare was strong. Though even there he misses a lot that is common knowledge. For instance, he mentions that universal healthcare under Truman failed because of a fear of communism. In fact, if you look into it in more depth, the fight against universal healthcare was led by Southern politicians who understood that Truman's plan would have resulted in whites and black being treated in the same hospitals, something they found intolerable. (As a Southerner, I find much to regret in my heritage.) A fear of communism might have been a secondary factor, but the main reasons universal healthcare was defeated were racist.

Any discussion of religion in the book is simplistic and uninformed. There are always two perspectives in a discussion of religion: an insider's perspective and an outsider's. I personally am a leftist (a passionate democrat whose political values are informed by the New Testament, Enlightenment ideals of justice and fairness, and socialism, equal parts Sermon of the Mount, Thomas Jefferson, and Ernst Bloch), but am also a largely orthodox Christian. My own discussion of religion is that of an insider. It is unquestionably possible to discuss religion intelligently as an outsider. One does not find that here. I found none of Welch's comments on religion to be either informed or perceptive. The perception was lacking simply because he apparently understands why he does not care for religion, without grasping why others do. Those he verbally gestures at the enormous complexity of American Christianity, it is not heartfelt. Like too many today, he ignores the fact that there are vast numbers of Christians who are politically left-leaning. Even within fundamentalism an increasing number of Christians are becoming disturbed by the so-called Religious Right's lack of concern on environmental and poverty issues. Jesus talks of the poor more than anything else in the Gospels; more and more conservative Christians are taking note of that. But Welch has no feel for this diversity. He lumps together large groups of Christians who ought not to be lumped. Frankly, you shouldn't publish comments on something you don't know about.

I was tempted to make this a bibliographic review, citing 20 or 30 books that are better than this one. Let me cite only a few. David Brock's THE REPUBLICAN NOISE MACHINE gives far greater detail and provides more insight on how the top-down leadership of the GOP has systematically mislead and misinformed Americans for the past forty years. Thomas Frank's WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH KANSAS? (and his new book THE WRECKING CREW) examines in depth the bait and switch tactics of the GOP. Naomi Klein's THE SHOCK DOCTRINE details the catastrophic results of the free-market economic ideology that has dominated the GOP (and tragically the Democratic party as well) over the past forty years. Kevin Phillips's AMERICAN THEOCRACY and Michelle Goldberg's KINGDOM COMING provide perceptive and insightful outsider perspectives on the Religious Right, while Randall Balmer's THY KINGDOM COME: HOW THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT DISTORTS THE FAITH AND THREATENS AMERICA provides an insider's perspective (his MINE EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY, published by Oxford University Press, shows the kind of complexity that exists even in the Religious Right, something Welch ignores). The most passionate and well-reasoned attack on the notion of American (Christian) exceptionalism has come from a deeply religious evangelical pastor, Gregory Boyd's THE MYTH OF A CHRISTIAN NATION. I will gesture at Garry Wills's HEART AND MIND while adding that there are a host of good leftist political books written by Christians. In a string of excellent books, George Lakoff has dissected the niceties of political discourse, beginning with MORAL POLITICS, repackaging that in concentrated form in DON'T THINK OF AN ELEPHANT, and continuing in WHOSE FREEDOM? and THE POLITICAL MIND. I could easily name 20 or 30 books that I would recommend before this one.

In summary, while the metaphor of gaslighting is quite apt and helpful in thinking about the strategies of the right in America today, it isn't sufficient to make this a good book. To be honest, I'm giving this book three stars only because I agree with the author politically. But all of this has been said by others, better, with more insight, and definitely more sensitivity to religious matters.

It is brilliant - what a wonderful application of psychology to politics with a trumpet call to Americans to be more reflective and thoughtful to protect themselves and the future of the country! Dr. Welch's emphasis on the need to face the true complexity of our millennium reality is imperative for psychotherapists, politicians, and voters alike. He reminds us of the power of empathic understanding in creating tolerance, patience, and peace in a time of inescapable perplexity and vulnerability.

Dr. Todd F. Walker

Bryant Welch is an insightful psychologist and experienced political activist and fast becoming one of the most important new voices in American Journalism today.

His book, State of Confusion calls out the Bush Regime, the possible forthcoming Palin Presidency and the bullies at Fox News for employing the same tactics as the Psy-Ops Strategies imposed by the government in George Orwell's classic book 1984.

The Lee Atwater/Karl Rove/Roger Ailes Psy-ops maneuver is exposed for what it is - and the corporate media (which controls most book reviews) isn't eager to publicize a book that posits that a large segment of the American population (you can find a chunk of them regularly watching FOX News) have been brainwashed, emotionally manipulated, and embedded with a false sense of reality.

Bryant Welch revels why so many Americans are living in an alternative reality created by the demonic Thought Police (Atwater, Rove, Ailes) of the Republican Party. He shows how Americans have been emotionally and psychologically manipulated by a "manufactured reality" of the right wing consortium by using think tanks, public relations spin, advertising techniques, corporate media, psychological tactics, politicians, and twisted religious leaders.

Who can ever forget the "Two Minutes of Hate" in George Orwell's Classic 1984? Every citizen was required to assemble together in front of a large Tele-screen every day so that the government would show videos of our enemies and we were to focus our hate on them and chant slogans for two minutes every day. These slogans are now replaced by Fox News code words such as Prayer. You know, as Sarah Palin says, lets pray for the completion of the Alaskan Drilling Projects - and pray that no wolves or bears get in her way - for they will surely learn about the vengeance of god.

Thank you Dr. Welch for such a thoughtful and critical analysis explaining the false reality that at least ½ of Americans live in today.

Great insights here on how we make choices about our presidential candidates, and the picture ain't pretty. Constantly illuminates what happened in previous elections (how *did* Bush get elected again?) but mainly provides a terrific crib sheet for what's going to happen in the next five months.

Finally, a book that sheds some real light on why this country (the USA) seems so crazy at times. Yes, it's always nice to have a political scientist or an economist looks at things, but sometimes what this country really seems to need is the viewpoint of a real, practicing psychiatrist - and that's what Bryant Welch is (he also has a law degree and a very strong political background to boot).

You've got to admit it - some of the things that go on these days just don't make any sense. How can Fox News have the gall to use "fair and balanced" as their tag line? Why is Rush still on the air after his drug bust? How did a decorated Vietnam combat veteran and volunteer get "swift-boated" by a guy who hid out the war in the National Guard? Why are "Christians" totally obsessed with gays and abortion, and not with peace and poverty?

Well, to be truthful, there's very little that's terribly logical or rational going on here. It all has to do with emotions and psychology. And the psychology here is not the pop psych that might typically get batted about in this context. Welch focuses on sex, envy, and paranoia in his discussion, but not in the sense that the average lay person thinks of these concepts.

This is fairly deep stuff. But only at this level does this stuff actually start to make sense. This is not easy reading, though I am actually really impressed how well Welch is able to effectively explain some of these topics.

The American Empire has been in decline for a number of years now. And 9/11 really helped that along. So, how will we deal with that fact? Will we face up to it or deny it?

In the personal realm, denial is not usually very healthy. It tends to start someone down a nasty path to neurosis and limited functioning. Welch doesn't really offer much in the way of a prescription, I'm afraid. But, then again, true awareness really is the first step toward health - and, God knows, there isn't a lot of self-awareness out there these days.

What a wonderful read! Dr. Welch's style, coupled with his excellent credentials and experience have provided us with an understanding of how we Americans are manipulated by the politicians, spin doctors, press and special-interest groups. Dr. Welch uses his training as a Psychologist and Attorney, along with his real-life experiences in both in Washington, D.C. to show us the methods these people use to shape our thinking. Anyone who is fighting the fight for the greater good needs to read this book to understand how these "gaslighters" operate in shaping America's political future.

This is not an easy book to read because it discusses many of the far reaching and deep weaknesses in the American consciousness--and it's devastating impact on the types of political decisions that Americans make and it's fallout on our daily lives. It is, however, extremely important to read it for the same reason. Dr. Welch is able to apply extremely relevant and deeply insightful psychological tools (in addition to his legal experience as an attorney and one of psychology's advocacy leaders in Washington)in his dissection of how mammoth industries and top flight political "operatives" manipulate, distort, and ultimate control the way Americans think, feel, act, and vote through incredibly subtle ways. It is a work of great brilliance and precision and I strongly recommend it to any student of American political culture and experience. It will stretch your imagination and awareness of America in many directions and you will never view things the same way again.