In “Never Trump: Why Obsessional Elites Are Undermining the Future of America,” psychiatrist Richard Kradin offers a provocative psychological examination of the fierce resistance to Donald Trump's presidency and what it reveals about America's cultural divide.
Drawing on his clinical expertise, Kradin diagnoses what he calls the “obsessional personality” pervading America's progressive elite—characterized by rigid thinking, perfectionism, and an inability to handle opposing viewpoints. He argues that this psychological profile explains the extreme reaction to Trump, whose unfiltered communication and disregard for political correctness threatened progressive sensibilities at a profound level.
The book explores how these psychological patterns manifest in education, media, politics, and identity politics. Kradin scrutinizes the transformation of American institutions through what he describes as progressivism's quasi-religious fervor, tracking its impact on everything from foreign policy to campus speech codes. He presents a case that the resistance to Trump wasn't merely political disagreement but a neurotic response that reveals deeper truths about America's cultural trajectory.
Whether readers agree with his diagnosis or not, Kradin's analysis offers a thought-provoking framework for understanding America's increasingly polarized landscape and the psychological underpinnings of our political divisions. By examining Trump opposition through the lens of clinical psychology, the book challenges readers to consider how personality types and psychological defense mechanisms shape our political beliefs.
If you enjoyed “The Coddling of the American Mind,” “Moral Psychology of Political Divisions,” and “The Madness of Crowds,” you'll love “Never Trump: Why Obsessional Elites Are Undermining the Future of America.”
