You misspelled Republikans.
“Traitors” is my preferred term. Short and accurate.
They’re some of the worst people on earth, a much bigger threat to western democracy than the Taliban or ISIS.
The problem with that is there still must be a reason they believe this stuff. This is all believing stuff you want to believe, so it must in some way play into their worldview.
It’s not so easy picking out exactly what in their worldview allows this, but, in many cases, it does seem to be a penchant towards authoritarianism and racism, which, when put together, would be a penchant towards fascism. The only question is how far they had to be moved.
In short, I do think that at least some are tricked into this because they are essentially fascists. Not all of them, mind you. But I think it tends to explain the most fervent ones and the ones in it to directly attack others. Especially the violent ones.
This. Or sometimes trumpsters, because it’s short. If i feel the need to insult trump supporters right now, I’m perfectly capable of doing so.
There are times when name-calling is pretty much requited. Neo-Nazis. Child Molesters. American Republikans. All morally equivalent if not always one and the same.
There is kind of a logic problem with that, though. Assholes are full of shit for a few seconds at a time. Rarely in excess of a minute. They spend most of their time not full of shit. In that respect, that particular epithet is wholly inapt.
But even without actual shit in them, assholes are gross and hairy and stinky, making them disagreeable, hence, like a Trumplican. (thanks, E.P.)
Hope nothing syllogistic, there.
I’d agree that surely there are fascists in his camp. But as I said, and it was a bit vague, I will allow, I’m not talking about intelligent people like Lindsay Graham, who I believe doesn’t for a minute think Trump is a good person nor a good president. I am talking about people who literally lack the ability to use logical thinking, as the person I mentioned in my post seemed to lack entirely. And not that the Republican party or conservatives have a monopoly on such. That’s why I didn’t give a term to call them.
I think you missed my point. I’m saying even the illogical people have to have been convinced because the story they were told sounded appealing to them. And thus you have to look at what in the message could have appealed to them.
And I think that, particularly with the most fervent, a lot of what appeals to them is the fascism: the authoritarianism and the racism.
I wish it were as simple as “they were tricked by the propaganda. We should pity them.” But we still have to content with those who heard stuff that is clearly racist and/or authoritarian and believe it.
I make no comment on your FOAF (friend of a friend), as I don’t know what conspiracies they were pushing.
I hope that makes more sense.
You made sense the first time. 
She thinks Biden is a pedophile, among other nonsense. Some people are classified as having paranoid schizophrenia. This is not a made-up, fanciful term to describe people who are out of touch with reality. They actually exist. They cannot reason like most people. These are the people I am talking about, or others who may have a similar condition. I don’t want to give them a name with which they can be disparaged.
If someone is otherwise completely able to function, to run a business, to coordinate employees, interface with clients, maintain a household, raise kids, pay bills, and in every way seem like a well adjusted, fully functional person, but also is believing and pushing these conspiracy theories, what would you call them?
As that describes 90% of the Trump supporters in my family, friends, acquaintances, and clients. In every aspect of their lives, they are in touch with reality, they reason perfectly fine. Except when it comes to Trump.
It would be easier if I could just write off those 75 million who voted for him as being mentally ill, but I don’t think that it’s nearly that simple.
trumpwits
Indeed, it is not. Clearly there are clinically well people who support Trump, like Graham, Mark Levin, etc.
MAGAnuses
But, if they believe the conspiracy theories about how the election is being stolen, does that make them mentally ill, in your opinion?
That was my point, someone doesn’t need to be a paranoid schizophrenic to believe that Biden is a pedophile, they just need to be a Republican.
Now, I’m not against listing republicanism as a new entry in the next edition of the DSM-V, but I don’t know that it would pass the APA.
I don’t know that I’d go that far.
But belief in CTs is a abnormal behavior that interferes with the person’s daily functioning as a productive citizen, if not as a productive worker.
As such it should be a recognized diagnosable mental malady.
Hit [Send] too soon. Continuing …
IANA expert, but ISTM …
Folks can become psychotic / disturbed / unwell via natural problems in their brain. They can also become psychotic / disturbed / unwell as a consequence of exposure to noxious chemicals, recreational drugs, or therapeutic drugs gone wrong. Those latter situations are still diagnosed as {whatever DSM malady}.
Belief in CTs seems to mostly stem from excessive consumption of the “drug” of professionally produced trollish anti-social propaganda. These folks may well have been healthy and would have lived out a normal life if they hadn’t been so exposed.
Said another way …
Funny enough, we do have “chemtrails” sprayed onto the entire populace against their will and largely without their knowledge. But it turns out they’re being spread by the internet & TV, not by airliners. And the “chem” is being pumped out by Russian or profit-seeking American trolls, not some secret US government agency.
Nevertheless, the “chem” is creating mental health issues in vast swathes of the population which in turn is creating civic health issues for the society. Cui bono? A fascinating question to be sure.