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  • The Psychology of Totalitarianism

  • By: Mattias Desmet
  • Narrated by: Dan Crue
  • Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (128 ratings)
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The Psychology of Totalitarianism

By: Mattias Desmet
Narrated by: Dan Crue
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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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brilliant description of the madness afflicting

Great talk on causes of COVID and Climate Change madness and what to do. keep talking and challenging people's stupid beliefs. the drip drip will eventually have effect. Shutting up only makes you part of silent go along with it group. I now challenge, Covid, its clotshots, stupid windmills and lunatic zero carbon proposals every chance I get.

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Better understand our fragile society

This book is well-argued and clearly points out the dangers of where we are today in most of the world.
I docked one star for the performance because at times it comes across as unedited and stilted, almost as if read by AI - oh, the irony!

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needs to be read!

great book. everyone should read it. would recommend to further your understanding of governments and yourself.

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1 person found this helpful

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Incredible insightful and current

Would highly recommend to build a better understanding for the times that we live in - there's light at the end of the tunnel..

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Scary but offering hope

Very grateful to the author for the understanding he brings to a mad, mad world. Yet we are still faced with surviving the wrath of the sheep and the collapse they are driving.

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4 people found this helpful

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Hmm

This book is hard work at times but worth persevering with. The author is a brilliant & well read man & his book is filled with interesting quotes but his conclusions are hard to understand. Despite his emphasis on psychology, humanity & mysticism his conclusions are arrived at in a seemingly clinical & logical way. A implies B implies C, see chapter 5 etc. A bit disappointing really.A rag tag bag of the obvious mixed up with intangible psychological theories. Would have preferred to have heard more analysis & reporting on previous totalitarian regimes. Whats wrong with the "Race, Class & Power" theory of mankind? Its certainly not what you will get here.

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1 person found this helpful

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Profound stuff

Without exaggeration, this book has completely changed my philosophy of life. I thought I was awake but now realised I was still dozing. Profound and well reasoned.

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could not stop listening

Extremely happy to have picked up on this suggestion; very well narrated. On to my next book

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A must read for EVERYONE!

Absolutely brilliantly written, insightful, intelligent, uplifting and wise. This is definitely one of my favourite books and I am now off to re listen again. Only criticism is I would have loved Mattias to have read the book himself, although the narrater does a good job.

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The eclectic perception that everyone needs

I’m not a fan of rules. I’m a believer in managing the self to my own ethical standards. I am often both amused and bemused by the rules of modern society. After listening to this book I feel inspired to be myself more. For me it important to be able to recognise all the diverse deceptions and traits of totalitarianism so that I can avoid them. This book helps so much. A rich vein of observational information that can boost a person’s understanding that life is what you make it based on the moments you choose to engage with. Utterly brilliant.

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5 people found this helpful