Hi all,

If you've stuck with me, you know how I feel. November 5 is all about love versus hate, greed, and the delusion of selfish existence. I don't think any of us live our lives on the latter end, but we do have to get better at cultivating the former - a synonym for enlightenment. Beethoven was fully in support of Enlightenment values, and his symphony came out of this support.

I wrote this just after July 4th, after I had a wonderful and warm dream about the Ninth. And pretty soon thereafter, Kamala Harris announced her campaign tapping joy. There's a deep vibe in our lives, and I hope we can tune in. 

MOSF 19.17: Beethoven’s Ninth and the Ode to Joy – Symphony, Psyche, and the Brotherhood of Man

We’ve recently passed the bicentennial of the May 7, 1824 premiere of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, which includes the magnificent Ode to Joy. What does the Symphony continue to tell us about psyche? About struggle and triumph? About finding and choosing joy in adversity? 

Also, my essay on the Goldwater Rule was just published in Dr. Bandy Lee's The More Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 40 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Warn Anew. All proceeds to support the World Mental Health Coalition (I'm not earning a dime on this, as with most of my writing). I hope you might consider purchasing a copy - this one is for the history books.

If you prefer getting my writing as it comes out, please follow me on Substack.

From East Wind, since my last email on September 2, 2024: 

MOSF 19.11: The People and Harris v. An Increasingly Unhinged Trump (the Rising Culture of Democracy and the Beloved Community v. the Culture of King and Cult) (September 14, 2024)

Trump is increasingly unhinged and weird, and America must overcome its pre-existing condition: a warp towards racist whiteness. A psychological analysis of the Beloved-Community-in-Progress, in 7400 words and 9 parts, which could each stand alone.

MOSF 19.12: Springfield, Ohio, Anti-Haitian Racism, & Genocidal Language (September 18, 2024)

Trump and Vance are at risk of creating a permission structure for extreme cruelty.

MOSF 19.13: A Psychological Analysis of the Trump/Vance strategy to GOTNV: “Get Out The Nazi Vote” – with Fear-mongering Xenophobia, Racism, and Disinformation (September 24, 2024)

Candidates Trump and Vance have promoted unfounded claims about Haitians “eating pets” in Springfield, Ohio. Their language recalls words used prior to 20th century genocides. A psychological analysis of their strategy to “Get Out The Nazi Vote.”

MOSF 19.14: The More Dangerous Case of Donald Trump – Cardinal Features That Create Grave Risk, and Their Antidotes (Hint: He makes it all about himself, not us) (September 30, 2024)

Dr. Bandy Lee, forensic psychiatrist, organized “The More Dangerous State of the World and More Dangerous Case of Donald Trump” conference in Washington, D.C. on September 27, 2024. Here are links to all the conference videos and my key takeaways and insights.

MOSF 19.15: TrumpVance and their Proposed Advance of the Plantation of Lies and Weirdness (October 2, 2024)

To paraphrase Walt Whitman, “If you stop this day and night with me, shall we possess the origin of all lies?” The foundational lie of America is White Supremacy. It is asserting itself with violent psychological force now. A thoughtful meander, ending with a new creation myth, the origin of stories themselves, and an urgent call for us to forge a new, inclusive story for a better future for all.

MOSF 19.16: The GOP is Effectively a Domestic Terror Organization. Vote Blue for American Democracy!  (October 10, 2024)

We’re in the final push. The fact that this election is as close as it is reveals some unpleasant truths about America and mass psychology. We’ve got the message. Now it’s up to us to say no to Trump and the GOP’s program of domestic terror and psychological warfare.

Psychology Today

Voting's Relationship to Mental Health (September 28, 2024)

Voting is a powerful pathway to register our connection with others, in our dissatisfactions, pragmatic goals, and vision for a better future. It can help reduce collective bias.

Leadership and Relationships Have This Single-Point Failure  (October 8, 2024)

There is one major red flag in leadership and human relationships, and we have not yet overcome it. In fact, it's become normalized as a quality of "genius" level disruption.

The Middle East: Unfathomable Traumas, Cavernous Fears (October 9, 2024)

Personal Perspective: Beneath the facts of the current conflict run unresolved emotions. Naming them helps us heal, grow, and work towards bringing peace and resolution.

Whew. I can't believe we are eating the whole thing. Here's to the building blocks of mental health: Reason, Compassion, and Relatedness.

Warmly,

Ravi