On October 29, 2024, I posted a blog entry entitled Cognitive Continuum in which I stated:
Black-and-white (i.e., dichotomous or binary) thinking is associated with this-or-that, either-or, good-or-bad, if-then, or positive-or-negative cognitive patterns. What better time to identify these unproductive ways of thinking than during a United States [U.S.] presidential election season?
The blogpost was intended to serve as a free cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) resource for those who are interested in decreasing their level of self-disturbance which is caused by irrational beliefs, as the post was in alignment with the practice of rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT).
Today (October 30, 2024), I discovered a major self-disturbing belief, which is identified in REBT literature as a global evaluation, in regard to U.S. President Joe Biden’s remark about former president Donald Trump’s supporters. Biden appears to have stated:
And just the other day, a speaker at his [Trump] rally called Puerto Rico ‘a floating island of garbage.’ Well, let me tell you something … I don’t…I, I don’t…I don’t know the Puerto Rican that I know… or Puerto Rico where I’m fr— in my home state of Delaware – they’re good, decent, honorable people. The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters – his – his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American.
Biden’s castigation of a significant portion of U.S. citizens who support Trump represents a global evaluation or negative other-rating identified in REBT literature. From Biden’s interpreted perspective, people who support the Democratic Party are good. All others are garbage (bad).
This sort of unhealthy black-and-white thinking is precisely what my blogpost Cognitive Continuum addressed by stating that “the useful tool regarding the cognitive continuum is employed so that an individual can achieve a more balanced perspective.”
There simply isn’t any validity to the claim that any or even all Trump’s supporters are equal to garbage. They aren’t inherently bad, awful, or immoral or unethical. Although I unconditionally accept Biden as a fallible human being, I reject his imbalanced framing of Trump supporters.
For those people who are interested in challenging unfavorable beliefs, similar to the one expressed by Biden, I invite you to check out my blogpost Cognitive Continuum. Arguably your efforts will be far more constructive than use of irrational global evaluations.
If you’re looking for a provider who works to help you understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.
As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.
At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply helping you to feel better, I want to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
References:
9News. (2024, October 30). Biden says the ‘only garbage I see’ are Trump supporters [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/2-E-tThyk1E?si=eFppI3l8SzovSUl4
Hollings, D. (2024, August 7). Awfulizing. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/awfulizing
Hollings, D. (2024, May 19). Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/cognitive-behavior-therapy-cbt
Hollings, D. (2024, October 29). Cognitive continuum. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/cognitive-continuum
Hollings, D. (2024, October 27). Correlation does not imply causation. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/correlation-does-not-imply-causation
Hollings, D. (2022, March 15). Disclaimer. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/disclaimer
Hollings, D. (2023, September 8). Fair use. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/fair-use
Hollings, D. (2024, May 11). Fallible human being. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/fallible-human-being
Hollings, D. (2024, April 2). Four major irrational beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/four-major-irrational-beliefs
Hollings, D. (2023, October 12). Get better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/get-better
Hollings, D. (2023, September 13). Global evaluations. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/global-evaluations
Hollings, D. (n.d.). Hollings Therapy, LLC [Official website]. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/
Hollings, D. (2023, May 18). Irrational beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/irrational-beliefs
Hollings, D. (2023, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching
Hollings, D. (2023, October 2). Morals and ethics. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/morals-and-ethics
Hollings, D. (2023, September 3). On feelings. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-feelings
Hollings, D. (2022, March 24). Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-emotive-behavior-therapy-rebt
Hollings, D. (2024, January 20). Reliability vs. validity. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/reliability-vs-validity
Hollings, D. (2022, November 1). Self-disturbance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-disturbance
Hollings, D. (2022, November 14). Touching a false dichotomy. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/touching-a-false-dichotomy
Racool_studio. (n.d.). Trash bags [Image]. Freepik. Retrieved from https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/trash-bags_10095691.htm#fromView=search&page=1&position=31&uuid=eeaf196e-8e09-402b-98b8-5e0a69e0788d
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Donald Trump. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_trump
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Joe Biden. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Biden
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