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Writer's pictureDeric Hollings

Invalid Rhetoric


 

When using rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) in my professional role as a psychotherapist, I advocate use of the ABC model as a means of addressing the process of self-disturbance. To understand what I’m implying, it may be useful to briefly describe this model.

 

REBT theory maintains that when an unexpected Activating event occurs and a person uses an irrational Belief about the situation, it’s one’s unhelpful attitude and not the undesirable circumstance that causes unpleasant emotional, bodily sensation, and behavioral Consequences.

 

Rather than remaining self-disturbed, an individual is invited to try Disputation which may lead to an Effective new belief that is used in place of an unproductive self-narrative. With the ABC model, a person learns to stop needless suffering which is caused by unhelpful assumptions.

 

One of the techniques of disputing which I favor is a challenge of empirical claims, known simply as an empirical dispute. For instance, suppose you were to suggest that most people who are struck by lightning end up dying as a direct cause of the dangerous event.

 

Using an empirical dispute, I’d challenge the validity of your claim. For context, that which is valid remains in accordance with logic and reason, and is thus well-grounded or justifiable.

 

Therefore, using an empirical dispute, I may ask, “Is what you’re claiming about lightning strikes based on fact?”—a piece of information presented as having objective reality. To assess your claim, how may you and I determine what is factual or real?

 

Well, one source reports that “over the last 30 years (1989-2018) the U.S. [United States] has averaged 43 reported lightning fatalities per year. Only about 10% of people who are struck by lightning are killed, leaving 90% with various degrees of disability.”

 

Given this information, your claim would be considered invalid—being without foundation or force in fact, truth, or law. If you value rational thinking—that which is in accordance with logic and reason—you may then choose to change your mind regarding your invalid claim.

 

Unfavorably, many people apparently value irrationality and reject the standard of rational living offered by REBT. Perhaps one of the most noticeable occurrences of my claim in this regard may be observed during the U.S. presidential election season.

 

At such times, people tend to engage in rhetoric—insincere language of a grandiloquent nature—a lofty, extravagantly colorful, pompous, or bombastic style, manner, or quality especially in language. Perhaps examples in support of my claim are necessary.

 

In 2019, U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) reportedly said of then-active U.S. President Donald Trump that his response to the southern border migration issue was akin to “concentration camps” and she evoked “never again” rhetoric associated with the Holocaust.

 

Although AOC didn’t specifically refer to Trump as Adolf Hitler, she evoked the memory of the Austrian-born German dictator of Nazi Germany. Using an empirical dispute to this comparison, AOC’s invalid rhetoric is easily rejected when analyzing the governance of Trump versus Hitler.

 

Still, AOC wasn’t the only U.S. politician who used invalid rhetoric of this sort. On December 20, 2023, one source reported, “President Joe Biden’s campaign on Wednesday posted a graphic directly comparing former president Donald Trump and Adolf Hitler, replete with images of the two men on each side.”

 

Of course, following the first assassination attempt of Trump, Biden and other politicians publically disavowed violent reactions to their invalid rhetoric which correlated with predictable consequences. However, their acquiescent attempts to cool the sociopolitical temperature weren’t rational.

 

If people spew invalid rhetoric, claiming Trump is synonymous with Hitler, and truly believe in this message, one wonders why so many U.S. politicians would disavow violence associated with their language. To better understand what I mean, consider the following syllogism:

 

Form (hypothetical) –

If p, then q; if q, then r; therefore, if p, then r.

 

Example –

If you had an opportunity to prevent the Holocaust, then you would likely kill Hitler before he ascended to power.

 

If you would likely kill Hitler before he ascended to power, then you would also kill others with similar aims before they took positions of authority.

 

Therefore, if you had an opportunity to prevent the Holocaust, then you would also kill others with similar aims before they took positions of authority.

 

Depending on one’s moral and ethical framework, the syllogistic conclusion would be considered a rational conclusion – in accordance with both logic and reason. However, if one was merely using invalid rhetoric in regard to Trump, the premises of the syllogism would be considered unreasonable and thus irrational.

 

When using an empirical dispute with clients who I suspect genuinely believe that Trump may follow the path of Hitler, most people with whom I’ve worked tend to understand that the invalid rhetoric received through Mockingbird media is, to put it crudely, unadulterated bullshit.

 

Therefore, when these individuals hear corporate media sources reporting that “Trump is speaking like Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini,” expressing that Trump allegedly stated, “I need the kind of generals that Hitler had,” or comparing Trump’s Madison Square Garden (MSM) rally to those who historically supported Nazis, such invalid rhetoric is largely ineffectual.

 

Although the aforementioned clients continue to dislike Trump, they’re able to rationally conclude that he isn’t like Hitler. This is merely a matter of logical and reasonable analysis.

 

Perhaps concerning to some people, frequent misrepresentations of Hitler and the Nazi Party – through use of invalid rhetoric – may lead some critical thinkers to consider whether or not the actions of Germany during the Holocaust were as horrendous as has been reported.

 

To be exceedingly clear, I don’t maintain this perspective. In any case, consider this matter rationally. Trump’s MSM event was attended by many people and observed by far more individuals than who were in attendance. Clearly, many people support him.

 

If person X supports Trump and the former president is continually compared to Hitler, the logic follows that person X may conclude that Hitler’s actions weren’t all that bad. Thus, invalid rhetoric regarding Trump has a diluting effect on claims of historical tragedy.

 

When considering this proposal, one is reminded of AOC’s commentary regarding Trump’s MSM rally. She reportedly stated, “I think it’s very important for people to understand that these are mini Jan. 6 rallies. These are mini ‘Stop the Steal’ rallies. These are rallies to prime an electorate into rejecting the results of an election if it doesn’t go the way that they want.”

 

I’ve already made known my perspective on the Jan. 6 issue. In a blogpost entitled Believer, I stated:

 

[S]uspension of judgment is justified in regard to the number of federal agents and informants at the United States Capitol building on January 6, 2021, because that information hasn’t been released and is thus unknowable to the general public.

 

I maintain that a mostly peaceful protest eventually resulted in violent rioting when U.S. government officials and informants likely provoked such action. However, I don’t believe invalid rhetoric relating to the event in regard to a so-called “insurrection.”

 

Likewise, I’ve opined on the matter regarding the integrity of the 2020 U.S. presidential election outcome. In a blog entry entitled Why Would Anyone Take Advice From You? I stated:

 

To be clear, it appears as though in 2021, TIME ostensibly advocated election interference in the name of “democracy.” Perceivably, the populous was too ignorant or stupid to know what was best for it, so a “cabal of powerful people” ostensibly fortified (rigged) the 2020 election.

 

People are welcome to dispute my claim. However, the TIME article spoke for itself. If my interpretation regarding what the author of the article stated is true, actions taken by people for the 2020 U.S. presidential election weren’t in accordance with democracy.

 

Given my perspective on Jan. 6 and the 2020 U.S. presidential election results, and considering AOC’s continued use of invalid rhetoric, I don’t think it’s inaccurate to conclude that there are people in positions of power who are behaving irrationally.

 

They are ostensibly practicing confession through projection—disclosure of one’s own attributes (i.e., thoughts, feelings, or behaviors) onto other people while simultaneously denying one’s own negative qualities when seeing these elements in others.

 

Labeling Trump a Nazi or comparing him to Hitler while supporting government funding of both Ukraine – wherein a quasi-Nazi military unit reportedly operates – and Israel – wherein there’s a case to be made for ethnic cleansing, if not outright genocide, on behalf of the Israeli government – isn’t only irrational, it’s morally and ethnically questionable.

 

However, confessing that Trump is essentially synonymous with an Austrian-born German dictator of Nazi Germany while projecting onto the former U.S. President actions currently being taken by one side of the U.S. sociopolitical aisle provides an individual catharsis—the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or uncomfortable emotions.

 

In essence, people may feel better about their own questionable behavior when labeling Trump a Nazi, because doing so provides distraction from one’s own beliefs, emotions, and behavior. Although I disagree with such actions, I can understand the cathartic experience people seek.

 

This is one reason why I appreciate REBT. Rather than helping people to merely feel better, REBT seeks to help people actually get better. This involves the sometimes uncomfortable process of challenging unhelpful beliefs which cause unpleasant consequences.

 

As an example, I could use an empirical dispute with an individual who favors invalid rhetoric. It may not be pleasant to face the fact that one’s own self-disturbing beliefs are causing the very discomfort which catharsis purports to alleviate.

 

However, feeling better by cathartically labeling Trump a Nazi – all while a person’s own behavior may be in support of questionable actions on the part of Ukraine and Israel – may do little to help someone actually get better when facing truth and reality.

 

Thus, I help people to take personal responsibility and accountability for what they believe, how they feel, and how they behave. Personal ownership of this sort appears to be lacking in much of the current sociopolitical discourse.

 

Alas, I remain grateful for the acknowledgment of an inherent right to free speech by people on both sides of the sociopolitical aisle. I truly appreciate that people who espouse bigoted and invalid rhetoric are able to do so. In fact, I want to hear more of their hyperbole.

 

After all, I want to know who irrationally believes what. This way, I can continue practicing REBT in my personal life so that I may proceed with trying to help people in my professional life.

 

In any case, Election Day is one week from today and I stand by what I stated in a blogpost entitled “Our Democracy”:

 

Unfortunately, I suspect that a significant number of people who don’t similarly practice REBT in this manner will disturb themselves regardless of who remains or becomes president in 2025. I hope my prediction is wrong concerning nationwide violence that will result either way.

 

While I advocate free expression, I suspect that invalid rhetoric used by AOC, Biden, and others will be used as justification to tamper with the results of the upcoming election. Besides, if one truly believes Hitler will be ascending to power, it makes sense that people would try to stop him.

 

Dear reader, you don’t have to be one of these irrationally-motivated individuals. You can instead choose rational living. If you’d like to know more about how to identify, dispute, and ultimately reject claims of irrationality, I’m here to help.

 

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:

 

Applebaum, A. (2024, October 18). Trump is Speaking like Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini. The Atlantic. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/10/trump-authoritarian-rhetoric-hitler-mussolini/680296/

Ball, M. (2021, February 4). The secret history of the shadow campaign that saved the 2020 election. TIME. Retrieved from https://time.com/5936036/secret-2020-election-campaign/

Bowman, T. and Hodges, L. (2024, October 26). The Jan. 6 riot included Marines. The military is wrestling with the consequences. NPR. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2024/10/25/g-s1-29609/jan-6-riot-donald-trump-insurrection-marines

CBS New York. (2019, June 20). AOC sparks more outrage with ‘concentration camp’ comments [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/yTjI7-BeivQ?si=now0qQBbX30trQ6c

Egan, L. (2023, December 20). Biden camp posts graphic with Trump pictured next to Hitler. Politico. Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/20/biden-trump-hitler-post-00132774

Goldberg, J. (2024, October 22). Trump: ‘I need the kind of generals that Hitler had.’ The Atlantic. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/10/trump-military-generals-hitler/680327/

Haner, J. (2024, October 28). Ocasio-Cortez says Trump’s Madison Square Garden event one of his ‘mini Jan. 6 rallies.’ The Hill. Retrieved from https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/4957061-ocasio-cortez-trump-rally-hate/

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