#1309 Facing Our Existential Dread Head On (Trump and Climate Anxiety)
Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
Jay Tomlinson
4.5 • 3.4K Ratings
🗓️ 2 October 2019
⏱️ 83 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Air Date: 10/1/2019
Today we take an unflinching look at two of the major sources of anxiety in modern life, Donald Trump and the climate crisis, and some of what we can do to find a degree of calm.
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991
EPISODE SPONSORS: Madison-Reed.com (Promo Code: LEFT) | Clean Choice Energy
SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK
MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content)
SHOW NOTES
Sheldon Solomon discusses why humans are so prone to following leaders to trigger their fear response.
Dr. Bandy Lee warns that Trumps mental health is a threat to world peace, and discusses that sick societies produce sick leaders.
Renee Lertzman, who works to understand the psychology of how we deal with environmental issues. Her words are especially useful in this time of shared anxiety and concern and uncertainty.
Ch. 4: Is Trump A Disease with Dr. Bandy Lee - Trumpcast with Virginia Heffernan - Air Date 7-10-19
Virginia Heffernan talks to Dr. Bandy Lee, psychiatrist at Yale University, for a deep, compelling new take on the long debate about Trump’s mental fitness.
Ch. 5: From Stigma to Oppression - Off-Kilter with Rebecca Vallas - Air Date 5-31-19
Mental Illness is very common in the US, from burnout to anxiety to depression to suicide, and our systems don't support proper care.
Ch. 6: Are You Feeling Climate Grief? - Eaarth Feels with Rose and Christine - Air Date 8-23-19
Rose and Christine discuss the climate crisis and the strain our mental health is under - and the possibilities.
We talk to renowned psychiatrist Allen Frances about his latest book Twilight of American Sanity: A Psychiatrist Analyzes the Age of Trump.
VOICEMAILS
Ch. 10: Experience with 9/11 and learning about Islam - Heather from Texas
Ch. 11: Home run race relation example - Alan from Connecticut
Ch. 12: 9/11 and Columbine - Erin from Philadelphia
Ch. 13: Millennial depression - Corey from New Jersey
FINAL COMMENTS
Ch. 14: Final comments on a big announcement regarding steps being taken toward maintaining good mental health
MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
- Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr
- Algea Trio - Algea Fields
- Chrome and Wax - Ray Catcher
- Eventual Victory - Codebreaker
- Midday - Pecan Grove
- The Spinnet - Castle Danger
- Waterbourne - Algea Fields
- Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent
- Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
Thanks for listening!
Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Support the show via Patreon
Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more
Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores!
Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft
Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft
Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Welcome to this episode of the award-winning Best of Left podcast in which we shall take |
| 0:07.9 | an unflinching look at two of the major sources of anxiety in modern life, Donald Trump, |
| 0:14.9 | of course, and the climate crisis. |
| 0:18.1 | And some of what we can do to find a degree of calm, and speaking of mental health, stay |
| 0:23.7 | tuned at the end of the show for an exciting major announcement. |
| 0:28.7 | I've been working on a new plan with the help of the members, and I'm just about ready |
| 0:33.6 | to put that into action, so I'm going to be telling you all about that today. |
| 0:38.3 | Now onto the show, clips today come from Hidden Brain, the Chancide Vega show, Warm Regards, |
| 0:45.4 | the Trumpcast, Off-Kilter, Earth Fields, and Inquiring Minds. |
| 0:57.0 | What is Terra Management Theory predict about the kind of leaders that we are drawn to, |
| 1:01.3 | shall it? |
| 1:02.3 | Yes, Terra Management Theory predicts that when existential anxieties are aroused, that we |
| 1:11.7 | are more likely, and when I say we, I mean all of us are more likely to embrace what |
| 1:17.8 | the sociologist Max Weber called a charismatic leader. |
| 1:24.4 | So in the aftermath of September 11th, we argued based on our studies that it was our own |
| 1:32.8 | existential anxieties that attracted Americans to President Bush. |
| 1:39.3 | This nation stands with the good people of New York City and the Jersey and Connecticut, |
| 1:46.3 | as we mourn the loss, thousands of our citizens. |
| 1:50.8 | And then if we fast forward to 2015, 2016, and Donald Trump declared his candidacy for |
| 2:03.0 | the presidency, saying, look, illegal swarms are coming over the southern border. |
| 2:10.6 | They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with |
| 2:16.0 | us. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Jay Tomlinson, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Jay Tomlinson and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.