Verified by 
Psychology
The Psychology of Untruth
"Projection" is the key to understanding the current president's allegations.
Posted October 31, 2020 Reviewed by Lybi Ma
Two years ago, Dr. Paul Siegel described quite well how the current president engages in the psychology of projection. This is a defense mechanism where one accuses others of what one thinks or believes. The voters in this election, and his opponents in the Biden campaign, need to understand the psychology of the current president to better understand how to interpret what he says.
It should not be a controversial statement (his supporters notwithstanding) documented by news media such as the Washington Post, that the current president frequently makes statements that are patently untrue, currently estimated to be about 50 false or misleading claims daily. Yet he repeats those statements over and over. This approach is well known in political history as having been used to quite harmful effects by totalitarian regimes in Germany and the Soviet Union.
Repeating an untruth does not make it true, but if listeners do not know what is true or untrue, it may become true enough for them. And then a politician can proceed in a course he wants. "Repeat a lie long enough, and it becomes the truth." This was the maxim behind the first Nazi German proponents of the art of political propaganda, still used today.
Understanding projection as the psychology of such untruth, listeners can know the truth by simply turning such claims around. When someone engages in projection, the claims made are exactly the opposite.
If projection explains the president's attacks and allegations in this campaign, then the truth would simply be the reverse of what he says.
He claims that his opponent is corrupt and that his family engages in corruption. Could the truth be the opposite? Could the president be corrupt and his family engage in corruption? He claims that his opponents should be locked up. Could the truth be that he should be imprisoned? He claims that the election is open to fraud and will be stolen. Could the truth be would be that his election was fraudulent? He claims that he is the least racist person in the room. Could the truth be that he is the most? He claims that he loves and supports women. Could the truth be that he disrespects and demeans them?
