Barry Richards shares his expert knowledge with The Conversation
Emeritus Professor in Political Psychology Barry Richards has written for The Conversation about the dichotomy between authoritarianism and libertarianism.
In a complex interplay of ideologies, he argues that this is seen in the fusion of Trumpism, where individualistic freedom meets an authoritarian leadership style.
This hybridity is exemplified in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, where insurrectionists, driven by a desire to install Trump as an autocratic leader, simultaneously asserted their individual rights. Similar amalgamations surface in the context of COVID-19 conspiracies, where libertarian resistance to authority converges with authoritarian sentiments, leading to calls for retribution against those involved in vaccination programs.
This fusion, rooted in a shared psychological difficulty of navigating the modern self's vulnerability, highlights the intricate dynamics of ideological affiliations. The challenge lies in navigating the polarising landscape between anxiety-driven, defensive politics and efforts to maintain reality-based, non-defensive discourse.
