One of the more interesting and expanding fields of academic research is what might be loosely described as ‘consciousness studies’. It is interdisciplinary and embraces both the natural and social sciences, the humanities and explorations of comparative religion. It raises some intriguing questions that have suddenly taken on added importance as a consequence of the re-election of Donald Trump.
Half a century ago, Thomas Nagel asked ‘what is it like to be a bat’. In retrospect, it may not seem quite as original a question as it did then, but no one had really tried to answer it before Nagel did. It sparked renewed interest in consciousness studies, especially where the social sciences meet the hard variety; even drawing on the mysterious world of quantum physics.
What’s all this got to do with Donald Trump? Potentially a lot. The inescapable reality is that there is something it is like to be Trump, and the rest of us need to try and understand how that might feel for someone who has had one of the most improbable but potentially consequential lives in the history of the planet. Little wonder he’s a self-obsessed egomaniac.
The child is father of the man
Psychologists can unlock part of the puzzle of the Trumpian personality and world view. Drawing on psychological insights in the aftermath of Trump’s first term, Daniel Drezner described him as the ‘Toddler in Chief’, suggesting that he represents ‘the greatest example of pervasive developmental delay in American political history.’
Trump’s well-documented narcissism, need for attention, temper tantrums and poor impulse control, which we normally associate with infants, have been all too evident. No doubt it’s not all Donald’s fault, as his father inculcated a brutal win-at-all-costs mentality in his son, which helps to explain both his obsession with winning, and his contempt for people who don’t. Often the very people who voted for him, in fact.
Such values also help to explain why Trump is attracted to other ‘strong man’ leaders like Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin, although the latter is rumoured to have compromising material about Trump, which may explain his unwillingness to criticise Putin whatever he may do. It’s also possible that Trump feels that only other real or aspiring authoritarians like Victor Orban and other members of Europe’s growing posse of far-right leaders really understand the world as he does.
'Perhaps if we can develop a more accurate understanding of the links between consciousness and the physical reality we inhabit — and indeed are made of — we will be better able to understand what goes on in peoples’ heads.'
Either way, there is little doubt that whatever goes on in Donald’s head matters a lot, especially as he’s prepared for the presidency in a way he plainly wasn’t in 2016. This time, however, there may not be any ‘adults in the room’ to curb Trumpian impulses.
Indeed, Trump’s proposed appointments to some of the most senior positions in his new administration suggest that traditional measures of competence, expertise and even morality will play no part in the next administration. Fealty and flattery will be the currency of political power and influence. They are only likely to reinforce Trump’s sense of his own importance and institutionalise his instinctive, impulsive prejudices and policy preferences.
Raising consciousness?
Trump’s simple but effective mantra of making American great again should not be underestimated in the context of wrenching change at the national and international level. Human consciousness is a product of both the physical environment upon which we depend, as well as the beliefs that we collectively share. This is why climate change is arguably the defining issue of our time. As Trump demonstrates, however, ignoring reality or blame shifting are always options that can appeal at the individual and collective level.
Blaming foreigners and the enemy within is a reliable formula for mobilising the masses, especially when they feel aggrieved about unwelcome economic and social change. It is no surprise that some of Trump’s most enthusiastic supporters are young men who clearly feel threatened by what they see as the overturning of the established social order, the rise of feminism and a general loss of status. ‘Strong man’ leaders with simplistic answers to complex problems are appealing, no matter how implausible their remedies may be.
Trump’s liking for fellow strong men is likely give comfort to other authoritarians and make conventional multilateral diplomacy of the sort practised by the United Nations increasingly difficult. And yet in the absence of what Desmet calls a ‘change in consciousness’ it’s difficult to see how the underlying psychology of totalitarianism won’t exert a growing influence in Trump’s second term as he — or his team — work assiduously to enact their blueprint and tear down the fabled ‘guardrails’ that are meant to curb despotic proclivities.
Despite the fact that Trump has an ego of planetary proportions, I’m guessing even he must wonder at times how it came to this. He must have realised that many of the people that surrounded him during his first stay in the White House were much smarter and more competent than him. How did someone of such breathtaking ignorance and immorality become the most powerful person in the world?
It's a good question. Unfortunately, the fact that Trump thinks God intervened to save his life and allow him to fulfill his historic destiny is not likely to bring out the best in him either, or persuade him that he is not on a mission from God — especially when this belief is reinforced by the sycophants that surround him. But to put this in the sort of language Trump might understand, what’s the upside for God in all this?
For us mere mortals, Trump playing an outsize role in our collective future is now unavoidable. Kiss goodbye to a liveable environment for starters. The most noteworthy effect of this will be to make addressing, much less stopping climate change much more difficult. If his last administration is anything to go by, Trump will not only slow efforts to address the problem by eviscerating institutions like the Environment Protection Agency, but he will actively encourage the intensified exploitation of the very fossil fuel developments that are imperilling human civilisation.
Trumpian dialectics
It is hard to overstate quite what an impact another Trump presidency might have. On the plus side, it’s not inconceivable that he really might encourage talks to end the war in Ukraine. Negotiations will have to occur at some stage, so better sooner than later. Months or even years of deadlocked talks are surely better than endless death and destruction.
On the negative side of the ledger, Trump embodies some of the most archaic instincts and behaviours that we might have hoped we were collectively transcending. Trump will test the optimistic expectations of some students of consciousness studies who draw inspiration from Hegel and the progressive triumph of the Spirit, ‘which includes culture, institutions and technology as well as the embodied, conscious subjects who undertake research and develop ideas, that nature is reaching higher levels of self-understanding.’
Unfortunately, the Marxian view that we make history in circumstances not of our choosing looks more relevant. Trump’s appointment of Elon Musk provides a sobering reminder that despite the latter’s undoubted ability to take advantage of capitalist incentive structures, this may not prove an unambiguous boon for humanity, or even the population of the United States. The American economy may be uniquely innovative and productive, but this plainly favours the wealthiest members of society. The self-serving bromance between the world’s richest and most powerful two men is unlikely to change this.
While it is important to have some idea what goes on in the heads of people like Trump, Musk and the array of chancers, self-promoters, sexual predators, felons, and sycophants that are being drawn to the President-elect, it is also worth thinking about the historical moment in which this is all unfolding.
It’s not necessary to be Steven Pinker to recognise that as a species we’ve collectively made some progress, and not just in discovering things. Human rights, for example, are something even despots pay lip service to, even the if the reality is frequently absent. Likewise, many leaders still turn up for climate change abatement talks, although the actual results are often underwhelming.
Perhaps if we can develop a more accurate understanding of the links between consciousness and the physical reality we inhabit — and indeed are made of — we will be better able to understand what goes on in peoples’ heads. As David Chalmers, one of the most influential voices in consciousness studies argues, ‘a correct theory of consciousness is likely to affect our conception of the universe more profoundly than any other new scientific development.’ I might send Donald the reference.
Mark Beeson is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Technology Sydney and Griffith University. His latest book is Environmental Anarchy? International Relations Theory and Practice in the Anthropocene (Bristol University Press: 2021) He has also written Environmental Populism: The Politics of Survival in the Anthropocene (Palgrave, 2019)