I think we can finally diagnose the wingnutosphere!

Some professionals now believe serial bitterness is a clinically identifiable psychological disorder.

Recently I read about post-traumatic embitterment disorder - the proposed name for a feeling that befalls people who spend their whole lives angry because of some perceived injustice:

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-bitterness25-2009may25,0,4544029.story

Far be it for me to rely on the L.A. Times, it was an interesting article nonetheless.

"Angry, pessimistic, aggressive, hopeless haters"? Sure sounds familiar, doesn't it?

I've told you accounts of the destructive irrationality of followers of modern right-wing politics for years. Could it be a clinical disorder?

I think they were so sour over being told "no" in 1992 that they never got over it, and never will. Ever. They're going to spend the rest of their lives gnashing their teeth and lashing themselves about the living room.

Unless they get help. Now.

They live only for revenge. Revenge against "the liberals." Revenge against me. Revenge against you!

This enduring sullenness resulted because they already thought of themselves as being on a mission. And when their ideas were thoroughly debunked by facts and repudiated by the public, they couldn't cope.

After reading about this disorder, I'm starting to wonder if the rank-and-file of the rightist intelligentsia is as culpable as they have appeared.

Certainly, their leaders are more to blame than they are. Right-wing politicians and talk show hosts exploit their feelings and allow this bitterness to fester and grow. The consequences have not been pleasant.