My dissertation (free download): Dark Night of the Nation: The Mythology and Psychology of the 2016 American Presidential Election

FREE download from ProQuest (but you might need to sign in through a university)

Abstract

The national psyche of Americans was on display during the 2016 presidential election. Perspectives of mythology and Jungian and archetypal forms of depth psychology are utilized to interpret the social and historical forces that were at play in the complex dynamics that led to the surprising election of Donald J. Trump as the 45th President of the United States. Certain myths and mythemes in America factored into and affected the 2016 election such as loneliness, the frontier, change, the redeemer, and others. America’s cultural complexes also played a role, including purity or Puritanism, racism, and extinction anxiety.

Psychologist Erich Fromm wrote a seminal work about the rise of fascism in Germany in the 1940s. He posits that freedom is very anxiety-inducing. People want to escape from this anxiety, and so they typically engage in three mechanisms of escape: destructiveness, automaton conformity, and a rush towards authoritarianism. These mechanisms of escape also factored into the events of the 2016 election.

This dissertation argues that America’s national psyche is also on a journey of individuation that includes confronting our shadow material. The energy of our archetypal shadow, which Trump embodied in his discourse and actions played a significant role in the election. The archetypal pair of Senex (old person) and Puer (young person) are examined as are the mythic figures of Hermes and Hestia to reveal the role they played in the events of 2016.

Here are my graphic novels: "Gilgamesh" (2011) and "Peaceful Warrior" (2010). To purchase on Amazon, please click on the title: “Gilgamesh” and “Peaceful Warrior”

I made it to a banned books list, just like my comic book heroes Jeff Smith, Neil Gaiman, & Art Spiegelman! My graphic novel “Gilgamesh” has been banned by a Missouri school district, punishable by $2,000 fine or one year in jail. Link to article

Here is a CBR.com review of Gilgamesh: https://www.cbr.com/review-time-with-gilgamesh/

Three of my alchemy art pieces were published in 2019 in the journal Immanence, vol. 3, no. 2.

1. "Prima Materia," Mixed Media, 2018.

2. "Citrinitas," Mixed Media, 2018.

3. "Cauda Pavonis," Mixed Media, 2018.

   Find Immanence journal for download HERE

Two of my alchemy art pieces were published in 2019 in the Between Literary Journal.

1. "Rubedo," Mixed Media, 2018.

2. "Albedo," Mixed Media, 2018.

My short story "The First Jubilee, a Modern Midrash" was also published in 2019 in the Between Journal.

Three of my art pieces were published in 2018 in the Between Literary Journal, vol. 21.

1. "God-Images," Mixed Media, 2018.

2. "Manifold," Mixed Media, 2018.

3. "Blue Rose," Mixed Media, 2018.

My first published poems! Between Literary Journal, vol. 21, 2018.

1. What Should I Tell You *

2. Lament, 5778 (2017)

3. Mandalic Grace

   * This was written for my three daughters, who are all toddlers as I write this. Maybe I’ll read it to them when they get married someday…

Three of my art pieces were published in 2017 in the journal Cosmos and Logos vol. III. Purchase a copy HERE.

• "Son of Jung", Mixed Media, 2017.

• "Rain King", Acrylic on Canvas, 36x42, 2004.

• "Ode to a Deer", Mixed Media, 2017.

"Angel", Mixed Media, 2015
I made this cover of the Between Journal, vol. 20, Pacifica Graduate Institute, 2017.

My short story "Dark Cloud, Rolling Thunder" was also published in the Between Journal, vol. 20, Pacifica Graduate Institute, 2017

My first academic paper "The Devil and His Grandmother" was published in 2017 in the journal Cosmos and Logos vol. III. Purchase a copy HERE.

Gilgamesh was published in a Turkish edition in 2014. I finally got a few copies from the publisher in 2019.

I have also won a few contests for Zachary's Pizza Company! (circa 2007 - 2008)

Some of my work was also featured in the very first issue of BEZERK Comics Magazine (published in 2003 by the Student Art Publishing club).

I drew the following drawing of the TMNT and I won the art contest on their website in 1999 and they published it there. I even won a shirt! (which I still have) The website is no longer in existence, unfortunately.