Trump, the Coronavirus Pandemic, Asian American Xenophobia, and Humanistic Psychology. (March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Benjamin, Elliot
• Other Names: Morrill Zenobia guest-editor.; Hoffman Louis guest-editor.; Yang Mark guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Journal of humanistic psychology. Volume 61:Number 2(2021)
• Page Start: 244
• Page End: 259
• Publication Date: 2021-03
• Subjects: humanistic psychology -- coronavirus pandemic -- hierarchy of needs -- progressive politics -- genuine and empathic relationships -- personal growth -- transformation -- and creativity; Humanistic psychology -- Periodicals; 150.192
• DOI: 10.1177/0022167820979650
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1678

Abstract

This article discusses the relationship of humanistic psychology to what the author perceives as the dangerous leadership and rhetoric of United States President Donald Trump, in particular in regard to the severe crisis of the coronavirus pandemic. President Trump's divisive political and racist rhetoric is described with an emphasis on it quite possibly being linked to a rise in xenophobic violence against Asian Americans, which is related to Asian Americans being unfairly blamed for the spread of the coronavirus. Core values of humanistic psychology consisting of genuine and empathic human relationships, personal growth and transformation, and creativity are offered as antidotes to the severe world of lockdowns, social distancing, and remote interactions becoming the norm that we are currently witnessing in the existential crisis of the coronavirus pandemic. The author utilizes his own experience in the Resisting Trump progressive politics movement as an additional antidote and focuses on the extreme urgency of doing so in our current coronavirus pandemic existential crisis. Finally, the author conveys the importance of working through humanistic psychology cofounder Abraham Maslow's lower and higher levels simultaneously in Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory, to survive the coronavirus pandemic.