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appalachiablue

(41,047 posts)
Sun Aug 9, 2020, 06:39 AM Aug 2020

Chaos, Shared Irrationality, Fear: Explaining Why Supporters Still Cling To Trump- Despite Failures

'Chaos, shared irrationality and fear: Experts explain why supporters are still clinging to Trump — despite his many failures.' Written by Alan D. Blotcky, David M. Reiss, John M. Talmadge, August 8, 2020, Alternet.

A looming question in today’s political climate is: Why do Donald Trump’s devotees continue to support him despite the carnage of his well-documented failures? Although we are in the middle of a deadly pandemic that is surging and not contained, Trump seems to maintain a base support of 35% to 40%. What are the psychological factors that influence or underpin his supporters’ attraction to him? And might this provide some perspective on how to change these supporters’ minds?

Multiple psychological factors seem to influence and explain his supporters. We have divided these factors into four major categories: Rebelliousness and Chaos; Shared Irrationality; Fear; and Safety and Order.

Rebelliousness and Chaos: Some Trump supporters have a strong desire for rebelliousness and chaos, and view Trump as the perfect vehicle for achieving their personal goals. These supporters tend to become “anti-establishment and anti-government,” even when it is against their best interest. Many are unhappy with their station in life and believe chaos in the political system will bring them important gains. They seek immediate and sweeping changes and believe a rebellious attitude and rebellious behavior are what is necessary. They would rather have chaos, even dangerously or regressively so, than the status quo.



These supporters believe in Trump’s professed anger and rebelliousness, while often ignoring the content of the issues at hand. Trump’s talk of “draining the swamp” and of eschewing “political correctness” is attractive to them. They react emotionally and irrationally in embracing Trump’s decisions to create chaos, such as by sending federal troops into American cities to provoke hostile conflict with protestors. They enjoy and thrive upon Trump disavowing norms, rules, and laws. Rebelliousness and chaos can be a major psychological influence, but it can have serious negative consequences such as undermining the chance for real change.

Shared Irrationality: The Dunning-Kruger effect. Some people are under-informed and misinformed and are completely unaware of their lack of information. They tend to overestimate their level of knowledge and hold onto that position. They develop “illusory superiority” from their inability to recognize their true lack of knowledge. In other words, some people think they know more than they do and hold firmly to their opinions. These people are resistant to change their political thinking because they believe they are the knowledgeable ones. Trump and some of his supporters have this psychological phenomenon in common; they are unable to remedy their own limitations of knowledge and their inaccurate thinking...

- Read More: magical thinking, obsession with celebrity, shared omnipotence, fear, fear mongering, conspiracy theories, security & order, authoritarianism, How To Change Minds, https://www.alternet.org/2020/08/chaos-shared-irrationality-and-fear-experts-explain-why-supporters-are-still-clinging-to-trump-despite-his-many-failures/
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- 'Watch Donors Cheer When Trump Praises Them For Refusing To Social Distance,' Aug. 8, 2020.
https://www.alternet.org/2020/08/watch-donors-cheer-when-trump-praises-them-for-refusing-to-social-distance/
Donald Trump received loud applause from the members at his private club who had gathered as an audience for his presidential address. Trump was asked why the audience at Bedminster Golf Club was not social distancing, with many seen without masks. The leader of the free world replied that the event — officially announced by the White House — was a political rally and a peaceful protest. The audience cheered his comments, as he complained about fake news...

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Chaos, Shared Irrationality, Fear: Explaining Why Supporters Still Cling To Trump- Despite Failures (Original Post) appalachiablue Aug 2020 OP
These types of people SheltieLover Aug 2020 #1
These kinds of people need an 'us' and 'them' dynamic, appalachiablue Aug 2020 #2
Yes SheltieLover Aug 2020 #3
So, let me get this straight. NCDem47 Aug 2020 #4
You got it, total hypocrisy, lack of reason appalachiablue Aug 2020 #5
I'm going to choose the following as the main reason... llmart Aug 2020 #6
Stupid people don't know they're stupid. Efilroft Sul Aug 2020 #7
Yes, that's true nowadays... llmart Aug 2020 #8
I remember those days. Pre-Reagan in my experience. Efilroft Sul Aug 2020 #9
An addiction is present here... 2naSalit Aug 2020 #10
Trump has a 25% base* that will not leave him because he has given them the OK to call ... Botany Aug 2020 #11
I think it all boils down to fear of responsibility nuxvomica Aug 2020 #12
Another Way to View Them McKim Aug 2020 #13
Shared immorality, grifting, love of violence, ignorance and racist hate of others. lark Aug 2020 #14
Let's not forget the pastors saying he is God's chosen one n/t TexasBushwhacker Aug 2020 #15
Remember W after Hurricane Katrina apnu Aug 2020 #16
they are stupid fucking racist assholes Skittles Aug 2020 #17

SheltieLover

(57,073 posts)
1. These types of people
Sun Aug 9, 2020, 06:46 AM
Aug 2020

Need to be told what to do, how to think and how to behave. They also need an "enemy," whether "libs," people of color, women or immigrants.

So much hate. Their home lives must be just charming.

appalachiablue

(41,047 posts)
2. These kinds of people need an 'us' and 'them' dynamic,
Sun Aug 9, 2020, 07:46 AM
Aug 2020

good and bad, local or foreign, very basic, emotional thinking- black or white, in or out group, and tribal...

They can't think well, or deal with reasoning and gradations to arrive at tolerance and acceptance.

There has to be an 'enemy' or grievance to keep them riled up and angry...Exploiters know all this very well.

SheltieLover

(57,073 posts)
3. Yes
Sun Aug 9, 2020, 07:49 AM
Aug 2020

You are correct. Like spoiled little toddlers who are angry & misdirect their anger towards whomever or whatever is available.

NCDem47

(2,236 posts)
4. So, let me get this straight.
Sun Aug 9, 2020, 07:58 AM
Aug 2020

"They seek immediate and sweeping changes and believe a rebellious attitude and rebellious behavior are what is necessary."

But BLM and peaceful protests are lawless radicals?

“One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter”

llmart

(15,499 posts)
6. I'm going to choose the following as the main reason...
Sun Aug 9, 2020, 08:17 AM
Aug 2020

"Some people are under-informed and misinformed and are completely unaware of their lack of information."

llmart

(15,499 posts)
8. Yes, that's true nowadays...
Sun Aug 9, 2020, 08:31 AM
Aug 2020

There was a time when the less educated among us at least knew to leave the important decisions up to the more educated. This anti-intellectualism needs to end.

2naSalit

(86,039 posts)
10. An addiction is present here...
Sun Aug 9, 2020, 08:42 AM
Aug 2020

An addiction to anger, some people thrive on it, they think it's their lifeline. Instead it consumes them from within, the big problem is the damage they do to everyone else along their jagged paths.


Botany

(70,283 posts)
11. Trump has a 25% base* that will not leave him because he has given them the OK to call ...
Sun Aug 9, 2020, 08:50 AM
Aug 2020

.... African Americans n*****s, be sexist, believe in stuff that is not true, deign science, be
and xenophobic, and they take pleasure in other people's pain because Trump is an out and
out in your face asshole and they love that about him.

In Oct. of 2018 Trump came to Lebanon, OH and praised Robert E. Lee and that was no mistake
because that area is the home to the Klan in OH and many of the people who were arrested
because of their actions in Charlottesville, VA were either form that area of S.W. OH or had connections
to that area.

However Trump is now going down to that 25% mark and his base is not expanding either. Yes,
Russia and others can cheat but you can't rig a landslide.

* A very prominent political scientist @ Ohio State told me that figure in Jan. of 2019.

nuxvomica

(12,360 posts)
12. I think it all boils down to fear of responsibility
Sun Aug 9, 2020, 08:56 AM
Aug 2020

The article describes the mechanisms at play but I think they all point to one gnawing problem: Trump lets his followers off the hook because they are still children emotionally yet with all the powers of adulthood. Man, what a place to be! I can make money, own things, drive vehicles but I don't have to be responsible for shit. That's what's behind the so-called "politics of personal responsibility" that has been the hallmark of American conservatism. All those people I'm supposed to worry about have to show "personal responsibility" because I don't want to take care of them.They just want to take my money and my stuff, and stop me from doing anything I want to do. These are overage children, people of stunted maturity who never accepted the call to become the hero of their own lives because that would demand caring about their neighbors, the poor, the infirm, the victims of injustice, the very planet they live on. Press them hard enough and they don't see the light, they just demonize those whom adult, mature, fully finished humans feel the instinctive need to protect.


McKim

(2,412 posts)
13. Another Way to View Them
Sun Aug 9, 2020, 09:34 AM
Aug 2020

Another way to view them is that they lack the critical thinking skills to understand the world and need benevolent leadership to give them accurate frames to enable them to have a rational world view. Trump has exploited this misguided populism to the max. They need a different leadership to show them how to think. They need to be lead to appreciate what good government can do for them. They feel abused by the system and they HAVE been abused by the system. I feel sorry for them as well as I sometimes hate them for the chaos and insanity they have fueled.

lark

(22,996 posts)
14. Shared immorality, grifting, love of violence, ignorance and racist hate of others.
Sun Aug 9, 2020, 10:58 AM
Aug 2020

Don't forget those essential traits of drumpf and drumpfhumpers.

apnu

(8,722 posts)
16. Remember W after Hurricane Katrina
Mon Aug 10, 2020, 07:59 AM
Aug 2020

That was a total disaster for him, even Fox News turned against W, but he kept a floor of 33% support through it all.

1/3 of voting America hang on to these creeps. There's nothing for it, they are horses who won't drink when led to water.

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