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 […]
I think Jimmy Dore does an excellent job of explaining this and includes enough humor to keep you interested. https://youtu.be/gFL9y1NzvBI
While this video is from almost two year ago, it seems totally right-in today.
Thanks for the video. He pretty much has it nailed.
Just watched an interview with Jill Biden on CBS Sunday Morning. What an intelligent, kind, funny, deeply compassionate human being. I have not been a fan of Joe but willing to vote for him because the alternative is unthinkable. Both of them have been tried and deepened by life when in ’72 Joe lost his wife and daughter in a car crash then in ’15 his son Beau died of brain cancer. He cared for his father at home until his death. This is life deeply lived.
It is so clear that our country needs experienced, intelligent, compassionate leadership to rebuild from the extreme chaos, fear and corruption of dear leader and his misguided fearful followers. There is much that has been off-track for sometime long before himself’s over the top venality and stupidity providing the perfect opportunity for deep reform and renewal, that or disintegration.
Many Americans take great pride in our military establishment that gives us the ability to range far and wide spreading death and destruction as we see fit. This in my mind is a great corrupting evil that must end and may in the way of the old Soviet Union when there is no money to fund such except if we reach that point then nothing of benefit will be funded either. Well that and the worship of profit before people in almost all of national life.
I agree with you, Will, because My wife and I are on Social Security and very worried about not having enough money to pay for our 12+ prescriptions which may kill us before the virus does. We are quarantined in our home to stay safe, but must rely on prescriptions which are very costly for diabetics with heart problems, like my wife has, as well as my own arthritic and other problems. We need the health help more than we need to be in wars.
Rev. Dean, have you looked into buying some of your prescriptions online through Canada? Quality is just as good as the US and often cheaper.
Keep in mind, that even if there is a vaccine there will be a full 1/3 of the country who won’t take it because they don’t trust the govt. Good luck to you and your family.
Why would you base your political outlook off some puff journalism like CBS Sunday Morning? If Jill Biden is so compassionate why does this compassion not extend to ANY viable program for the lower/middle class of America? Why are people constantly fooled by identity politics or “who they’d like to have a beer with?”
Biden supported the Iraq war, TPP, NAFTA, bailing out the banks, and won’t do single-payer. You would think a candidate would have a UI program at the ready during the greatest depression of the last 50 years or health reform during a pandemic, but Biden does not have programs for either.
Biden’s politics are nearly as bad as Trump’s and he lies almost as much. However, I agree Biden does not possess the predatory, narcissism, or paranoia disorders to the degree Trump does. Biden has enough self-awareness to hide some of his personal shortcomings and bad policy. At the very least, he will not clog up the news cycle with his idiocy. We’ll go back to getting screwed over behind our backs, where it’s not so out in the open…I guess that’s progress?
Well good day to you Bill Houston! In my post I said that I am not a fan of Sleepy Joe but I do think that he and Jill are decent, caring people who have been deepened by the ultimate trials of life-death of loved ones. I do not care for his establishment background/record at all. He is apparently the only alternative to dear leader, the mad king. Joe will be forced, I hope, by circumstances and a lot of younger smart people to rebuild and reform the entire political and economic foundations of this country. Not because he would want to but because the trumpers will have left nothing standing upon departure, it they depart.
This is the dark gift of trump who has shown clearly how f’ckup most of our government and society are because everything is about maximizing profit for our overlords. All hail the decline and fall of the Great American Empire, just don’t mess with my social security!