Read on Twitter
People seem to be focused on why all the revelations about Trump - disrespect for the military, indifference to pandemic harms - don't seem to be getting through to his backers. I'd argue that they are, but they're not producing the response that people seem to expect.
The fundamental response of most Trump backers to any negative information is anger. They're angry that they've been taken in, angry that they turned out to be so badly wrong, angry that some poorly defined, not really thought through positive change that they half expected...
...isn't going to happen. But, to protect their own beliefs, they can't acknowledge the actual source of the anger, so they redirect it outwards.
The press is giving them information that might cause them to question their beliefs? Get angry at the press!
The press is giving them information that might cause them to question their beliefs? Get angry at the press!
The libs turned out to be right about things? Get angry at the libs!
etc.
For now, this has mostly taken the form of yelling at the press and triggering the libs. But, with the stakes higher, the revelations more damaging and more Trump fans parading around...
etc.
For now, this has mostly taken the form of yelling at the press and triggering the libs. But, with the stakes higher, the revelations more damaging and more Trump fans parading around...
... with weaponry, i'm not feeling confident that there won't be escalations of anger-driven violence.
Thank you for attending the TED talk i am completely unqualified to give.
Thank you for attending the TED talk i am completely unqualified to give.
