Why Support Trump?
I appreciated an article by a
neuroscientist: What's wrong with Trump supporters' brains?
In short, his perspective is that it's one or more of the following 5 reasons.
The last sentence of each is my paraphrasing:
- The Dunning-Kruger Effect - They're too dumb to realize they're ignorant and conned.
Their belief is more powerful than their intelligence.
- Hypersensitivity to Threat - They're so scared they believe anyone who says a real danger is present.
"a 2014 fMRI study found that it is possible to predict whether someone is a liberal or conservative simply by looking at their brain activity while they view threatening or disgusting images... the brains of self-identified conservatives generated more activity ... These brain responses are automatic, and not influenced by logic or reason"
Their fear is more powerful than their intelligence.
- Terror Management Theory - They manage their fear with hate, xenophobia and other prejudices.
Their fear is more powerful than their intelligence.
- High Attentional Engagement - they don't think while they're being entertained.
Their enthusiasm is more powerful than their intelligence.
- ..."some are likely intelligent people who know better, but are supporting Trump to be rebellious or to introduce chaos into the system. They may have such distaste for the establishment and Hillary Clinton that their vote for Trump is a symbolic middle finger"
Their anger is more powerful than their intelligence.
And some Republicans are intelligent enough, and voting for Hillary.