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Icetoad 🎩 🍕 🎶 🐈 💚
@icetoad.eth
I wrote briefly on Bernie and the failure of the Democrats last night, so today I wrote something about Trump and his base. This discussion is a bit longer than I originally intended but I think it breaks down the issue well... Critical Thinking and Elites Despite his immense wealth and history as a prominent figure in elite business circles Donald Trump has successfully positioned himself as an outsider fighting against the establishment. This is largely due to his ability to manipulate people's perceptions and his perception management. I associate this with a couple of different things, Trump's brand and his ability to connect with voters. When we start talking about Trump's brand he has really framed himself as a populist figure railing against traditional political elites, bureaucrats, and the so-called "deep state". Continued below
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Icetoad 🎩 🍕 🎶 🐈 💚
@icetoad.eth
The imagery he uses is one of a self-made, relatable businessman even though his background is anything but common. He got his start by inheriting $400 million from his father. He is not self-made in any way. When we start talking about connecting with voters we can see that Trump's rhetoric taps into widespread distrust of intellectual and political elites. He does this by presenting himself as the opposite of a Harvard educated bureaucrat. He tries to appeal to voters who feel disillusioned by what they see as out of touch politicians. This brings us to a paradox of rejecting elitism while voting for an elite. This is where the hypocrisy becomes so evident. Many Trump supporters reject traditional elites and intellectuals yet they champion Trump who is objectively elite by standards like wealth, status, or connections. The key to understanding this paradox lies in the perception of authenticity. We can look at this a couple of different ways. Coninued below...
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Icetoad 🎩 🍕 🎶 🐈 💚
@icetoad.eth
One is authenticity over credentials and the other is distrust of critical thinking. Trump supporters often see him as genuine and direct. They value his brash, unfiltered style over the polished and measured communication that typical politicians use. In their eyes this style makes him seem like one of them. This is even more apparent when he dumbs down his speech and uses his natural speaking method. This authenticity over credentials combines with a distrust of critical thinking since for many of these folks critical thinking is going to be associated with intellectual elites who are perceived as part of the system that failed them. Whether we are talking about experts or scientists, Trump's simple message appeals to those who are skeptical of complex arguments which they may see as elitist or deliberately confusing. In a society where misinformation and disinformation are rampant critical thinking can easily be framed as elitist. Continued below...
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Icetoad 🎩 🍕 🎶 🐈 💚
@icetoad.eth
Trump's messaging often tries to equate critical thinking with looking down on people. When experts or analysts criticize him it is portrayed as a form of elitism or an attack on ordinary people. This narrative taps into the broader sentiment of anti-intellectualism where critical analysis is seen as a tool of the elite class to manipulate or deceive the masses. Trump's supporters fall into a "do your own research" trap where they are skeptical of mainstream narratives. While this seems to encourage critical thinking it actually undermines it by replacing credible sources with conspiracy theories and echo chambers. This relies on people really not understanding tools like burden of proof. This form of pseudo critical thinking is embraced by those who reject experts even as they unknowingly reinforce elite narratives from a different angle. We can see that the success of Trump's narrative hinges on identity politics and confirmation bias. Continued below...
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Icetoad 🎩 🍕 🎶 🐈 💚
@icetoad.eth
Identity essentially becomes more important than facts. Many voters align with Trump not based on policy or critical evaluation, but because of a shared cultural identity. He represents a rejection of the intellectual elite and the so-called establishment even as his own elite status is apparent. There is a selective application of critical thinking or skepticism happening. Trump's base may apply skepticism to traditional media and political elites but they fail to scrutinize Trump's own elite status or contradictions with this same rigor. This selective approach allows them to live deep within their hypocrisy of supporting a billionaire while rejecting elitism. Ultimately, Trump's victory can be seen as a triumph of perception over reality. He has successfully convinced many of his supporters that he is the antidote to elitism even though he embodies it. Continued below...
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Icetoad 🎩 🍕 🎶 🐈 💚
@icetoad.eth
This perception that he is a relatable outsider has overridden the factual reality of his elite status. The rejection of critical thinking has left many voters susceptible to simplistic narratives and misinformation reinforcing their own biases while paradoxically voting for an elitist figure. Sigh. How do we resolve this issue so that we can go back to creating policies that are based in fact and reality?
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