Why Trump Needs Rallies to Win- Political Rallies, yard signs, and the power of “group think” on “will"
I want to start out with a couple of assertions then I will go on to explain the rest of the post supporting them.
A common question on the minds of so many people who are not mesmerized by the “Trump Phenomenon” is how can these people, many who are intelligent, and many more who have espoused completely different sets of values than the trumpian philosophy, embrace him. Most of my younger life I wondered the same thing about other cult of personalities. The answer to the question, “How can trump get so many people to follow his spiral down into insanity?” lies in the Asch Conformity Experiments. These experiments are the glue that ties so many other social and psychological effects together. It explains common things we all know that are associated with people doing things that historically their personalities would reflect they wouldn't otherwise. Conditions like “peer pressure”, “mob mentality”, “cults”, "Emperor with no cloths" “few bad apples”, “Stockholm Syndrome”, "you can judge a man by the company he keeps", and “marketing” to name a few general concepts. They can all be explained by Asch Conformity.
Experiment Overview:
This is a 5 min video worth watching if you have the means. The experiment is simple really. A classroom with 6 “students”. Only one of them is the subject. They are given a simple test. A line on a large card next to 3 or 4 lines to the right. The participants, one by one, observer the line on the left and state which line on the right is the same size. After a few rounds of accurate answers, the “plants” start guessing what is clearly the wrong answer. In nearly all cases, the subjects divorces themselves from what they know is the right answer, for the one the group had selected. Variations. When allowed to write the answer outside of the group, they would pick the correct line over the groups. This is even though the group still stated their choice vocally. When given a “partner” earlier in the group, they also confidently select the correct line believing the partner had nothing to do with their selection.
“Don't believe your own Eye”:
Trump famously made that statement. That is exactly the “Truth” that is exposed about human nature. It is how he could make the assertion that he could commit murder and not lose a supporter. You may walk into his rallies with somebody who is a believer, but you are not. When you leave, after seeing so many people point to him and tell him “he is right”, no mater how crazy your gut might be turning over telling you that he isn't, your perception will betray you. Getting that perception to last, that is both easier and harder than you think. The key is getting people to admit their bad choice out loud.
Remember in the experiment, when the subject didn't have to fear group (think public) ire, they selected what they knew was right. Once trump interested are wearing the hat, putting up a yard sign, watching FOX they feel the pressure of their group. This is why so much effort is put into a specific color, slogans, and simplistic “common sense” messages. The group must be able to identify others like themselves and never let to feel that pressure from the consequences of straying is gone. After you did that, what are you going to do? Leave your “trump” friends still in the cult and hope nobody you have been irritating for the past year are going to just forget about that? (They need to if they want to wind support. But they won't.)
I also believe that “The Lincoln Project” and “Republicans against tRump” are far more dangerous then the democratic message and personalities. If they get a “partner” with enough strength of character to stand out first and say, “this is wrong, Trump is a lying idiot, and I too was once fooled, but not anymore.” then the grip of this effect weakens. “I was once a sinner just like you” is a powerful conversion message. That is why tRump so viciously attacks those republicans that are “disloyal”.
Joe for the win?:
If you want to make sure Joe wins in November, Make sure you put the signs in your yard, get the bumper stickers, wear the shirts. Even if you don't really believe he was the best, “fake it till you make it.” Make sure everybody in the public knows which answer YOU think is right. Find other people in your hood, social groups, and family that feel the same and get them to do it. Those who have no mind set will sway in Joe's direction. Those who are supporters of tRump will start to feel fleeting fear that they picked the wrong line.
“9 out of 10 psychlogist surveyed approve Biden for President”
Logic and Psychology of the Politics:
On equal footing with the Stanford Prison Experiment or the Obedience to Authority is the Asch Conformity experiments. These experiments all reflect upon us the actual human condition. Our will, our understanding of right and wrong, our very morality is not as stead fast as we might think. Traits like Confidence, perception of authority, herd mentality can break even the most intelligent among us. It doesn't take intelligence to be a bully, it just takes a lack of empathy. These experiments show how somebody lacking the ability to understand and feel how the consequences of their actions will hurt others could still take control of a group and do much harm.
The drive to be “accepted” is so deeply ingrained in human nature that it is undeniable when exposed in controlled conditions, but impossible, so buried in out subconscious that we just can't “feel” the forces even when we are faced with the evidence. (Exploring this precept could be a book all on its own) This truth is underlying reason why we can't deny that we are a “collective” species and denying that fact in an attempt to embrace “individualism” is driving much of our social discourse threatening our species. If we continue there will be worse than Donald in the future. He is a bumbling idiot, a savant when it comes to self promotion. But he has no clue how to focus that power or understand its boundaries. But somebody who does understand populism and how it works, could be as dangerous as a Hitler, only with modern day capabilities for destruction. Democracy must be tempered with this knowledge. There are ways to counter this effect when necessary. That will have to wait for another post but I will end with a few suggestions. However, we can't continue to trust that the ignorant and easily mislead lead by dangerous politicians will not outnumber the other ignorant and mislead that are lead by more inert policy makers. One day that is not going to work out so well for us.
Fixing the flaw of “Argumentum ad Populum”:
I have written before that I think we should be voting for “ideas” and not names on a ballot. No names should appear on a ballot. Candidates and voters both answer questions about their “beliefs”. Voters are matched to candidate who gets the most like answers, and the vote is caste accordingly. There should mandates that a month out, candidates can't hold rallies or advertise. 2 years of campaigning, if they haven't gotten the picture, then they won't. Candidate should have to participate in one public event where they are to answer basic questions about the Constitution, laws, economic principles, and if they are “smarter than a 5th grader”. Only through testing potential leaders and really the voters can we counteract the power of the Asch Conformity phenomenon. At the very least, candidates should have to be elected to progressive public offices before they can be elected to the highest in the land. If you can't get elected to your own community or state, we should not have to put up with you as president. This should be a requirement of both parties so they don't get their membership hijack by a conman selling delusions of grander.
- If Trump looses his rebid for election, it will be because he is unable to hold his rallies. They are the most important part of Trumps success. His TV show was the gateway to the “Fanatics”.
- There is no “free will” as most people think of it. “Will” is malleable and each one of us is at risk to a force that causes us to choose to do the popular things over the right thing when in a crowd. Then we will demand it is our “Right” to do so.
A common question on the minds of so many people who are not mesmerized by the “Trump Phenomenon” is how can these people, many who are intelligent, and many more who have espoused completely different sets of values than the trumpian philosophy, embrace him. Most of my younger life I wondered the same thing about other cult of personalities. The answer to the question, “How can trump get so many people to follow his spiral down into insanity?” lies in the Asch Conformity Experiments. These experiments are the glue that ties so many other social and psychological effects together. It explains common things we all know that are associated with people doing things that historically their personalities would reflect they wouldn't otherwise. Conditions like “peer pressure”, “mob mentality”, “cults”, "Emperor with no cloths" “few bad apples”, “Stockholm Syndrome”, "you can judge a man by the company he keeps", and “marketing” to name a few general concepts. They can all be explained by Asch Conformity.
Experiment Overview:
This is a 5 min video worth watching if you have the means. The experiment is simple really. A classroom with 6 “students”. Only one of them is the subject. They are given a simple test. A line on a large card next to 3 or 4 lines to the right. The participants, one by one, observer the line on the left and state which line on the right is the same size. After a few rounds of accurate answers, the “plants” start guessing what is clearly the wrong answer. In nearly all cases, the subjects divorces themselves from what they know is the right answer, for the one the group had selected. Variations. When allowed to write the answer outside of the group, they would pick the correct line over the groups. This is even though the group still stated their choice vocally. When given a “partner” earlier in the group, they also confidently select the correct line believing the partner had nothing to do with their selection.
“Don't believe your own Eye”:
Trump famously made that statement. That is exactly the “Truth” that is exposed about human nature. It is how he could make the assertion that he could commit murder and not lose a supporter. You may walk into his rallies with somebody who is a believer, but you are not. When you leave, after seeing so many people point to him and tell him “he is right”, no mater how crazy your gut might be turning over telling you that he isn't, your perception will betray you. Getting that perception to last, that is both easier and harder than you think. The key is getting people to admit their bad choice out loud.
Remember in the experiment, when the subject didn't have to fear group (think public) ire, they selected what they knew was right. Once trump interested are wearing the hat, putting up a yard sign, watching FOX they feel the pressure of their group. This is why so much effort is put into a specific color, slogans, and simplistic “common sense” messages. The group must be able to identify others like themselves and never let to feel that pressure from the consequences of straying is gone. After you did that, what are you going to do? Leave your “trump” friends still in the cult and hope nobody you have been irritating for the past year are going to just forget about that? (They need to if they want to wind support. But they won't.)
I also believe that “The Lincoln Project” and “Republicans against tRump” are far more dangerous then the democratic message and personalities. If they get a “partner” with enough strength of character to stand out first and say, “this is wrong, Trump is a lying idiot, and I too was once fooled, but not anymore.” then the grip of this effect weakens. “I was once a sinner just like you” is a powerful conversion message. That is why tRump so viciously attacks those republicans that are “disloyal”.
"The Emperor has no cloths" "Shhh, nobody is supposed to point that out!"
Joe for the win?:
If you want to make sure Joe wins in November, Make sure you put the signs in your yard, get the bumper stickers, wear the shirts. Even if you don't really believe he was the best, “fake it till you make it.” Make sure everybody in the public knows which answer YOU think is right. Find other people in your hood, social groups, and family that feel the same and get them to do it. Those who have no mind set will sway in Joe's direction. Those who are supporters of tRump will start to feel fleeting fear that they picked the wrong line.
“9 out of 10 psychlogist surveyed approve Biden for President”
Logic and Psychology of the Politics:
On equal footing with the Stanford Prison Experiment or the Obedience to Authority is the Asch Conformity experiments. These experiments all reflect upon us the actual human condition. Our will, our understanding of right and wrong, our very morality is not as stead fast as we might think. Traits like Confidence, perception of authority, herd mentality can break even the most intelligent among us. It doesn't take intelligence to be a bully, it just takes a lack of empathy. These experiments show how somebody lacking the ability to understand and feel how the consequences of their actions will hurt others could still take control of a group and do much harm.
The drive to be “accepted” is so deeply ingrained in human nature that it is undeniable when exposed in controlled conditions, but impossible, so buried in out subconscious that we just can't “feel” the forces even when we are faced with the evidence. (Exploring this precept could be a book all on its own) This truth is underlying reason why we can't deny that we are a “collective” species and denying that fact in an attempt to embrace “individualism” is driving much of our social discourse threatening our species. If we continue there will be worse than Donald in the future. He is a bumbling idiot, a savant when it comes to self promotion. But he has no clue how to focus that power or understand its boundaries. But somebody who does understand populism and how it works, could be as dangerous as a Hitler, only with modern day capabilities for destruction. Democracy must be tempered with this knowledge. There are ways to counter this effect when necessary. That will have to wait for another post but I will end with a few suggestions. However, we can't continue to trust that the ignorant and easily mislead lead by dangerous politicians will not outnumber the other ignorant and mislead that are lead by more inert policy makers. One day that is not going to work out so well for us.
Fixing the flaw of “Argumentum ad Populum”:
I have written before that I think we should be voting for “ideas” and not names on a ballot. No names should appear on a ballot. Candidates and voters both answer questions about their “beliefs”. Voters are matched to candidate who gets the most like answers, and the vote is caste accordingly. There should mandates that a month out, candidates can't hold rallies or advertise. 2 years of campaigning, if they haven't gotten the picture, then they won't. Candidate should have to participate in one public event where they are to answer basic questions about the Constitution, laws, economic principles, and if they are “smarter than a 5th grader”. Only through testing potential leaders and really the voters can we counteract the power of the Asch Conformity phenomenon. At the very least, candidates should have to be elected to progressive public offices before they can be elected to the highest in the land. If you can't get elected to your own community or state, we should not have to put up with you as president. This should be a requirement of both parties so they don't get their membership hijack by a conman selling delusions of grander.
“It is much easier to believe lies than the truth."
"Why?" asked Janna.
"Because lies are manufactured to satisfy the emotions. A mother would rather believe her pretty girl lazy than accept the fact that she's a dumb cluck. Germans would rather believe they were stabbed in the back than that they lost a fair fight. And anyone would rather blame someone else for his misfortunes. The truth is hard. Don't fool with it unless you realize that.” ― Hilda Van Stockum, The Borrowed House
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