I was listening to Morgan Housel’s podcast last week when he talked about people making decisions based on emotions vs. reason. Although he was speaking about decisions regarding finances, spending, investing and lifestyle inflation, I drew immediate parallels regarding almost every decision people make.
He said, “When someone makes a decision based on emotions you will never convince them to change their mind using facts.”
No duh. I’m a prime example of this myself.
As I listened more, it dawned on me that this explains why Trump has so many die-hard fans among people whom he never helps and whom he professes to be like but is not. I used to think, “Can’t they see his hypocrisy? He’s a philanderer – not a faithful family man. He’s a liar and a cheat who screws the working man – not a friend of the working class. He acts only for himself and nobody else. There are so many examples of this!”
But Trump’s supporters, which apparently includes a significant number of voters in the US, don’t care about the facts.
They have made a decision based on emotions.
And now, finally, I understand.
You know where I stand on Trump. I never liked him from the first time I heard of him back in the 90s when he was flaunting his wealth while declaring bankruptcy to get out of paying his vendors and workers. Since then, nothing he’s done has changed my mind about him. He’s a con man, a charlatan and a cheat who, as President, continuously disappointed me.
I consider my opinion of him as if it is a fact because it “feels” like it is, based on the evidence I’ve seen. Except, when I pause for a moments, I recognize that my revulsion is due to his lack of character and moral values.
It would be difficult to convince me otherwise.
My general feeling is that all politicians are garbage and will disappoint you in the end. Trump and most others fall right in line with this. So much so, that I no longer vote.
I do not want Trump to win the 2024 Presidential Election. I think he’s an embarrassment for our country.
But clearly, a large number of voters feel completely differently about this.
