Why You can't Get Through to a Trump Supporter

[wnylib]

8. I was just about to say the same thing.

Some very smart, well educated people have fallen for cult programming. Timing in a person's life and emotions are two of the factors that make people vulnerable. There are others.

Once someone has fallen into the cult programming, you can't reason with them. But sometimes you can break through to them by addressing their feelings. Many male MAGAs have experienced an abusive or absent or indifferent father. They identify with Trump because they have some similar emotions underneath the surface. Sometimes those feelings are in the open. They bond with Trump as a buddy, or a father or brother figure.

Ask them to talk about their father. Get them to open up. Many will initially say how great their father was. "Tough guy. Real strict. Taught me to be strong." Keep them talking. Ask what was their favorite activity with dad. Eventually, something will slip indicating neglect or abuse. They learned to live with it by denying it or imagining it into something positive in order to cope.

I worked with a guy like that. He was a registered Dem. Had a degree. Had compassion for people. But he fell hard for Trumo as a "good person." One incident was sadly pathetic. He had a health issue and could no longer work. His disability approval was taking forever. I ran into him at a
convenience store. I suggested he contact our House Rep.

He said that he was writing directly to Donald Trump. He was like a child in his hope, admiration, and enthusiasm. Trump would help him. He showed me the handwritten letter. I knew that this guy's father had been an abusive alcoholic. He had mentioned that to me back when we worked together, how he kept hoping that his father would become a kinder, more caring person and visit sometimes because his father never even came to see his grandchildren.

I looked directly at this guy's face and said, "Donald Trump is not your father. He is similar, but will not help you any more than your father ever did." He objected to the comparison that I had made. He was not looking for a daddy. I said to think about it.

Next time I saw him, he said that I was right that he was always looking for a father figure, but not convinced that he saw Trump that way. I said to think more about it. That was in the early part of Trump's first term. Have not seen the guy around since then so I don't know how it turned out for him.

But that gave me insight into Trump cultists. Trump taps into their deep hurts and psychological injuries, gets them identifying with him as victims, tells them who to blame for their hurts, and promises to make things better. They hang onto that hope.