I learn so much from reading the New York Times’ readers’ comments.
Yesterday, in response to the usual thousands of plaintive, furious comments along the lines of “How does anyone still support this monstrosity?”, Mary, from Connecticut, wrote this:
It’s called “the backfire effect” and I discovered it when djt first took this seat. I was trying to understand why he had a following that held on like a bunch of bull dogs regardless of confirmed evidence. djt is a master and has put it to use his entire existence; Backfire effect psychology The backfire effect is a very strong, psychological aspect in all of our minds. Due to this effect, whenever you are confronted with information and facts that contradict something you believe, instead of changing your view or forming a new opinion, your original beliefs will often be strengthened. https://www.scienceabc.com/humans/what-is-the-backfire-effect-confirmation-bias-psychology.html History has taught us that the truth will prevail.
I am grateful to add “the backfire effect” to the two other psychological/scientific reasons for the situation we’re in now. They are the Dunning-Kruger Effect –– which nestles nicely into this new one — and the enlarged amygdala…thing.
We should have this down pat about the time Trump is disappeared from his current occupation of the White House and goes…wherever, we don’t care, we will not have him back in New York, exile, deportation.
Out of our lives.