We all have learned the horror of when large numbers of people lose the ability to rationalize.

[fightforfreedom]

Many times I have posted the Trump voters would become infamous for all time. History is going to be very cruel to Trump and his followers.

Like many people before them, the Trump voters wanted to believe in something or someone so much, they lost the ability to rationalize. When you can't rationalize you can destroy yourself and you can destroy everything around you.

Trump voters still can't rationalize how much danger Trump has put them in, how much danger he has put the country in. They are lost souls.

[Funtatlaguy]

1. "I love the uneducated". Con men know how to find the stupid people.

These are very simple people.
Of course, they can not rationalize.
They must be spoon fed anything above a sixth grade education.

[Lonestarblue]

14. And one big reason why we have so many uneducated is the Republican Party.

Republicans have been attempting to kill public schools since Brown v. Board of Education. They were so determined that black people would not get the same education as their white kids that every generation of Republican leaders have found new ways to damage public education simply because it benefits minority children and allows them to grownup to compete with white kids on a more equal basis. And it is Republican media that fuels this continued racism and destruction of public education.

Republican leaders don’t care that destroying public education hurts their own voters because they don’t really want them to be educated, since education tends to cause kids to question the beliefs of their parents. Better to keep them dumb and in line to vote for Republicans.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. American version of Weimar Germany.

The masses bought the package without opening it. Denial. Responding to logical fallacies (appeal to the masses; appeal to emotion; appeal to false authority; appeal to ignorance; appeal to popularity).

[fightforfreedom]

4. The people of the South during the civil war is another example.

The believed so much in the cause. It did not turn out well for them.

[no_hypocrisy]

5. "The Glorious Cause"

Reminds me of high school graduates decades later who can't let go of the fact that they lost THE homecoming football game senior year.

[Ray Bruns]

6. Al Bundy didn't. He scored 4 touchdowns in a single game

[Sky Jewels]

29. Back in '82 ...

[peppertree]

3. Cheeto understood the same thing Hitler did: The way to their heart is through their hatred

It's not so much the 'poorly-educated' as it is the feeble-minded.

You cater to their pet hatreds, and you do it with total shamelessness - and you've got them for life.

They'll walk over coals and glass for you, and (most importantly) open their wallets for you because you "get them."

[sl8]

7. I think we have different definitions of "rationalize".

I associate "rationalize" with false or inappropriate reasoning, often a defensive mechanism.

Different than rational thinking.

[cachukis]

9. Sr. Winifred in my 4th grade catechism class

said the same thing. I asked her what was the worst sin and she told me rationalization. "Worse than murder?" I asked. "Yes. It was the justification in one's mind that the sin was all right."

[BlackSkimmer]

10. Thank you.

I have the same definition.

[mnhtnbb]

18. You are correct in your definition.

One thing Trumpists seem to do exceedingly well is to rationalize their democracy destroying behaviors.

[intheflow]

25. Exactly! The problem is that the only thing MAGAs do is rationalize.

From Merriam-Webster:

ra·​tio·​nal·​ize | ˈrash-nə-ˌlīz , ˈra-shə-nə-ˌlīz
rationalized; rationalizing; rationalizes

Definition of rationalize

transitive verb

1: to bring into accord with reason or cause something to seem reasonable: such as

a: to substitute a natural for a supernatural explanation of rationalize a myth

b: to attribute (one's actions) to rational and creditable motives without analysis of true and especially unconscious motives

broadly : to create an excuse or more attractive explanation for
ie: rationalize the problem

2: to free (a mathematical expression) from irrational parts

3: to apply research-based managerial principles to (something, such as an industry or its operations) for increased productivity and efficiency

intransitive verb

: to provide plausible but untrue reasons for conduct

(Emphasis added)

[sl8]

27. Thanks. nt

[mahina]

31. Came to say it

Thank you.

[gab13by13]

8. Thom Hartmann talked about this yesterday,

don't forget that religion plays a role in the shift to authoritarianism. Mastriano is running for governor of Pa., he was sent by God to rid the world of satanic Democrats and Donald Trump is their religious leader.

With religion, critical thinking plays 2nd fiddle to blind faith.

[JHB]

11. It's their rationality that's missing, not their rationalizations

They have a proven track record of rationalizing anything that gets them what they want, or at least keeps them well-supplied in axe-grinding. Every mark rationalizes doing what the con man wants.

Rationality, on the other hand, might let them perceive when the parts of the con don't add up.

[plimsoll]

23. My first thought too.

No problem rationalizing anything. Twice divorced pussy grabber becomes their anointed one, family values and morality not withstanding.

On the other hand, Peter Thiel, the Mercers, the Kochs pump billions of dollars into electing people who openly claim they want to destroy the Nation and George Soros is evil. When I was younger conservatives talked about "knee jerk" liberals, but what precisely is not reflexive about their need to "own the libs?"

[JT45242]

12. Jordan Kepler videos ...

The one recently asking the magat if trump did the exact same thing as Hillary should he go to jail and the puzzled look on his face was like the androids in I,Mudd when Mudd says I am lying.

For a brief instant, his mind tried to grasp at the cognitive dissonance before he resorted to "no, because he's a patriot"

[HuskyOffset]

16. Minor nit: pretty sure that was the Good Liars (NT)

[sl8]

20. Thanks, I was looking. Link:

[Joinfortmill]

22. This type does not deserve any regard. They lack an ethical compass. And he laughs - despicable.

[Cosmocat]

13. The only point I would make is they aren't "Trump" voters

they are republicans.

They were like this L O N G before he came down the escalator.

He just took the whip from the conservative profiteers and drove them to another level.

But, make no mistakes, if he were raptured today, they would be just as mean and destructive.

[Mr. Ected]

15. These people are Confederates calling themselves something else

The Civil War is being relitigated by essentially the same soulless monsters that tried the first time.

We should give them no quarter.

[NQAS]

17. Sadly, this pattern has repeated itself throughout the years

But my thought now is that I don’t see any way to step back from the edge of the precipice, thanks to instantaneous communication.

[hatrack]

19. Narcissistic Collapse is impending, and it won't be pretty

.

[William Seger]

24. Yep, when narcissistic rage can't be assuaged, collapse is imminent

... and Trump is much too old to recover.

[Joinfortmill]

21. They could have chosen Truth, Justice, Integrity. They didn't.

So, '..let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.'

[Novara]

26. He's Hitler

He's doing the same thing Hitler did, and with the same successes.

[EmeraldCoaster]

28. Think Rationally

there

[Skittles]

30. they had no ability to truly rationalize

or they would never have voted for that vile POS