The roots of Donald Trump’s anti-intellectualism

[elleng]

Trump has taken anti-wonkiness to new levels, and his high level of support echoes populist sentiment of yesteryear and follows a decades-long slide in trust in traditional institutions.

'Donald Trump seemed irritated. Hillary Clinton – during their Monday night debate – had just mentioned that 50 Republican national security experts have signed a letter declaring Trump unfit to be commander-in-chief.

In reply, Mr. Trump said he’d been endorsed by the border patrol union and “over 200” retired admirals and generals. Then he went after the experts and their claim to policy superiority.

“I’ll take the generals any day over the political hacks that I see that have led our country so brilliantly over the last 10 years with their knowledge. OK?” said Trump, his voice sharpening. “Because look at the mess that we’re in. Look at the mess that we’re in.”

The moment was perhaps symbolic of Trump’s whole approach to the policy substance of a presidential campaign. It’s not just that he seems uninterested in details and unclear about such issues as “no first use” of nuclear weapons. It’s that he actively denigrates wonkiness as unimportant.

In that Trump may be following the lead of GOP candidates before him. The party has long positioned itself as “aw shucks” regular folks against the effete egghead Democrats.

But Trump has taken the approach to new levels. His support indicates there are many voters who approve. That’s perhaps reflective of a decades-long slide in trust in traditional US institutions, which hit new lows in the Great Recession and its aftermath. It also echoes populist strains from the 19th century.

“He’s going full-bore anti-intellectual, and it might work,”'>>>

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/Decoder/2016/0927/The-roots-of-Donald-Trump-s-anti-intellectualism?cmpid=FB

[vlyons]

1. It's more a reflection of Republicans devalueing public education

From Ronald Reagan destroying the California state universities, to resistance to busing to integrate schools, to cutting taxes that fund public schools, to breaking teacher unions, to for-profit charter schools, to exorbitant interest rates on student loans; Republicans have been devalueing public education on many many levels.

It goes all the way back to the student protests and sit-ins of lunch counters in the south and universities admin offices across the country. The #1 most important issue for me is rebuilding public education. From preschool to advanced degrees.

[MyOwnPeace]

6. In the article

it talked about a survey that cited 14 institutions no longer trusted, listing Congress, the Media, and the Military.
Yes, I agree - the root of all of this is the devaluing of public education - school vouchers, charter schools, cyber schools, home-schooling, schools for profit, privatization, etc., etc.
Public schools are the last to get money when the money is good and the first to get cuts when things get tough.
Great post, vlyons!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. RW Authoritarians have compartmentalized thinking and let emotion tRump reason

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=8065442

Table 1: Hostility & Fear Toward Outgroups

Table 2: Not-So-Healthy Ingroup Cohesion

Table 3: Faulty reasoning

RWA's are more likely to:

Make many incorrect inferences from evidence.
Hold contradictory ideas leading them to `speak out of both sides of their mouths.'
Uncritically accept that many problems are `our most serious problem.'
Uncritically accept insufficient evidence that supports their beliefs.
Uncritically trust people who tell them what they want to hear.
Use many double standards in their thinking and judgements.


Table 4: Profound Character Flaws

Table 5: Blindness To Own Failings

Table 6: RWA's Political Tendencies

[randr]

3. I would be willing to bet that he is dyslectic

My guess is that he can not read above a 3rd grade level if that.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

4. Cult

[saltpoint]

8. Great quotation. Thank you for posting it. eom

[anamandujano]

5. So, he's pretending to be pig ignorant. Well, he's doing a spectacular job.

[saltpoint]

7. K & R eom