We seriously have a lot of delusional people in the US who absolutely lack

[RKP5637]

discretionary intelligence IMO, and are gullible enough to believe endless propaganda. I find it rather shocking and scary. The numbers are so large. There has been a concerted propaganda effort in the US for years to really bring down the democracy, and now we are seeing the results of that IMO. It's almost really not a question of politics anymore, but rather discretionary intelligence. Note: updated.

[ananda]

1. Many of them are in the highest levels of government.

They are known as the Nazi Death Cult, aka GOP.

[barbtries]

2. Thank you.

since Reagan really. Propaganda has taken over the minds of so many people. rush limbaugh and fox news.
i always think of Rwanda.

[Phoenix61]

3. Piaget would tell you that not everyone makes

it to the last stage of development. They didn’t have the ability to think about their thoughts so evaluating date is not really possible.

[MLAA]

4. Don't underestimate those with choosing racism over all else.

[Irish_Dem]

5. GOP propaganda has been very successful appealing to racism, anger, fear.

Certain personalities seem more susceptible.

The highly intelligent and educated GOP leaders know the propaganda is all nonsense.
They use it as a tool to recruit followers so they can maintain power and wealth.

With Trump, the propaganda has taken a very dark turn, evil and out of touch with any reality.
And yes, what kind of people swallow this stuff?
Lack of mental stability, poor judgement, blind adherence to authority?

[walkingman]

8. Good explanation of our current reality. The question is can we do anything about it.

When there are no consequences for inappropriate behavior it will just get worse. The bad actors need to pay a price for their actions and the general public needs to wake up before it is too late. I fear it might be already

[Irish_Dem]

11. Free junior college to all Americans. This might help the situation.

Give all people a chance to gain knowledge about basic civics, history, political science.
And to be exposed to others outside their narrow scope, such as fellow students and professors.

[walkingman]

15. I don't think you can go wrong with education but anti-intellectualism is a very big problem

in America. We need to read more and I don't mean blogs, tweets, or facepage. We need to read books that stretch and challenge our minds. College is seen as career-preparation. But it is more than career preparation, it is a chance to learn to think deeply about questions that matter. It should help one cultivate the intellectual traits that a functioning democracy requires of its citizens.

I've personally noticed that most people will not take the time to read anything longer than a few pages. We have become a nation of sound bites and breaking news. Even those who we elect to represent us seldom take the time to think seriously about issues. They just take the party line or use lobbyists as their sources of knowledge.

Self-centeredness is also a big problem. "I've got mine so F you" is a undercurrent for many when it comes to all the major issues we face these days.

[Irish_Dem]

21. Yes a functioning democracy requires an educated citizenry with critical thinking skills.

We do not have that right now it would seem.

Even many of our elected officials are woefully ignorant of basic civics, basic governmental structure. And those who know better just vote the party line and take no time to understand an issue.

Students take general education classes freshman year. This would be a good start in learning to read, think more broadly, listening to other points of view, develop an appreciation of science, reasoning, logic, facts. And respect others who are grounded in facts and reason.

Parenting is a whole other topic. Parents in the last 50 years have dramatically changed child rearing practices, in reaction to harsh parenting of the past. But there has been some down side to that change, according to experts.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

6. Willful ignorance, racism and cruelty are not mental illnesses, and conflating the two does a

grave disservice to those who are mentally ill, who are already some of the most oppressed and marginalized people in our society. Let's leave pathologizing character traits in 2020.

[RKP5637]

9. You made a good point, I updated the subject line! Thanks!

[WhiskeyGrinder]

13. Hey, thanks for reconsidering. I appreciate it.

[Turin_C3PO]

10. I mostly agree with you.

However, some of the extreme paranoia I see on conspiracy websites makes me think that with a certain (small) percentage there may be a mental health issue. I agree that the vast majority are not mentally ill.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

12. Human brains grasp onto conspiracy theories because of a feature in the brain, not a bug.

[Wicked Blue]

7. Partly Reagan's fault for closing down psychiatric hospitals, IMHO

Also, television wasn't called the "boob tube" for no reason.

[Klaralven]

14. 80 percent of Americans believe in God, so gullibility is very widespread

[RKP5637]

17. Yep, I think of that often! Amazing ... n/t

[Yeehah]

16. They are acting on their delusions now

Kook bombs Nashville. Kook destroys vaccine. What next?

[RKP5637]

18. Trump continues to drum up some very dangerous potential events. n/t

[panader0]

19. There are two trump viruses.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100214802305

[Kota]

20. Had trump conceded, they would concede.

It's a cult. He's not the leader of our country, let alone the free world. Just his cult and they don't care, they just follow.

[RKP5637]

27. KR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! n/t

[uponit7771]

22. K&R, this isn't 1933 Germany with no outlets of credible information. These people are low informati

[RKP5637]

28. And they constantly gravitate toward the worst information sources. There is so much

information available to make informed and intelligent decisions, but yet they let someone like Trump tell them all is fake, in essence only to believe him. Yes, the mark of a true dictator.

[Claire Oh Nette]

23. some basic math...

Keep in mind 50% of the population is at the 50th percentile and below.

average is about ~90-110 IQ. 50% of the population is in this range.

Only ~15% is above average at 110-120 IQ

Just 95 of the population is of superior intelligence, IQs over 130.

Are we really that surprised?

[ARPad95]

25. I learned average IQ is 100 with a standard deviation of +/- 10.

Here's one site that puts the average IQ for Americans under 100.

https://www.healthline.com/health/average-iq#average-iq

Most people (about 68 percent) have an IQ between 85 and 115. Only a small fraction of people have a very low IQ (below 70) or a very high IQ (above 130). The average IQ in the United States is 98.

[RKP5637]

29. Yes, I've read that a number of places. The US is not as highly intelligent as some believe, some

are and they make great strides ... others follow their paths sometimes believing they are of great IQ too.

[ARPad95]

32. "...others follow their paths sometimes believing they are of great IQ too."

Yup, the Dunning-Kruger effect "sufferers," except we're the ones that have to suffer when in their presence. Ugh!

[Claire Oh Nette]

31. We're on the same page...

I rounded off.

It doesn't make it any better, does it?

I taught myself to read at three. Much to the chagrin of my teachers in primary school, I was not, in fact, hyperactive, but in that third group your mentioned.

FOr my sanity, I keep these statistics in mind, and try to be kind.

[ARPad95]

33. I was an early reader as well and then taught my younger siblings to read before they went off to

kindergarten. I loved playing teacher.

[Claire Oh Nette]

34. Little green playskool desk...

with flip up chalkboard tray and waxy chalk? That was my older brother's Christmas present when he was 5. I owned that basement skoolhouse...

Quit pharmaceutical research to chase the glamour of middle school teaching!!!


Read on, brotha'

[Reader Rabbit]

24. I wonder if things would be different with universal health care.

I truly believe a good percentage of the people you are referring true actually are mentally ill. If the U.S. had universal health care, there'd be a chance that they could be diagnosed and treated for it.

[Silent3]

26. What depresses me is that such *crude* propaganda works on so many people

It's like the Wizard of Oz shouting "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!"... and then a shitload of people happily pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

[RKP5637]

30. It's incredible! As you say, it's so crude. There is nothing clever about it. And the crap Trump

spreads is just gutter talk and bullying crap. I'm constantly stunned and indeed frightened some that so many people can fall for this gutter talk and lying bullying crap. It's also a sad commentary on the US of those that make huge profits from proliferating it.

[frogmarch]

35. They're as gullible as Branch Davidians. nt