# Isn’t the root problem that Trump and his followers, honestly, just aren’t that bright? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [March 19, 2025, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818 "2025-03-19T14:03:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/21 "2025-03-19T15:30:41Z")
Trump supporters do not know that they are stupid-they “know” that they are smart because they have redefined “stupid” to mean “thinking differently than I do”. ---
**Author:** ![GailForce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dfb087/32.png) [@GailForce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GailForce)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/22 "2025-03-19T15:36:21Z")
Do you understand the difference between “asking a question” and “stating a proof”? That would help. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/23 "2025-03-19T15:41:50Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > The data show that of college graduates Ummmm … no. Your source says college- **aged** people. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/24 "2025-03-19T15:42:13Z")
Trump is what the former KGB used to refer to as, “a useful idiot”. I doubt even the right wing leaders have any respect for the intelligence of their own followers simply because of the fact that they can get them to believe absolutely anything no matter how outrageous or illogical, and no matter how many sources and facts exist to dispute it. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/25 "2025-03-19T15:42:50Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Trump supporters do not know that they are stupid-they “know” that they are smart because they have redefined “stupid” to mean “thinking differently than I do”. From my experience, that’s most Americans independent of politics. ---
**Author:** ![GailForce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dfb087/32.png) [@GailForce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GailForce)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/26 "2025-03-19T15:44:25Z")
Because defining “intelligence” and quantifying it is such a morass, I do find it interesting that MAGAites and MAGA-friendlies take such pleasure in bringing it up themselves. It’s amazing to me how they enjoy asking “You think we’re stupid, don’t you? Admit it, you think we’re just dumber than you are” and so on. The answer to their questions is “Yeah, of course I do” but we can’t say that out loud (it tends to divert our overall difference with their policies into a personal subject) so we digress from the digression by answering “Your personal intelligence isn’t really the topic here…” and some (as you can see from this thread) don’t want to touch this topic with a long stick. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/27 "2025-03-19T15:44:31Z")
The big problem is that a whole lot of them are absolutely, positively convinced that they are _ **RIGHT** _. So there’s a big feeling that there’s no need to re-evaluate their positions, beliefs, etc… as they’re as right as they can be. So it’s intellectual laziness or stupidity, but less in the form that says that they can’t be bothered, and more in the form that they see no need to reevaluate or critically think about any of it. I mean, if you know you’re _ **RIGHT** _ and the news you watch(a big part of the problem), your community, and your church are all agreeing, there’s no need to critically think about why you’re right, _if_ you’re indeed right, and so forth. And it feels good to know you’re right like that, on the righteous side of things, and what-not. I don’t think it’s at all a bunch of flat-out stupid people who can’t figure this stuff out causing all the problems, but rather a bunch of smart people who’ve been convinced that they’re right and don’t need to reevaluate or critically think about any of it. Then there are the breathtakingly cynical types who do know that it’s not right, and are aware of the crookery and shady aspects of it all, but go with it because it furthers their personal or organizational agenda. They’re not necessarily true believers- they’re too smart for that, but they’re perfectly willing to go along because it benefits them, regardless of the cost, moral turpitude, or anything else. Stephen Miller strikes me as the foremost example of this sort. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/28 "2025-03-19T15:48:30Z")
I know some of my deficiencies, so if I start thinking “If that person can be President, _I_ can be President!”, I recognize the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/29 "2025-03-19T15:48:59Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > His Canadian accent There’s no such thing, eh! Also, elbows up, Canada! ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/30 "2025-03-19T15:54:51Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > What they are is _intellectually **lazy.** _ > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I think it’s a lack of critical thinking, not necessarily raw intelligence. I’m not sure how useful these distinctions are - especially if they result in the same actions. I’m thinking of someone saying, “X voted for Trump, but is a good person!” Can X truly be a good person, if they voted for a horrible candidate who will do horrible things? How about, “Yeah, but I only killed ONE person! Look at all the good things I’ve done!” How meaningful is it to say, “My parents are not stupid. They just did a stupid thing - likely influenced by their intellectual laziness.” People with high IQs are perfectly capable of dong stupid things/holding stupid beliefs. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/31 "2025-03-19T15:55:36Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Ummmm … no. Your source says college- **aged** people. Scroll down the article to the section 2024 Votes, Education Level where it gives numbers for High school or less-- Trump: 54 Harris: 44 Some college-- Trump: 43 Harris: 55 College graduate-- Trump: 42 Harris: 56 ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/32 "2025-03-19T15:57:45Z")
I think that many of them are stupid, but what they almost all are is bigots. They hate a broad swath of American society, enjoy their suffering and want the state to punish their inferiors and reward their own privileged status. It’s no mystery why the movement sprung from the election of a two term black president. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/33 "2025-03-19T16:13:32Z")
Of course I do. The title of this thread asks a question. > [@GailForce](#): > > Trumpers seem spectacularly inept at managing the niceties of the English language, which I take for a sign of intelligence in general. even those Trumpers like Johnson who’ve been speaking publicly for decades. They’re just not that smart. That is not asking a question. It is in your own words > [@GailForce](#): > > a trivial example Further > [@GailForce](#): > > His political success has convinced Americans that it’s okay to be dummies—more than okay, they feel they should proudly show off their lack of understanding, and should revile those capable of expressing their thoughts precisely and well. That is not presented as speculation. It is at least an opinion, and could easily be read as a factual claim. > [@GailForce](#): > > The point is , we used to have a more or less equal distribution of the dummies in both parties. Now they’re overwhelmingly MAGA. That is definitely a claim of fact. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/34 "2025-03-19T16:31:26Z")
Closed on March 19, 2025, 4:31pm UTC ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/35 "2025-03-19T16:35:40Z")
@DocCathode, **I’m going to ban you from this thread**. You appear to be just trying to derail it. Take a break maybe. Too much “you” and “I” from you and @GailForce and not anything concrete or productive. * * * * * * Too many flags for a thread that should just be a discussion. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/36 "2025-03-19T16:46:12Z")
Opened on March 19, 2025, 4:46pm UTC This topic was automatically opened after 10 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/37 "2025-03-19T16:56:09Z")
> [@bump](#): > > The big problem is that a whole lot of them are absolutely, positively convinced that they are _ **RIGHT** _. So there’s a big feeling that there’s no need to re-evaluate their positions, beliefs, etc… as they’re as right as they can be. This is a big part of what I mean by intellectual laziness. Disciplined thinking requires one to maintain in the back of one’s mind the little asterisk, the little caveat, the awareness that one might be wrong. One must be continually vigilant about the possible existence of meaningful countervailing evidence and the need to reevaluate one’s position. One must regularly test one’s assumptions and one’s conclusions against available data. This takes work. And to do otherwise is, as I said, sheer laziness. That’s the Trump bunch. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/38 "2025-03-19T17:10:18Z")
I know highly intelligent Trump supporters. There are even Trump supporters in Mensa. It’s not at all about IQ or the lack thereof. It’s about bias and emotions overriding facts and logic. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/39 "2025-03-19T17:10:18Z")
Yes, it does seem like a large majority aren’t too swift. Otherwise, why would they constantly decry the left as “elitists”? Why else would they be anti education? Why would the Administration keep spouting absolutely, ridiculously stupid “facts” if they didn’t know they’d be believed? Sure, most of us know perfectly intelligent people who voted R; they’re immoral and the subject of a different thread. Maybe the OP should have specified magats maggots. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818/40 "2025-03-19T17:35:45Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I know highly intelligent Trump supporters. There are even Trump supporters in Mensa. It’s not at all about IQ or the lack thereof. I know some folks in MENSA who are positively out of their gourds. I’m talking about people who reject the idea of germ theory and believe the moon landing was fake. Intelligence doesn’t prevent people from adopting whack a doodle beliefs and smart people are good at defending their ideas. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/isn-t-the-root-problem-that-trump-and-his-followers-honestly-just-aren-t-that-bright/1015818.md?page=3)