Originally Posted by rporter314
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I don't call Trump charismatic. Others do, I call him an obnoxious, egotistical opportunist.
He is the leader of a cult. Of course he is charismatic. If he told them to die for him, they would. Check out their covid response. Higher rates in counties which went Trump.
I wouldn’t, on my own, call Trump charismatic, I guess I have mentally reserved the meaning with a positive connotation. But in searching for an explanation for why such an obviously terrible person could have the effect he does on so many people, charisma is the only answer, as described in the linked articles. Trump is a disease, a psychological virus that about 50% of the voting public has contracted.

One place I read that his effect will quickly subside when the exposure is reduced. It will be interesting to see if that is the case. It was also said that the strength of his power over the minds of the gullible would fade during a second term, if he got one.

You never change things by fighting the existing reality.
To change something, build a new model that makes the old model obsolete.
R. Buckminster Fuller