A couple of times a month, I’ll tune into right-wing radio in the car to hear what they are saying. A singular theme has been constant across the years: The outrage of both hosts and callers at the mere thought that they should ever have to think before opening their mouths.
Their repetitive rants about political correctness, or reverse racism, or “having to apologize,” etc., etc., all boil down to this... Not ever feeling compelled to consider the feelings or perspective of anyone else. Not even a little.
Facts, analysis, research, sensitivity, decency, even common sense—these are deemed outrageous impediments to the instant gratification of shooting one’s mouth off, based on gut feelings. It goes beyond ordinary anti-intellectualism. There is a more selfish component, the notion that the first thought which jumps first into your head is inherently valid, and must be not just heard, but accepted as unquestioningly as the person who uttered it.
That’s why there are some Republicans who will stand by Trump, no matter what. It’s what made him their hero in the last election: that Trump blurts out the first thing which pops into his head, then refuses to apologize for saying something stupid and offensive. It validates their own impatient need to air their id.
And it’s why even his two astonishingly dumb and intemperate outbursts about the right-wing hate speech and violence in Charlottesville still doesn’t shake their support. The content of his tantrum is irrelevant; only its tone of unabashed bluster matters.
Estimates are that something like two thirds of the 40% who still support Trump feel this way, i.e. about 27% of the adult population.
Where does this feeling come from? Some lingering childhood resentment of being told what to do by parents and teachers? Or is about a quarter of the population just built this way, genetically?
