The 'itching ears' of Trump followers

Since religious language has permeated the political landscape ahead of another big election, here is a verse that could best explain the Donald Trump phenomenon. It is found in Paul’s second letter to his protégé Timothy (or as Trump might call it, “Two Timothy”): “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”

Trump is highly skilled in the art of telling large groups of people exactly what they want to hear. He makes grandiose promises and claims he never backs up with facts. The latest, as noted by Washington Post fact checker Glenn Kessler, is Trump’s claim that he will negotiate the price of drugs with pharmaceutical companies, saving $300 billion.

Kessler writes, “Once again, we are confronted with a nonsense figure from the mouth of Donald Trump. He is either claiming to save four times the entire cost of the Medicare prescription drug system—or he is claiming to make prescription drugs free for every American. Neither is possible.” Kessler gives Trump “four Pinocchios,” his highest rating for not being truthful.

What about that border wall Trump continues to promise he will build across the southern border, sending Mexico the bill? It’s a great applause line, but Mexico says, “No way!”

Eduardo Sanchez, a spokesman for Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, said Trump’s position reflects “enormous ignorance.”

To followers of Trump it doesn’t matter. Inaccuracies and the unlikelihood of making good on his promises are not as important as the thought behind them. This can be dangerous in a leader who aspires to power.

Writing in the Harvard Business Review in 2012, Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic—the CEO of Hogan Assessment Systems, a professor of Business Psychology at University College London, and a faculty member at Columbia University—warns about “The Dark Side of Charisma.”

Noting “the short-term benefits of charisma are often neutralized by its long-term consequences,” Chamorro-Premuzic lists four reasons for resisting charisma: “Charisma often dilutes judgment,” it is “addictive,” it “disguises psychopaths,” and it “fosters collective narcissism.”

Despite the dangers, he says, “the dark side of charm is often overlooked.” Before the rise of Trump, one could point to President Obama as a recent example of the phenomenon.

“In the era of multimedia politics,” notes Chamorro-Premuzic, “leadership is commonly downgraded to just another form of entertainment and charisma is indispensable for keeping the audience engaged.”

A characteristic of Trump’s most ardent followers appears to be their determination to ignore any evidence that would challenge their faith. And so when I question the reality show–style of Trump, I get messages on social media calling me a “sack of (excrement),” a member of the “establishment,” and “old,” which is the unkindest cut of all. Remember when age used to go with wisdom, unless proven otherwise? If you’re a millennial reading this, perhaps you have no memory of such a time.

Trump may well win the Republican nomination and even the presidency. If he does, it will confirm that the transformation of American politics—from serious business, to another form of entertainment—is complete and the White House will become the biggest reality show of them all.

© 2016 Tribune Content Agency LLC.

Listen to Cal Thomas’ commentary on The World and Everything in It.