We are facing the growing challenge of how to respond incisively and effectively to curb the movements away from rational thought and towards beliefs and actions driven by raw emotions. Do we simply keep behaving in a rational way and hope that reason will prevail? Do we just give up because we are trying to oppose something ingrained in human nature? For people who advocate reason, tolerance and compassion, how do we deal with the unreasonable, intolerable and hateful?
Evidence shows that people with strong emotionally-based beliefs do not respond to rational arguments. It is easy for them to dismiss proponents of reasoned analysis by accusing them of being in a conspiracy to hide the real truth. The threat to rationalism comes from not just egotistical, narcissistic, psychopathic and manipulative politicians and dictators, but ordinary people who feel aggrieved because the world seems to have passed them by, and from a general sense of anxiety.
Add to this mix people who are bigoted, ignorant, greedy, or entitled, and, for good measure, conservative Christians driven by puritanical religious convictions. Then you have a large group of people who can change government and sweep away liberal democratic practices, along with reasonable and civil behaviour.
Referring to the populism of Trump, sociologist Michael Kimmel states that it is not a theory or ideology; it’s an emotion. And the emotion is righteous indignation that the government is screwing ‘us’.
Populism blames a whole range of ‘others’ for attempting to deprive the common people of their sovereign rights, values, prosperity, identity, and voice. An outcome of this is a willingness of people to believe lies, twisted truths, conspiracy theories, and alternative ‘realities’, have a sense of validation of the desire to control others, and believe that adherents are better than other people.
Of course, in America and elsewhere, people have been subjected to a relentless and cynical campaign of propaganda to stir up dark, passionate, and powerful emotions built on fear of change, feelings of alienation, and visions of privilege. As part of this propaganda, leaders such as Trump portray themselves as tough and invincible, and as someone who will lead followers to the promised land.
This year’s presidential election showed that telling lie after lie, spreading misinformation, being totally irrational, disparaging others, even being found guilty of crimes, did not matter at all, provided you reinforced people’s wishful thinking that they were the centre of the universe. This bodes very badly for rationalism.
The shift from reason, honesty and decisions made on the best possible evidence should be immensely concerning to rationalists. Let’s consider the core beliefs of rationalism – as taken from the Rationalist Society of Australia’s website.
All significant beliefs and actions should be based on reason and evidence
Trump’s appeal to emotion means reason and evidence are inconvenient and unnecessary. To negate rational arguments you simply harass, insult, discredit and silence those who put such arguments forward. Denying reality is a large part of Trumpism. We only have to look at Trump and similar leaders’ responses to the pandemic, vaccination, migration, refugees, Muslims, abortion, global warming, gun control and social justice movements. Trump and others employ the strategy of removing, silencing or burying any promulgation of inconvenient truths. Trump has often dismissed advisors who even hinted that what he wanted to do was problematic.
In Australia, governments have attempted to remove or make ineffective a range of advisory and watchdog bodies and indeed, have prosecuted whistleblowers who have made scandalous truths public. Australian governments have ignored or failed to effectively deliver countless recommendations of reports that inquired into serious issues, such as preventing further mega bushfires and global warming.
The natural world is the only world there is and answers to the key questions of human existence are to be found only in the natural world
In the West, in particular, people are increasingly walking away from religion. However, ideology and theology are still powerful forces both in promoting a reactionary agenda and curtailing the freedom and power of those who don’t subscribe to them. Religious views are still driving political action in many places, and even progressive politicians can be reluctant to stand firm on rational policies if it means offending religious groups.
We believe in human dignity and respect in our treatment of one another
Trumpism reserves human dignity and respect for its supporters. Witness the indifference to the fate of poor people in America who could not obtain life-saving treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many politicians and quite a significant number of ordinary Australians do not respect other people. In Australia, some people have voiced their contempt for people on the dole by suggesting that it is pointless to increase the dole as recipients will only spend the extra on alcohol, drugs and cigarettes. Our treatment of asylum seekers as little more than criminals; the labelling of protesters against global warming and the war in Gaza as terrorists; the vilification of Britanny Higgins; our disturbing record of domestic violence murders; the slurs about Julia Gillard; the pursuit and punishment of whistleblowers; and the vociferous propaganda about Aboriginals leading to the rejection of the Voice; disrespect people who are simply standing up for their right to be heard.
We support social cooperation with the communities and political cooperation amongst nations
Trump does not support cooperation amongst nations. He prefers to go it alone, striking up alliances when and how he needs them. He has repeatedly said that he could solve the problems of the world just by turning up and telling other countries what to do – no doubt believing that America, as the most powerful country in the world, can tell others to fall into line.
Human endeavour should focus on making life better for all of us, with due regard to our fellow sentient creatures and the natural environment
There does not seem much support amongst Trumpians for the value that governments should make life better for everybody – a belief held by many people from all walks of life, political persuasion, and religions.
In countries where people live happier, better lives, governments have higher tax rates. As a result, they provide more and better services for their people. Many of these countries have social democratic governments. However, recent large influxes of refugees have sown the seeds of fear and discord, resulting in more reactionary politics.
Australia remains a good place to live – ranking tenth in terms of happiness. Surely this is worth protecting. However, recently, we have reduced tax rates across the board. This could reduce the public services that are hallmarks of a happy society.
Trumpism and a healthy environment seem a contradiction in terms. In Australia, we have a very high rate of animal extinction. We have ignored opportunities to fully protect the Great Barrier Reef and not done the hard work to reduce global warming.
Elon Musk, a key Trump supporter, believes that population collapse due to low birth rates is a much bigger risk to civilisation than global warming. In Australia, despite the evidence, some people have argued we should increase our population through migration and higher birth rates to ensure continued economic growth. This is predicated on a belief of always pursuing economic growth even if the logical consequence is exhaustion of every resource on the planet.
A rational alternative is to think that making life better for all of us can be achieved by reducing growth, making do with less, sharing more, and focusing on what matters most – healthy, happy, and peaceful families and communities.
We believe that humankind must take responsibility for its destiny
Unfortunately, despite the best intentions of many and wonderful advances in science and technology, there are enough people in the world not taking responsibility for their destiny. Our future, as a result, is likely to be most unpleasant and beset with existential threats. One of the first things that will go when these threats begin to bite is truth-telling, reasonable behaviour, and rationalism.
While the Rationalist Society of Australia has worked hard to promote these values, we need to be even more pro-active in our support for science, rationalism, atheism and secular humanism if we are not to lose what is most important to the survival of all life on Earth.
The election of Trump as president and the validation of what he stands for is a strident wake-up call. We will not be immune to reactionary movements here in Australia. However, we can form strong alliances with other organisations with similar aims and undertake effective actions to show Australians that we think our values are worth fighting for.
But, most of all, we should emphasise emotion as well as logic, and convince ordinary people that rationalism is good for them, good for society and good for the world.
Published 14 December 2024.
Photo by David Todd McCarty on Unsplash.
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