Meanwhile, 44 percent backed the American tradition of competing branches of government as a model, if sometimes “frustrating,” system.
Why would people want to live under an authoritarian’s thumb? It’s rooted, experts say, in a psychological need for security—real or perceived—and a desire for conformity, a goal that becomes even more acute as the country undergoes dramatic demographic and social changes. People also like to obey a strong leader who will protect the group—especially if it is the “right” group whose interests will be protected. Recall the Trump supporter who, during the 2019 government shutdown, complained, “He’s not hurting the people he needs to be hurting.”
I’m 100% in favor of me being a dictator for life but otherwise I’m pretty sure democracy is a good idea.
This right here. Even as a kid studying history, I never understood why someone would support a dictator. When I was like 9 or 10, we were learning about WW2 or something, and I said, “Wait, Mrs. <History Teacher>, you’re saying people wanted Hitler to be a dictator and voted for him? Why would someone give up the possibility of being leader themselves?!” I couldn’t comprehend how someone wouldn’t want to at least have the possibility of having supreme executive authority.
Like, if it were me in charge, then I’m all for it, but some other person? HELLLLLLLL NO! It could be Gary down the block, and he’s an asshole.
Fucking Gary - I completely agree.
Being a dictator is a prison with a firing squad at the end of your sentence.
I’d rather take LSD and play valheim.
I’ll do it. Put me in coach.
I’ll outlaw most private vehicles, fund public transit, convert corporate governance to market socialism (the employees of a company should own the company - not rent seeking investors).
After all that, bring on the bullets.
I would NOT want to be supreme leader for life, but I’d like to think I’d do a lot to benefit people. Y’all could, and usually do, do worse than me, but you’d have to catch me first