Why We Hate On Politicians

Loretta G Breuning Ph.D. 

is a "founder of the Inner Mammal Institute, which helps people manage the ups and downs of their mammal brain," (Psychology Today). She published an article on September 30, 2015 on Psychology Today titled: Why We Love to Hate Politicians. Dr. Breuning addresses three psychological reasons to why politicians get on our nerves: Common enemies create a sense of belonging, challenging the power structure feels good to the mammal brain, and that each brain sifts information to fit its preconceptions.

In my Government Supplementary Instruction (SI) class, my peers always end up ranting together about Donald Trumps stupidity. It makes us furious to know such a man is running for President, and yet its comforting to know that we aren't the only ones who think this. Dr. Breuning explains this scenario through the study that; "animals bond for protection from common enemies, and we’ve inherited a brain that feels good when it builds social alliances." Also demonstrated in school cliques, humans naturally like to be in groups because it supports their inner nature of man that they have protection and survival in bigger likable numbers. 

Have you ever ranted an opposition to something through social media or your friends, but when it involves direct contact you suppress? Mammals challenge others when they know they are safe, and tend to back away otherwise. We feel more open about talking smack about our politicians because our mammal brain is cheering for survival. However, if we know we are on the losing side, such as claiming Trump is the best president in the world, we begin to feel a lack of survival instinct. 

Lastly a lot of us hate on politicians because everyone else around us do too. For example, my parents will hate on Bush any moment they could. I grew up listening to their rants, and according to Dr. breuning; "Early experience is what counts because that’s when your pathways are myelinated." Our brains start to sift information and wire up similarly to the same way our close family and peers's brains do. I don't hate Bush 24/7 too because of my parents, but I do find hating on politicians a norm. 

However, this psychological effect doesn't forgive our hate on politicians. As Dr. Breuning puts it: 

Venting feels good, but hating politicians is still hate.

I'm not saying everyone needs to stop hating on politicians, but we should remind ourselves that even though politicians seem like a different species of mammals...they are still mammals. We are mammals who fight for survival, so if we want to be politicians, go right ahead, and if you want to be the politician haters, go be that mammal too; its our way of survival.

SIMON SAYS

Born in South Side of Chicago, Politico's chief political columnist, Roger Simon has grown up in a world where politics is a contact sport. He started his career at the Chicago Sun-Times, and has been featured in "Best Newspaper Writing in America" multiple times. National Press Club judges say, "Simon's writing is witty, specific and based on sharp observations of politics and the media."

On August 25, 2015, he published an article on his Politico Column titled: Politics 2016: Bring in the clowns. Roger Simon doesn't blatantly accuse  Presidential Candidate, Donald Trump as being stupid. Instead he cleverly hints that his showmanship and aggressive ego is powerful, and if the people don't stop it we will be electing a clueless egotistic clown in office. In hopes to inform the future voters of America, Mr. Simon encourages the public that Donald Trump: "is currently popular not because people are dumb, but because Trump is entertaining in a political process that rewards good entertainers." 

Roger Simon depicts Trump as: "a showman, a pitchman, who is selling one product: himself." Even though Trump presents himself as having excellent showmanship, Simon ensures its just his pure ego being bottled up. Much like clowns, Trump is giving entertainment under a mask, and sadly quite a intelligent entertainer. Simon refers to a time when ABC's George Stephanopoulos interviews Trump about his "build a wall" plan. Stephanopoulos repetitively asked Trump how he was going to carry out his plan specifically, and in response he just said, "George, it’s called management." “First thing we have to do is secure the border — it’s called management.” Simon uses the metaphor: Did I say it was like wrestling with an eel? It was more like punching a pillow, to explain Trumps tricky showmanship.

Donald Trump's: "I want to make our country great again," slogan might be a catchy pitch line, but Simon Says: Trump’s ego is so pure, so distilled that you could almost bottle it. Trump's popularity is America's nightmare, and Simon's article: Politics 2016: Bring in the clowns definitely stamps candidates like Donald Trump into the Clown Car.

#IStandWithAhmed

Today, Time magazine published an article titled: "#IStandWithAhmed Hashtag Protests Arrest of 9th Grader Who Brought Clock to School" by cultural reporter, Nolan Feeney.

High school student, Ahmed Mohamed, is being accused of making a hoax bomb and bringing it to school. The teacher who is being ridiculed for racism argues, she was only being cautious for the safety of her students. However, the father says his son is being arrested, "because his name is Mohamed and because of Sept. 11".

Racial inequality is becoming a more prominent topic in the U.S. as it effects our students, employers, and politics. Schools have the right to protect their students, but arresting a eager robotics enthusiastic is not a threat. Mohamed's social media hashtag: IStandWithAhmed, is becoming a social issue not only in the state of Texas, but nationwide. Activists both involving the people and the government, are out in the open trying to stop such prejudice. And with the hope that racial inequality will be rid of, this issue is teaching the public that: "assumptions and fear don't keep us safe—they hold us back " (Hilary Clinton).