The Paradoxical Pleasure of Being Conned
The worst autocrats arise like stage magicians
It can seem inexplicable that so many people follow politicians who, to others of us are as dangerous, or dangerously incompetent as real leaders. But their ability to attract followers demonstrates that those same politicians are competent as con artists. What accounts for that apparent paradox?
Many of us enjoy a good magic show or horror movie from being safely fooled or frightened. That enjoyment may even be enhanced if we can become active participants in the show, by becoming the magician’s stooge or by helping to scare others in the audience. It can even give us a feeling of power to think we are “in on” the tricks.
Incipient autocratic leaders use those effects to gain their power. They fool or frighten people just enough at first to gain followers who like their style, and then they rely on those people to join the con for their pleasure or benefit until those people realize too late that it’s not just a show and that they have fallen for the con.
