Why do so many believe Trump’s lies?

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, March 4, 2026

Stephanie Martin’s wonderful analysis of the damage of outright lying in government and her references to Hannah Arendt was a breath of fresh air in our climate of partisan rhetoric and the obvious difficulty we have in reasoning to the truth in our democracy (“Comment: When no one can believe anything anymore,” The Herald, Jan. 31).

It was brilliant and a credit to The Herald, a mostly local paper, and its desire to make a difference for the better. But I’m mostly depressed these days. That is because sorting out reality should never be this hard.

For instance, how could a third of America ever believe the big lie that Donald Trump really won the 2020 election with zero proof and courts awarding $750 billion to a voting machine company Fox News intentionally lied about? You tell me.

Then tell me that this is’t a reflection of our national character. Some shrinks explain this as a matter of no self-control and people expressing their tribal instincts of fear and caring about no one but their inner circle. It’s the lizard brain in action.

The solution is essentially growing up and not believing everything we think. Often people are so narcissistic that anything that does affect them here and now doesn’t matter, including truth.

The answer is introspection and a more extensive compassion. Isn’t this what religion at its best teaches? Instead, much religion encourages this Stone-Age ignorance and self-indulgence. If we don’t do better, I have little hope for democracy, human decency and a better world.

Rick Walker

Snohomish