Why Complexity Lost: Trump’s Triumph in a World Craving Simplicity

The recent U.S. election sent shockwaves around the world, as Trump’s victory seemed to defy conventional logic. However, when we take a closer look at the psychological and emotional forces at play, his appeal becomes clearer: Trump’s success wasn’t just about policies or facts — it tapped into a profound, instinctive response to an increasingly complex and unstable world.

In recent years, the relentless 24-hour news cycle has intensified, bombarding us with information and eroding any remaining sense of security about the external world. This onslaught of news, combined with rapid societal and technological changes, has created an environment where uncertainty and anxiety are part of daily life. For many, the necessity to adapt to new paradigms and challenges feels overwhelming, a reality that would have seemed unimaginable even a decade ago.

The Power of “No”

The Democratic Party’s message leans heavily into this new, complex world. Their rhetoric asks, “How must we respond to these new realities?” They advocate for celebrating, integrating, and managing the diversity of this new era — immigration, gender identities, climate action, and emerging global markets. The Democrats’ stance is one of adaptation and inclusion, a constant “yes” to evolving challenges and identities.

In stark contrast, Trump’s response to this complexity is a simple, resounding “No.” He rejects the demands of the modern world, urging instead a return to an idealized past. His rhetoric paints a picture of a safe, prosperous America from a time when people felt more secure about their futures — a nostalgic vision of the “American dream” unencumbered by global, social, and economic upheavals. In Trump’s world, these new, unsettling forces either don’t exist, or they must be destroyed.

This message is profoundly appealing. By promising to shut the door on the new world — with its overwhelming complexity, unfamiliar norms, and constant demands for adaptation — Trump offers voters a psychological retreat. He promises a return to a time before “wokeism,” before global instability, and before the need to integrate new realities and fears into daily life. It’s no wonder that millions would vote for a leader who assures them he can take them “back” — back to a world that felt stable, familiar, and certain.

The Craving for a “Strong Man” in Times of Overwhelm

The desire for such a leader — a “strong man” who can “make them feel great again” — isn’t political. This is why Trump’s appeal crosses sociographic divides, reaching diverse groups of men and women alike. It is not the specific political messages that resonate, but rather the promise of a simpler world where anxieties are soothed and fears are quenched. Trump’s rhetoric offers the utopia of simple solutions: a world of black and white instead of overwhelming shades of gray, a world where right and wrong are clear, and decisions require little mental energy.

In a state of fear, human psychology prioritizes self-preservation. People therefore gravitate toward leaders who embody and encourage that instinct, offering a politics of “selfishness” over “selflessness.” This appeal to the individual’s desire to protect oneself from the exhausting complexities of modern life is deeply powerful. Trump’s message provides a refuge from the burden of thinking about others and adapting to an ever-changing world — a refuge in the simplicity of “me first.”

The Impact of Economic and Social Decline

The economic upheaval of the 1990s, particularly due to NAFTA, led to significant job losses for blue-collar Americans, especially white men without college degrees. Manufacturing jobs disappeared, leaving many without stable work and feeling abandoned by a system that once provided stability and purpose. This economic decline was compounded by the weakening of labor unions and shifting social dynamics, such as increased immigration and evolving gender roles. For many men, this felt like a loss not only of jobs but of social standing and identity.

In this context, Trump’s rhetoric resonated deeply, while the message of the Democratic Party had the opposite effect. He acknowledged their frustrations, validating feelings of shame and dislocation. Instead of focusing on complex, systemic causes, Trump provided a simpler explanation by directing their grievances toward visible scapegoats — immigrants, minorities, and Democrats. This reframing allowed his supporters to replace feelings of inadequacy with justified anger, viewing themselves as victims of an unfair system rather than personal failures.

Trump’s followers extended beyond economically disenfranchised workers to other groups, including the “Tax Trumpers” who supported his tax cuts, the “Coal and Oil Trumpers” who welcomed his environmental rollbacks, and the “Masculinity Trumpers” who saw in him a hypermasculine, defiant figure resisting progressive social norms. Together, these groups found in Trump a champion who represented their frustrations, creating a shared identity that emphasized strength, pride, and a sense of belonging in a changing world.

Trump’s appeal lies in his ability to validate the discontent of those who feel economically abandoned and socially marginalized. By offering a sense of belonging and empowerment, he gives them a path to reclaim their pride, identity, and status. His message cuts through the complexity of modern life, providing a narrative that is easy to grasp and deeply satisfying for those who feel left behind. This strategy allows Trump to harness their frustrations, turning them into a formidable political force motivated not by policies alone but by the promise of restored dignity in a world they believe has forgotten them.

The Psychology and Biology Behind Trump’s Appeal

This appeal is not just emotional; it taps into the biology of our brains under stress. The brain, although only about 2% of our total body weight, typically consumes around 20% of the body’s glucose due to the high energy needs of neurons, even at rest. Stress amplifies this need, as evolutionary pressures shaped our brains to treat glucose as a valuable, often scarce resource, with high levels of anxiety further increasing the demand to prepare for potential threats. In this state, the brain struggles to handle complexity and uncertainty, relying instead on quick bursts of dopamine to manage the immediate stress. It loses access to higher neural processing, falling back into a reactive, animalistic state where survival instincts dominate.

Under such conditions, people are less capable of creative, collaborative thought, which requires more cognitive resources than the stressed brain can allocate. The amygdala takes over, and we unconsciously enter a fight-or-flight mode. We perceive threats everywhere, and in this deficiency-driven state of mind, we respond best to simple, direct messages — the ones that demand the least mental effort to process.

This is where Trump’s language shines. His lies become irrelevant. What matters only is this: his messages are straightforward and repetitive, creating a hypnotic rhythm that resonates on a primal level. In a world of uncertainty, his words offer a clear, comforting alternative: “No” to new immigrants, “No” to new agendas, “No” to global challenges. For people overwhelmed by complexity, Trump’s simplicity cuts through the noise, appealing directly to the parts of the brain that crave certainty and familiarity.

The Cost of Complexity

Messages grounded in democracy, empathy, and collaboration inherently require more brain energy. They demand that people stretch themselves, to process complex ideas and reconcile multiple perspectives. Democratic ideals like tolerance and collaboration require us to operate from a non-deficiency, non-reactive state of mind — something that’s hard to achieve in times of stress. When overwhelmed, people often can’t fill the gap between impulse and reaction with their own narrative; instead, they latch onto the simplest, most emotionally satisfying message available.

Trump’s language taps into this need perfectly, offering a straightforward answer to the uncertainty that surrounds us. He plays to our instinctive desire for security and simplicity, giving people an escape from the cognitive overload of modern life. But at what cost?

Will Simplicity Hold Back the Tide of Change?

The question remains: Can the challenges of the modern world truly be dismissed or shut away? Can we control complex, global forces through sheer will and simple slogans, or are these challenges an unstoppable tide that demands a deeper response?

Trump’s rhetoric echoes the story of King Canute, who famously commanded the waves to stop — a symbolic act to show that some forces cannot be controlled by human will alone. Trump, in a way, stands at the shore, promising to turn back the tides of change and shield his followers from the complexity of the modern world. But history suggests that change will continue, regardless of rhetoric or resistance.

In the end, while Trump’s simple, reactive message resonates with a deep-seated human need for stability, it’s unlikely to hold back the tides of a rapidly evolving century. Those who resist adaptation may find themselves swept away, while those willing to engage with complexity and change are better positioned to navigate the future.

Moving Beyond Simplicity

In a world where challenges continue to grow and evolve, simplicity alone will not be enough. To address the issues of our time, we may need to rise above the instinctive desire for certainty and develop the resilience to engage with complexity.

Real progress requires more than the allure of nostalgia. It demands that we acknowledge the realities of the modern world and work collaboratively toward solutions, even when they are difficult. Perhaps the way forward lies in developing the awareness to pause, reflect, and respond thoughtfully — instead of reacting out of fear.

This means embracing diverse perspectives, being open to uncertainty, and prioritizing long-term, collaborative solutions over individualistic or short-term gains.

Moving beyond simplicity also calls for leaders and systems that can guide us through complexity, valuing thoughtful discourse over divisive slogans and collective well-being over self-interest.

Choosing to engage with complexity is an act of hope and commitment to a future where we tackle challenges with integrity, courage, and compassion. Only then can we build a world that truly honors the depth and resilience of the human spirit.