More (not so) fun facts:
54% of American adults read below a 6th grade level.
21% read below a 5th grade level, which is considered functionally illiterate.
High immigration numbers don’t fully explain it either, as first gen immigrants only make up about 1/3 of those with low literacy.
they don’t have to make explicit sense.
that’s where smart people get it wrong. the average person doesn’t care about the content of what is being said. they care about the tone. the average person doesn’t listen to words, they listen to the mood of the speech. Trump rambles nonsense, but he’s consistent in his confident tonality and people like that. he also doesn’t come across as talking down to his voters, the way democratic politicians almost always do.
also applies to popular films, songs, and etc. general audiences love stupid shit because it’s relatable. they are turned off by shit that is more sophisticated because it’s scary and strange.