Are People Attracted to Belligerent and Abrasive Personalities?

[AluminumTheory]

Somehow it seems that some of the most successful public figures seem to have these kinds of personalities and often generate large followings. People like Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Alex Jones with their brashness in commentary seem to do well with like minded people and surely must have persuaded some. Left wing commentators don't seem to be as rude, but on the other hand seem to align their personalities with comedians who generally speak in a condescending, arrogant tone toward their audience. I even feel like alot of this resonates with internet comments as they seem to be quite nasty.
Hitler seemed to fare quite well with his Belligerent tone.

Not that I'm criticizing the politeness policy here. I actually happen to support it. But I wonder how effective politeness is as a means of persuasion.

 

[Pete Tar]

We're empathic, so we respond to someone demonstrating a lot of feeling.
I love Bill Hicks for this reason, it's over the top ranting that agrees with an certain emotional apprehension about the world.
A simple intellectual point becomes much more compelling when backed up with strong feeling, it engages feeling and mind.

It is a manipulative technique, though not necessarily deliberate.

Also maybe it engages all that 'alpha male' stuff we're supposedly unconsciously wired to respond to.
I wonder how those personalities fare with the ladies, if they're attracted or repelled.

 

[Josh Heuer]

Somehow it seems that some of the most successful public figures seem to have these kinds of personalities and often generate large followings. People like Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Alex Jones with their brashness in commentary seem to do well with like minded people and surely must have persuaded some. Left wing commentators don't seem to be as rude, but on the other hand seem to align their personalities with comedians who generally speak in a condescending, arrogant tone toward their audience. I even feel like alot of this resonates with internet comments as they seem to be quite nasty.
Hitler seemed to fare quite well with his Belligerent tone.

Not that I'm criticizing the politeness policy here. I actually happen to support it. But I wonder how effective politeness is as a means of persuasion.

All I can say is...

Please review the Posting Guidelines. Metabunk is about debunking specific claims of of evidence, not arguing the merits of broader theories

 

[AluminumTheory]

This is the general discussion forum. We aren't talking about a conspiracy theory.