The Opposite of a Good Idea Isn't Always Bad

Last night, Donald Trump blew a confused and struggling Biden away in the Debate.

The betting markets suddenly made him a large favorite to win the election after the debate performance.

Even the poll numbers are saying this. Nate Silver, the most mainstream election forecaster in America recently published his first 2024 election model prediction. It gives Trump a 66% chance of winning. Keep in mind, he is no Trump supporter.

The support for Trump during this election cycle is fascinating. In a June 2020 NYT/Siena poll, Trump was backed by only 5% of Black voters. In the new June 2024 NYT/Siena poll, Trump is backed by 30% of Black voters. He is getting a large share of the minority vote, something no Republican has ever done. The shift is seismic.

This is impressive, especially considering every where you look, every election seems to be 50--50 these days. He’s doing this after leading a mob to sack congress, losing in 2020 and being convicted of a crime. It’s completely unprecedented.

Most people will say the reason Trump is up is because Biden is a disaster of a candidate. But I disagree. We tend to forget Donald Trump is a great politician. Perhaps one of the best American politicians in history.

What makes Trump a great politician? He incorporates a great truth of human nature:

The Opposite of a Good Idea Can Also Be A Good Idea

This is a Lindy idea.

Heraclitus, a pre-Socratic philosopher, emphasized the importance of opposites and contradictions in understanding reality. He famously stated that "a road up and down is one and the same," highlighting how seemingly contradictory paths can lead to the same destination. This illustrates the concept that opposite ideas can both be valid or "good".

The Opposite of A Good Idea Can Also Be A Good Idea

The idea that the opposite can be good is sometimes hard for people to understand. That’s because we tend to think in binaries. And in binaries the opposites are in contradiction to each other. When in reality, it usually is the middle that is the death of a good idea. Here are some examples of opposite thinking:

What should you price your product for people to buy it?

A good idea is to lower the price because people love deals and bargains. Whenever you give customers the chance to save more money than they think a product is worth, it’s like injecting their brains with oxytocin. This chemical boost creates a warm, fuzzy feeling they later associate with your brand. The next time they think about your business, they’re not just recalling a product—they’re reliving that high, that rush of a great deal, and it cements a positive bond with your brand in their minds.

But the opposite is true as well. Raising prices can sometimes make consumers more likely to buy your product due to several psychological and economic principles. Firstly, higher prices scream quality. Consumers see price tags as a shortcut to value. If something costs more, they assume it's better. This is the "price-quality heuristic" at work—higher price equals higher quality.

Then there’s the allure of status. For luxury goods, a steeper price can elevate the product’s appeal. Buying expensive items isn't just about the product; it’s about signaling wealth, status, and taste. Think high fashion, glittering jewelry, top-tier electronics. It's a psychological game where spending more is a badge of honor. But leaving the price in the middle doesn’t signal anything to a consumer. It’s the worst place to be.

Here is another example. How do you learn new skills?

A good idea is to accumulate a lot of information, do your research and ask people for help.

But the opposite is a good idea too. Just jump right in and learn the go without any preparation. Something awakens in us when we jump right in to a new endeavor. Our senses are sharpened. We absorb information more efficiently. Figuring it out on our own makes the information be more memorable.

If you look closely, there’s a common theme: avoid being somewhere in the middle.

In This Newsletter

5 Ways Trump is Succeeding By Doing The Opposite

Almost every politician we see is trying to sell you the same image. They all follow the same playbook. Trump goes into the opposite direction and finds success.

1) He is a Boss, Not a Man of the People

2) He Doesn’t Feel Your Pain, He Makes You Feel His Pain.

3) He Tells You He Isn’t a Good Person

4) He Flaunts His Wealth

5) He Does Not Talk About Policies

The Boss

Most politicians aim to be a man of the people. It’s a solid strategy. It feels good knowing there's someone you can relate to. George W. Bush had his ranch lifestyle, Obama with his folksy charm, and guys like Fetterman work hard to blend in with the crowd. Although it can get awkward if they are not convincing. Mitt Romney couldn’t pull it off. DeSantis tried to pull it off but it didn’t work as well.

@meidastouch

Ron DeSantis suffers from yet ANOTHER bizarre moment on the campaign trail. #awkward #desantis #weird #meidastouch

Trump never tries to be one of the people. He is always in CEO boss mode. He never dresses down; he's always in a suit. He exudes authority at all times. What ends up happening is that the voters recognize this and in fact act like they are his employees, grateful their boss is being nice to them.

He’s not trying to be one of the people—he’s positioning himself above them, and they respect that.

He doesn’t just do this with regular people but even with the super rich. He was on a recent podcast hosted by a bunch of extremely wealthy Silicon Valley investors. They always wear t-shirts and look casual. But when Trump came on they put on suits and treated him almost like an employee treats a boss.

You Feel His Pain, He Does Not Feel Your Pain

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