I think of politicians in a way that has an analogy: the YouTube algorithm.

I’ve heard people say that whenever someone complains about the “algorithm,” they should replace the word “algorithm” with “audience.” For example, “The algorithm makes me upload every day” or “The algorithm favours videos with ridiculous thumbnails and clickbait titles.” In reality, the algorithm is simply delivering what the audience wants to watch.

Similarly, these bizarre politicians who say ridiculous things gain attention because it works. Somewhere, someone is changing their vote based on this kind of rhetoric. If it didn’t resonate, they wouldn’t say it, and their party wouldn’t give them a platform that ultimately makes them look bad. So in a way, don’t blame the politicians directly: blame the people who pay attention to them.