I am not sure if I am cynical as much as I am aware of the slippery slope. Perhaps this describes you as well. As a fan of Jung, Campbell, and their ilk, I have given much thought to archetypes, and the one of the Sage comes to mind — a person who sees the pitfalls and what is going to happen if people don't wake up. All the writing is on the wall, but even those who can read the writing refuse to even look at it in favor of sating their own psychological desires. And this seems to explain why intelligent and educated people follow Trump. Psychological need trumps intellect and valid information.