Logic doesn’t sell.

It doesn’t matter if it’s kids’ toys, business services, financial planning, or political races.

No matter how logical we think we are, people don’t make decisions based on logic alone.

More often than not, we make decisions based on emotions.

We choose or support the thing that provides aspirational emotions.

We choose or support the thing that overcomes negative emotions like fear, worry, or embarrassment.

Emotion is why politicians continue to back morally bankrupt colleagues.

Emotion is why voters actively support sex offenders (from local offices to the Presidency in both parties).

Emotion is why we stay in toxic relationships too long.

Emotion is why we continue to buy the products we know instead of the products we know are better.

Emotion is why we buy expensive cars.

Emotion is why we renovate our kitchens.

Emotion sells.

When someone makes a choice that doesn’t make sense, look for the attached emotions.

Logic might be there, but emotion pushes us over the edge toward a decision.

Logic is a Honda CRV. Emotion is a Mercedes.

In 2020, I bought a brand-new Honda CRV for roughly $28,000.

Four years later, that car is paid off and in impeccable shape. Recently, while getting an oil change, the sales manager came out and practically begged me to sell him my CRV.

“Your car is in almost perfect condition, and the mileage is lightyears below most cars we see at that age. It’s a highly attractive vehicle to have on our lot.”

It’s a great car with a leather interior and Apple CarPlay, and it has never been in the shop for anything.

On the flip side, my brother was a Mercedes mechanic, and my Dad has driven several Mercedes vehicles over the last decade or so.

Yes, it’s a luxurious car, but he’s constantly complaining about issues and having to take it in for repairs. The tires are so low profile he apparently blows them regularly on Indianapolis’s Grand Canyon-sized potholes.

Both cars deliver about the same quality when it comes to the job-to-be-done of a car. They both get you from point A to point B efficiently.

Anything above that is emotion.

How does the car make you feel while you drive it? Does it increase your perceived status with your peers? Are you proud of the car you drive?

The luxurious seats, the color-changing LED trim lights, and the fancy backup camera on the Mercedes are only as good as they make you feel.

The feeling on that car is worth 2-3x the cost of the Honda CRV over it’s lifetime.

Emotion is more powerful than logic as long as the logic meets the baseline for a purchase.

Logic is Removing Sexual Predators From Office. Emotion is Covering for Them.

Well, that escalated quickly…Cars to people who should be behind bars. Wow.

Over the last several months, we have seen many cases of alleged sexual misconduct in our national and local politics.

Republicans Condoning Sexual Misconduct

Nationally, Donald Trump was elected President of the United States for the SECOND time while having bragged about grabbing women by the pussy, and being found liable for sexually assaulting E. Jean Carrol (not to mention being convicted on 34 felony accounts).

After winning the 2024 Presidential election, Donald Trump has nominated three people with accusations of sexual misconduct to cabinet positions and another who is accused of helping cover up sexual misconduct.

Matt Gaetz is accused of raping a 17-year-old girl multiple times and dropped out of the nomination for Attorney General before another underage sexual encounter was made public by CNN.

Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host, is accused of raping a woman in a hotel room in 2017 outside of a conservative women’s conference.

Robert F Kennedy, Jr. is accused of sexual misconduct with a nanny and most recently had an affair with reporter Olivia Nuzzi, leading to her husband filing for divorce.

According to CNN, “A recent lawsuit alleges Linda McMahon, who President-elect Donald Trump tapped to lead the Department of Education, knowingly enabled the sexual exploitation of children by a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) employee as early as the 1980s…”

Of course, all accused parties deny the accusations.

In spite of all of this, millions of people across the United States still aggressively support Donald Trump and his picks for his cabinet.

Democrats Condoning Sexual Misconduct

Locally, it was reported earlier this year that Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett’s so-called “right-hand man,” Thomas Cook, was accused of abusing his power in the administration to seduce multiple women who worked under him.

Mayor Hogsett claims that a full investigation was conducted into the allegations in 2017 but refuses to release the results or any proof the investigation actually took place. The City-County Council is now investigating.

Just this week, the IndyStar released a report that uncovered multiple allegations of sexual misconduct from Indiana State Senate Minority Leader Greg Taylor.

Taylor loosely admitted the allegations were true, saying, “There have been times when I may have blurred the lines and behaved in a manner that potentially made my colleagues or those who witnessed my actions uncomfortable.”

This is after IndyStar reporter James Briggs uncovered “that state Sen. David Niezgodski, D-South Bend, reached a previously undisclosed sexual harassment settlement with a former employee, who has documented substantial evidence that the senator had pressured her into a romantic relationship and once entered her house uninvited.”

Senator Greg Taylor urged against consequences for Niezgodski (shocking, right?).

Why Voters and Both Major Parties Look The Other Way

Above, you have a plethora of examples from both Republicans and Democrats of sexual misconduct running rampant in their administrations. Yet, politicians cover for each other, and voters knowingly elect and reelect these bad actors.

Why?

Emotion.

• “If they win, you won’t have a country again.” ~ Donald Trump
• “Donald Trump is a threat to democracy!” ~ Kamala Harris
• Democrats are Communists and Marxists.
• Republicans are racist, homophobic, and sexist.

The fear is what keeps us here.

Both parties and their operatives have pushed increasing levels of fear in their bases for decades. Every election in my lifetime has been hailed as “The most important election of our lifetime.”

With every election, the stakes get higher. Nuclear armageddon gets closer.

When the messaging from both parties, locally and nationally, is so apocalyptic, it’s easy to see how one might be willing to overlook the bad acts of their people.

If you believe Kamala Harris is a Marxist, will turn our country communist, will kill your babies, and close your churches, of course, you’re going to go with the guy that grabs women by the pussy.

If you believe Donald Trump or your State and Local Republicans want to for Christian Nationalism on you, deport your neighbors, close your schools, and force you to have your rapists baby, then of course you’re going to reelect or cover for your democratic colleagues who keep sexually assaulting women.

Emotion far outweighs logic in these cases. The fear is so strong you can justify almost anything.

Logic as Justification

Have you ever made a clearly emotional decision and reverse-engineered the logic to justify the decision?

Yeah…me neither.

I posted about this on LinkedIn earlier. A friend commented, “One of my favorite bits from a sales training was ‘people make emotional decisions for logical reasons.’ We buy on emotion and retrofit the logical reasons to justify it.”

So often, we mistake justification for logic.

This clearly applies directly to the political situations I mentioned above. We justify our reason for overlooking bad acts or outright supporting bad actors by saying, “It’s what’s best for America. The other side will end our country.”

In reality, the other side probably won’t end the United States. Standing up for women who have been abused and demanding their abusers and enablers step down and face consequences will be better for America in the long run.

Holding on to your integrity as a voter and politicians holding onto their integrity as our leaders and representatives will do more to protect democracy than allowing bad actors to run free.

Of course, sometimes we buy expensive things just because they make us feel special, and then we justify why they are so worth it compared to cheaper, just as good things that aren’t as cool.

When Someone’s Actions Don’t Make Sense, Look for the Emotions

“I can’t think of a single reason to justify voting for Donald Trump. The facts are against him!”

“How can someone vote for Harris when she’s going turn us Communist?”

These are questions that have been flying around social media for two weeks now. The answer to both is “emotion.”

Both sides, whether we want to admit it or not, vote very strongly on emotions. We’re so deeply tied to our causes or so deeply afraid of what the other side might do that we vote for people regardless of whether we really like them or not.

When someone treats you poorly, look for the emotions behind their actions. Why did they do it?

When you have a friend who sticks with a toxic partner for far too long, look for the emotions behind their unwillingness to leave.

When someone you know goes deep into debt to buy that new house or a new car, look for the emotions behind their decision.

If there is one thing I’ve learned in the last decade as a marketer, it’s that emotions rule over our decisions. No matter how logical and clear-headed we like to think we are, deep down, there is always an emotion behind our actions and decisions.