FTI: Listening to understand Trump Supporters

Too often, conversations about politics turn into debates instead of understanding. This session flips that dynamic.

In this Free Thinker Institute event, we focus on listening first—creating space to understand the perspectives, values, and experiences that shape support for Donald Trump.

We’ll explore:

• What motivates support beyond headlines and stereotypes
• How economic, cultural, and institutional factors influence viewpoints
• Where misconceptions exist on both sides
• What concerns and priorities are most often overlooked
• How better understanding can lead to more productive conversations and solutions

This is not about agreement or persuasion—it’s about gaining clarity, reducing polarization, and building the ability to engage across differences in a way that leads to better outcomes for everyone.

A little about our host:
Garrett is a programmer turned award-winning software inventor turned entrepreneur ([PlateRate.com](http://platerate.com/) is his company). His hobby is writing and discussing practical philosophy, and he does life coaching on request to help people live happy, moral lives. He is also the executive director of The Free Thinker Institute ([FreeThinkerInstitute.org](http://freethinkerinstitute.org/)), which aims to create a community that helps members increase happiness and decrease harm for themselves and those they can influence.

Format:
Lecture and discussion

Note:
Social time for our community 15 minutes before the presentation.
To get familiar with our past events, feel free to check out our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmixGB9GdrptyEWovEj80zg
After registering via zoom, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

We publish our event recordings on our Youtube channel to offer our help to anyone who would like to but can’t attend the meeting, so we need to give this clause. If you don’t want to be recorded, just remain on mute and keep your video off.

Here’s our legal notice:
For valuable consideration received, by joining this event I hereby grant Free Thinker Institute and its legal representatives and assigns, the irrevocable and unrestricted right to use and publish any and all Zoom recordings for trade, advertising and any other commercial purpose, and to alter the same without any restriction. I hereby release Free Thinker Institute and its legal representatives and assigns from all claims and liability related to said video recordings.