I hesitate to say this, because I’m not in these women’s shoes, but I’m already so far out on this limb, I may as well inch a little further. So.

Two theories spring to mind. The first one is that many true believers operate on…faith. As I said in the piece, the washed brain comes to unequivocally believe in concepts with zero base in reality. When your safety depends on it, your brain can be inculcated with deeply-rooted beliefs that counter your own best interest, and make no sense.

For instance: I had smoked pot once in September, and once in October, before being put into Straight. My “addiction” consisted of three tokes and a couple of Budweisers. Yet I beLIEVED it when I said I was an addict. My safety depended on it.

So while there’s not only no “proof” of a God figure lending a helping hand, and there is literal proof that Trump’s policies are harming these people, the faith in God — and by extension, as we’re seeing so clearly this week, faith in Trump — help them believe, truly, that he is supporting their best interests.

The second is a notion that personal strength and self-sufficiency are learned thought processes. Where I grew up — cold-ass New England, in the shadow of New York City — the zeitgeist is gum-smacking toughness. (See: Trump.) Cultural norms here tend to shape a person into expecting self-reliance, whether one relies on their own hard work, or on working hard at scamming others into supporting them.

I think other parts of the country have different cultural norms — for example, in the Midwest, if there’s a death or a job loss, neighbors far and wide “bring a hot dish.” In the South, when a new neighbor arrives, folks show up with a pie, or at least send a “Welcome!” email. (Yes, hole-punchers, these trends still exist. Yes, I do have personal insight from lived experience.) In other words, there’s a community-mindedness, an accepted reliance on others. Perhaps that factors in, in some way.