What is it about the human pschye that seems to mean we want a celebrity in charge?

[Explaintome]

Even in these dire straights, I still keep hearing that Keir Stammer isn't the man for the job, but the main thing that seems to be wrong with him is he's a bit dull. Not interesting enough to catch everyone's attention, even though he seems decent, genuine and competent (at least compared to what's gone before)

We definitely had the opposite with Johnson, it seems to me that was the main (only?) thing that got him elected and that he maintained popularity for much longer than he should have because of it.

Why? Why do "we" respond like that to potential leaders?

It’s a good question. I don’t know the answer. I think here in the UK people are more likely to vote based on party lines. However in the US I think people are more interested in the personality of the President more than the party they represent. That seems mad to me.

Democracy is so problematic. But I guess it’s probably the least bad option.

Humans are like sheep, they want to follow a leader...

I think it's because people conflate charisma with competence.
Likely because preconceived ideas of what a 'leader' are, are reflected back to us by the media and in addition they get more column inches and attention because eccentricity and batshit crazy sells papers and fuels clickbait headlines I.e Trump

Either that or we're all just fucking mad and incapable of picking someone normal.

I think there's something in that. We're conditioned to think a leader should be someone from the ruling classes, with their flair and presence.

Even the real working class don't like Raynor, for example, because she's common/rough, when actually to have achived what she has from her background, must surely mean she has some talent. (Truss doesn't count, we didn't vote for her and IMO she's unlikely to last as leader until the election)

I don't think we always voted like this though; it has to be the influence of the mainstream media.

I mean, can you imagine the likes of Jim Callaghan being voted in now? Absolutely not; I think Tony Blair ushered in the age of youth + energy + a nice speaking voice = leadership material.