What makes smart and outwardly normal people progressives , statists , sociologists, or worse Democrats ????

I understand the leadership who crave power and the low information voters but what about the others. I have family that are accomplished , educated, wealthy and total lefties. I have been struggling with this for 40 years. I have given away many copies of A S but to little affect, I argue, present facts, joke bitch but nothing gets through. Help me please.