I have spent considerable time trying to understand how any "reasonable" person could still like 4-5.

I have come to the conclusion there is not a single reason but many reasons.

Some that are reasonably intelligent and like the tax cuts and can overlook the 500+ children separated at the border with their highly refined cognitive dissonance.

Some on the other end of the spectrum, as you say here, view their own lives as so meaningless they need a "wanna' be" strongman to be revengeful for them.

And there are many viewpoints in between.

The saddest part is the sheer numbers. This is a serious "black mark" against humankind and Americans.

But there are others that care about their fellow humans from the heart.

Today I heard a story about a Trader Joe's employee's response when a friend said she was headed to visit her 93 old mother in a nursing home. He said "wait here" and fetched a bouquet of roses and said "These are for your mother". The friend could only stand and cry for a moment.

My hope is the number of people who are looking for a leader like 4-5 is truly the minority and those that care for their fellow humans will prevail.

So ... should we all hate 4-5? Probably not. Should we feel compassion? I cannot, but you will have to decide that for yourself. Sadly 4-5 would likely not accept any compassion because that would involve the admission of guilt and responsibility for his actions.

We simply need to let him "go over the falls in his barrel" and move on.