How Cult Leaders Brainwash Followers

[smirkymonkey]

I discovered a very interesting article called "How Totalism Works" by Alexandra Stein that sheds a lot of light on why the cult of Trump is so very difficult to penetrate or reason with, even when prevented with irrefutable facts.

To some extent, I think this also explains the mindset of Evangelicals, which is probably why so many of them are devoted Trump supporters despite the fact that the man is probably the least religious person on the planet.

The article is a little long, but well worth a read. Basically, people who are under Trump's spell are held their by a combination of attachment, ignorance and mostly, fear. A quote from Stein states "As I continued to recover from the trauma of my cult involvement, I came across the British psychologist John Bowlby’s attachment theory. This states that both children and adults will usually seek closeness to perceived safe others when stressed (even if only symbolically in the case of adults) in order to gain protection from threat. I saw this as potentially useful in helping to understand how people become trapped in cultic relationships.

I think many of Trump's most hardcore supporters are extremely fear-filled people who have attached themselves to Trump and the cult of Trumpism as a way to feel protected from the Threats they feel by an ever-changing society that appears to be leaving them behind and without a secure place. The full article is at the link below, but it really helped me to understand what motivates these people and why they are so unwilling to see the truth when it is presented to them.

It also explains a bit about why Trump's administration is so chaotic and managed the way it is, which I believe is by design.

https://aeon.co/essays/how-cult-leaders-brainwash-followers-for-total-control

I would be interested to hear what other people think after they have read this.

[ismnotwasm]

1. Left out the "othering" of entire groups of people

Like racism and sexism, or even economics based snobbery (ie disdain of the homeless because you think it’s their fault, or even if it is the fault or ultimate outcome their life’s choices, have a total lack of sympathy or empathy)

It fits the power structures within actual cults like Scientology, but doesn’t totally explain the people who keep themselves so uninformed or malinformed that they vote against their own interests.

America was literally built by white supremacy. It is in every single societal structure.

This has to be factored in any analysts in my opinion.

Good article though, really interesting

[smirkymonkey]

2. Yes, that is an important part of the cult phenomenon, however I think that

would fall under the "isolation" technique used by cult leaders. "Everyone else who is not JUST LIKE YOU is the enemy and you should hate and fear them. Only I can protect you from them and keep you safe." Because what is really behind all hatred is fear.

Thanks for reading and sharing your opinion.

[ismnotwasm]

5. Good point

I always feel like. Have to bring it up though though, you know?

[Garrett78]

3. There's a "backfire effect" when it comes to presenting someone with facts that contradict...

...a firmly held belief. Those false beliefs tend to become even more ingrained. This is true across the political spectrum and the effect can be even stronger among the well-educated. But people on the right side of the political spectrum hold so many more false beliefs.

Regarding right wingers being more fearful, some studies have suggested that political ideology may have something to do with brain physiology.

[Farmer-Rick]

4. Cults were a real concern when I went off to college.

The college offered speakers on how to identify and avoid cults. I went to listen to one of those speakers. Near the end of the speech, he, an older man, turned to me, pointed and said you seem particularly susceptible to cult influence.

Afterwards, I asked him why. "You just seem easily influenced," he said. I tried to argue with him but he was distracted by the coeds.

That was one person who lacked all sense of others. I'm a die hard skeptic and Athiest. My Myers Brigg test says I'm an ENTP. It means I'll argue anytime and will even take the devil advocates side just to debate someone.

He really did pick the most skeptical person in the room, I knew all the small group of 20 students. And decided I would make a great cult candidate. Right......

Once had a Hare Krishna chase me through the airport because he wanted to sell me one of his pamphlets and I took it thinking he was giving it away. When he finally caught up with me in line....I was running late. I had an argument with him on why he should just give me the pamphlet for free. He did.

I've talked to numerous cult members and enjoyed the debates...But still never a cult member.

I understand how others so easily fall into cults. The Trump cult offers them vague rewards and protections for merely believing in him. How simple and easy. Just worship someone or something and you never need to think.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Unless you're in a cult or have been in one, it's hard to make it sound feasible.

I tried to explain to a 20-something what "drinking the Kool-Aid" means. Jim Jones, Leo Ryan, Jonestown, "This is not a drill!" She looked at me like I was making it up. She just didn't understand.

Cultists give up their minds to their leader, to let him/her make decisions for them so they won't make a mistake. It's more than trust; it's giving one's entire autonomy and destiny to a leader and/or a cause.