A Roving Mind

[H2O Man]

47. Cults are curious,

and frequently dangerous to their members and others. I remember talking about the Jim Jones thing with Rubin Carter. And we discussed crowds, since we both had experiences in the ring, being surrounded by such organisms.

I remember that Lennon decided to have the Beatles stop touring, in large part from his experience of witnessing how he could influence it to make a wave by merely moving his guitar. Certainly a strange experience, especially if one had taken some LSD. Jim Morrison did some experiments with crowds, too, though alcohol eventually got in the way.

Cults are much like a crowd (some are small, some large), but with the added influences that you note. I don't know if Trump has actually studied cults, but he has certainly used his knowledge of crowds -- including the televison audience -- to his best benefit. But now he is faltering, knows he is not up to the presidency, and wants to do the most harm to our country before he is removed from office. As a narcissist, he will think he can control the crowds of his followers. But there, too, he will not be up to his fantasies. But a lot of people will likely suffer as a result.