Since you know when, I have studied cult behavior, and there are aspects of it similar to addictive behavior, co-dependence and even mafia behavior patterns. The key to these is that they are self-destructive. So what's the lure or reward?
From a previous post:
One major thing about cults (and I wrote about this in terms of the Mafia --- some similar behavior patterns there -- ) is that membership is self-defeating. It's just that the cult/Mob sanctions vile behavior. And that's what a lot of people like. They want their base instincts (literally, killing, theft and lechery ) to be sanctioned ... "because it's a war"
https://democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=18052138
Joe Pistone, the real-life "Donny Brasco", agent who infiltrated the mob, wrote about "gangster life".
He called it "The Way of the Wiseguy" and it's quite a description of the cult members.
I posted earlier:
https://democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1016&pid=354762
The resemblance to mafia behavior is quite stunning.
I read a book by Joe Pistone, the "real life" Donnie Brasco, and two points of wiseguy life are similar to MAGA cult membership.
1. Membership "legitimizes" all kinds of vile behavior.
I had to expose myself to the full sweep of wiseguy wickedness. Violence, greed, manipulation, exploitation-these are the raw impulses that define life as a wiseguy. They walk the same streets as us but by no means are they seeing or feeling the same things.
2. There is no gain, in fact, disadvantage, in being a member,
but the lifestyle and "family membership" are too attractive.
All wiseguys fully expect to either go to jail or get whacked. They have absolutely no delusions that they are going to live long lives
What lifestyle? Ask (real life) Henry HILL from Goodfellas.
Henry begins the film by telling us, “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster. To me, being a gangster was better than being President of the United States.”
Trump is what happens when you try to have it both ways.
(From
https://www.pastemagazine.com/article/the-mob-movie-goodfellas-tells-us-everything-we-ne )
It "legitimizes" vile behavior, and Trump normalized racism, misogyny, violence, greed, even theft and treason (and more), and they live vicariously through him or a successor, though it would be hard to match the "glamor" of a TV actor.
And they ignore the downside --- that this is all self-defeating ---because their red hat gives them a hall pass at the promised apocalypse.
OR SO THEY ARE TOLD
So, the two key traits that we see (IMO) from the cult, as with most cults, are DENIAL, and PROJECTION.
"Cult Christianity" "sanctions" hate, discrimination and violence, which are anti-Christian.
Just like the mob "sanctions" murder and theft.
"Family values" MAGAT and MAFIA style
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