1. This article offers a compelling portrait of the cultish, psycho-political dynamics of Trumpism. Isolating followers in an alternate universe (of alternate facts and ultimate apocalyptic redemption) is the method behind the Q madness. thedailybeast.com/christmas-is-t…
2. It reminded me of this thread I did last year. When I looked over the advice in this article about "the signs that your relationship is abusive," all I could think was "this is the best description of Trump's political strategy that I've ever read."
3. Many feminist commentators have pointed out the connections between the personal and the political under Trumpism--the way misogynistic and abusive gaslighting is a feature of both privately enacted toxic masculinity and publicly enacted authoritarianism.
4. Social scientists have identified correlations between parenting styles and political ideology...parents who believe in physically disciplining their children tend to be more likely to support right wing politicians. pri.org/stories/2016-0…
5. As @AdamSerwer puts it in this piece, with this administration "the cruelty is the point." Cruelty (and the terror it inspires in its targets) is how authoritarian leaders and abusers gain and protect their power. theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/…
6. The allure of Q is that you, yes, 'lil old you, might be in on the secret plan to finally exact brutal vengeance on Trump's enemies. Indeed, you might even have a 2nd Amendment role to play when "we" finally hold the "haters and the losers" accountable for their disobedience.
7. At the end of the day, however, it's important to remember that both Q and Trumpism are grifts...they are money-making schemes designed to prey on the vulnerable. The real villains here are the grifters, not their marks.
