Thread by @dtension

1. Oh boy. I opened a can of worms when I posted this. I’ve been asked to explain. Here we go. The characteristics of a cult and how it related to #Trump

2. Blind loyalty to a charismatic and dominant leader.
Do I even need to give an example here?

3. Suppressing/discouraging critical thinking while encouraging group think usually through mottos, chants and their own vocabulary.
Ex: lock her up! Libtard. Snowflake. Deep State.

These terms spread throughout the movement and are often words that the cult member...

4. used before but instantly adapts them into their everyday life. A well known example is the word “suppresives” in Scientology. The cult member will have no opinion on a subject one day then act as an expert the next day once cued by their leader.

5. In Trump world a current example is the talking point that Trump was never impeached. Trumpers, like everyone else, believe he was impeached until they were told he wasn’t. Now they simply repeat it every day.

6. But why? Why do they repeat and follow so blindly? Usually it’s because they’re so invested (emotionally, socially, financially, philosophically) that they can’t simply walk away. They’ve changed their whole life for this. They’ve lost friends. They’ve alienated people.

7. They can’t just decide it was wrong all along. It would shatter their entire way.

8. Isolating members and penalizing them for leaving.
This is not about “republicans”. This is a cult within the party that at this point has taken over the party. Robert Mueller, George Wil, Bill Kristin, Justin Amash & John Kasich are often called deep state or even liberals.

9. They were all republicans until the cult pushed them away. They are not liberals. In fact, just about anyone who opposes Trump is labeled a “liberal”.

10. . Emphasizing doctrines outside the norm

The GOP, until recently, was or claimed to be a party of fiscal responsibility and family values. It’s difficult to picture Trump and his vapid value system as a Republican in any era but this one.

11. Christians never would have put up with this but now many follow him to the grave.

12. But why? I personally was feeling like a lot of people do about Washington. A movement by an outsider who wants to “drain the swamp” at its face is appealing. It went awry for me almost instantly when the leader of that movement turned out to be a fraud, racist and a con man.

13. Discouraging the traditional family unit.

Cult members often leave their families for their new one. Parents lose their children to cults. You don’t lose your children to a normal church/club.

14. A Jewish kid might decide to never go to Temple when he grows up but they still come home for Chanukah. A cult member turns their back on where they came from. In Trump land there’s been a lot of talk of civil war if he is removed from office. Brother VS. brother

15. Crossing the lines of behavior.

From the top down it is now normal to speak ill of the dead, to insult anyone who opposes the leader, even with lies. This country has a civility problem and it starts with a leader who speaks in reprehensible ways. The cultists follow suit.

16. Separation from the Churc
In this case the “church” is the country. In the same way a cult might take you away from traditional Christianity, Trump has lead many republicans and some democrats into a new GOP that is tolerant of and appealing to extreme wings of the party.

17. See: David Duke, proud boys, etc.

18. If you made it this far you might not be in a cult. Happy New Year!

Also when they do eventually leave they say “it changed” rarely do they say “it was it wrong all along.”

*hasn’t used before.

*Bill Kristol

Gee.