Thread by @kateneuropsych

@tzmaltesemama @page88 ANSWER: What's going on today in America w/WS/WN, AGA,M FOXers, GOP, TRUMP in no way fits t/definition of a cult...see Brainwashing Cult expert J Liftons 8 Criteria for a Cult/Thought Reform:

1) MILIEU CONTROL-control of information and communication within the environment
1/x

@tzmaltesemama @page88 and, ultimately, within the individual, resulting in a significant degree of isolation from society at large (no ones isolated from anything except by personal choice and WILLFUL BLINDNESS - this fits for North Korea period)

2) MYSTICAL MANIPULATION-
manipulation of 2/x

@tzmaltesemama @page88 experience that appears spontaneous but were in fact planned and orchestrated by the group or its leaders in order to demonstrate divine authority or spiritual advancement or some special gift or talent that will then allow the leader to reinterpret events, scripture, 3/x

@tzmaltesemama @page88 and experiences as he or she wishes. (WHERE?)

3) DEMAND FOR PURITY --The induction of guilt and/or shame is a powerful control device used here. The world is viewed as black and white and the members are constantly exhorted to conform to the ideology of the group and 4/x

@tzmaltesemama @page88 strive for perfection. (WHERE?)

4) CONFESSION--sins, as defined by the group, are to be confessed either to a personal monitor or publicly to the group. There is no confidentiality; members' "sins," "attitudes," and "faults" are discussed and 5/x

@tzmaltesemama @page88 exploited by the leaders. (WHERE?)

5) SACRED SCIENCE-The group's doctrine or ideology is considered to be the ultimate Truth, beyond all questioning or dispute. Truth is not to be found outside the group. The leader, as the spokesperson for God or for all humanity, is 6/x

@tzmaltesemama @page88 likewise above criticism (WHERE?)

6) LOADING THE LANGUAGE-The group interprets or uses words and phrases in new ways so that often the outside world does not understand. This jargon consists of thought-terminating cliches, which serve to alter members' thought 7/x

@tzmaltesemama @page88 processes to conform to the group's way of thinking (I'll give this but it's meant as a separation from larger dominate group of normal society....but in fact the coded language of racism and misogyny is embedded in WHITE AMERICAN CULTURE as a norm)

8/x

@tzmaltesemama @page88 7) DOCTRINE OVER PERSON-personal experiences are subordinated to the sacred science and any contrary experiences must be denied or reinterpreted to fit the ideology of the group.(WHERE? RACE HATE and misogyny is the American norm)

8) DISPENSING OF EXISTENCE -- group has 9/x

@tzmaltesemama @page88 the prerogative to decide who has the right to exist and who does not. This is usually not literal but means that those in the outside world are not saved, unenlightened, unconscious and they must be converted to the group's ideology. If they do not join the group or 10/x

@tzmaltesemama @page88 are critical of the group, then they must be rejected by the members. Thus, the outside world loses all credibility. In conjunction, should any member leave the group, he or she must be rejected also. (Lifton, 1989)
Link here:(csj.org/studyindex/stu… )
11/x

@tzmaltesemama @page88 Everyone keeps quoting him like no ones gonna look him up (Its part of GRAD studies in both Genocide & Psych). Moreover, I've posted many a thread of his criteria before but also to point out that calling race hate & misogyny a cult, serves as an excuse making mechanism 12/x

@tzmaltesemama @page88 to let WP & the culture of WHITENESS off the hook for the damage done to Af-Am, POC and women PAST, PRESENT, ONGOING & YET PLANNED, not to mention t/UN DECLARED "CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY" occurring now at America's Borders, that in fact better fits the definition of GENOCIDE 13/x

@tzmaltesemama @page88 (see UN Genocide Conventions Section II which Ralph Lemkin wrote, presented to the UN by the US who BTW is signatory (link here: un.org/en/genocidepre…)

1) If people are gonna tell you should!t for God's sake make them explain it in detail, quote research & cite it PERIOD 14/x

@tzmaltesemama @page88 These facts and distinctions are terribly important if we really hope to get a clear eyed view of what's really going on and what it will take to stop it.

We're on the threshold of ethnic cleansing & genocide...
WS/WN, MAGA, GOP, FOXers, TRUMP & Admin IS NOT A CULT, 15/x

@tzmaltesemama @page88 NOR SHARED PSYCHOSIS (see my 33 tweet THREAD illuminating that misconception pushed by professionals with a plethora of quotes, criteria, and 2018/2019 citations).They are not psychotic.

Some savvy reporter, Twitter person, ANYONE should ask these professionals and 16/x

@tzmaltesemama @page88 opinion piece people "Who's ready to diagnose 30-39% White MAGA folks, 53% WW, 68% WM [+40% Silent White Majority] w/Shared Psychosis, Stockholm Syndrome, Mass Trauma from having a Black POTUS, & as being in a cult?"

Ridiculous no? 17/x

@tzmaltesemama @page88 And follow up with:
<and> "On what basis have you discounted structural institutional an&d cultural racism & misogyny as the foundation for the overt emergence, yet again in America, 18/x

@tzmaltesemama @page88 as the framework for at best, BENIGN NEGLECT, at mid range WILLFUL BLINDNESS and at the extreme, OPEN ADVOCACY FOR HATE BASED RACISM/MISOGYNY?" 19/x END

@tzmaltesemama @page88 @threadreaderapp please unroll

@tzmaltesemama @page88 should say MAGA, not AGA...sorry, Twitter typo