It seem like the entire #Trump Admin believe and acts like they are above the law? Almost like a #Cult, but I'm not educated about #dictatorships and #cults. What do you think, #fediverse?
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uspol
This post from @Lana shows four different Maga people doing Hitler salutes:
https://beige.party/@Lana/114040321995704151
A non-Fedi friend wondered aloud why these obviously divisive gestures seem to be popular in Maga. I gave a very speculative answer, but I'd welcome better answers from anyone who knows more.
Here's what I wrote:
"The purpose is the same as the purpose of anti-vax ranting or insisting that the 2020 election was stolen. That is, you force adherents to believe and then proclaim something that manifestly isn't true so that it becomes part of their identity — an article of faith, rather than a reasoned argument. Where there's a faith, there's something to believe in, and that something is Maga. Once adherents have crossed that Rubicon, it becomes hard for them to retreat, and so the cult has them. Also, proclaiming the false belief tends to isolate them from people outside the cult, so that they stick together, reinforce and then even police one another's beliefs and actions.
"Hitler salutes are similar: applauding a Hitler salute — even if you're deindividuated by being in a large crowd at the time — draws you further into the cult and persuades you that you're one of us, a true, committed believer, not one of those outsiders who deserve all they get."
I'd welcome better ideas from someone who knows more about #Maga, #psychology or #cults.
Edit: added some hashtags.
beige.party𝐿𝒶𝓃𝒶 "not yet begun to fight" (@Lana@beige.party)Attached: 4 images
You know, for supposedly not being Nazis, MAGA Nazis seem to sure keep doing a lot of Nazi salutes.
I give it a week tops before Donald Trump, as President of the United States flashes a seig heil.
@thechildanditsenemies podcast -
"David From Queer Satanic on Power Dynamics, Anarchy, and Satanism"
Anyone know where I can follow intelligent folks in these spaces?
- Mechanics of the #fediverse and how to help it grow
- #politics #activism #organizing actionable plans to meaningfully engage
- #songwriting #Music production, #musicindustry
- #psychology and #science of #cults incl strategies to help someone leave
@cstross @jcrabapple too bad the #cults won’t catch on.
#Uspol #Uspoli #Cdnpoli #Trump #Cults
#MAGA
Cults. All the same
Charles Manson
Jim Jones
Rev Sun Myung Moon
David Koresh
Donald Trump
Narcissistic Psychopathic Dictatorial Leader that lies endlessly
Mindless Followers that no longer think and believe all the leader's lies
Leader claims to be anointed of God
Leader uses others to harm
Abnormal, weird, waco, unhinged, uncivilized.
LA Times: California Bible college students claim they were confined, surveilled and made to do unpaid labor https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-09-20/bible-college-students-claim-they-couldnt-leave-freely-and-were-made-to-do-unpaid-labor #religion #slavery #cults
Los Angeles Times · California Bible college alumni claim they were made to do free labor
Thom Hartmann has an expert on cults on who wrote "The Cult of Trump." Forward by George Conway.
He's a former Moonie.
He's urging people to not argue with Trump cult members. Instead, ask questions so they begin some self-reflection. "They can exit. They have doubts."
"We need to reach out to these folks. Not putting them down. Not calling them names. But reminding them of who they were before; asking questions in a respectful way."
"As i mentioned in the book ... Trump uses hypnotic methodology" "Trump uses this method to elicit emotions and for repeating, over and over again, lies, and the brain starts acting as if it's true, if that's the only source of information people are getting. Trump projects his own bad behavior onto his opponents, so he misdirects peoples' attention."
"Don't attack Trump directly, the doctrine, the policy, directly because that elicits the cult identity defense system. Talk to them about Chinese communist brainwashing techniques, and also about pimps and traffickers, and how they groom, recruit, and indoctrinate people. And then ask people questions.
"Tell me more. Tell me how you make sense of this. Would you ever consider leaving? What criteria would you need?"
They will say no, I would never consider. Then you can ask them hypothetical questions.
"What if you're a religious person, and you pray, and you determine Jesus doesn't want Trump elected. Would you follow what God wants for you, and your conscience, or would you continue to do what everyone in your circle is doing?"
"And the thing is, don't try to persuade them. Ask them questions that make them self-reflect because people will exit themselves, if it's done properly."
Maybe we should all read this book.
thanks to Left Bank Books Collective for both stocking our zines and stickers and for telling folk about them
you can get the zines in person at the store in Pike Place Market
92 Pike St # B, Seattle, WA 98101
or print them yourself from here:
https://queersatanic.com/zines/
you can also get stickers and other print-on-demand merch here to support our legal defense from The Satanic Temple’s ongoing lawsuits:
https://www.redbubble.com/people/queersatanic/shop
@The_Tim@mastodon.socialWe really need a rhetorical "off-ramp" for Trump supporters that lets them ditch Trump without feeling like they were a giant fool for ever supporting him in the first place.
Yes, we all know they are fools, but if we can allow them to get out of the MAGA cult without _feeling_ like a fool, they're going to be more likely to choose that route as Trump continues to melt down.
Ridicule just makes them defensive, digging in their heels even deeper. #politics #trump #maga #cults
@rebeccawatson WOW! They are all over London and I had no idea #FalunGong was behind it! I thought it was just straighforward #Chinese propaganda, but it is actually much MUCH worse!
"You shouldn’t fall for the “enemy of my enemy is my friend” slogan" sums it up elegantly.
Join us tonight at 9pm pacific on Twitch for #Cults and The #SatanicPanic
Satans and Thetans
https://twitch.tv/echoplexmedia
#scientology #scientologytheaftermath #vhs #80s #moralpanic #SATANIC #firebynite #Cult #lronhubbard #sptv
One of the benefits to these suggestions is they help build trust. The crux of manipulation is trust (manipulation = “confidence” game), and right now, your conservative loved one trusts their manipulators more than they trust you.
Today, and over the months I’ve used this approach, my mom has grown to trust me more. I’ve safely handled her emotions by validating her feelings, concerns, and values. I’ve shown interest in her worldview (questions!). I’ve shown her the common values where we want the same outcomes.
Rather than seek to tear down their trust in their manipulators (especially through direct attack which NEVER works), instead focus on earning their trust and sewing mere seeds of doubt about their manipulators.
13. Don’t worry about logical fallacies and stuff. This isn’t Debate Team. Appeal to emotion. Appeal to authority! (I quoted scripture, for instance.) You don’t need to convince *yourself*, you need to convince them using the kind of thinking that is persuasive to them. (Which is also accomplished by asking questions.) Now isn’t time to do things in the “proper” way. If you’re willing to punch a Nazi, you can make a hasty generalization or two. For the cause.
So for instance, I was bullied as a kid and my mom tried to protect me. Plus I’m an abuse survivor So we’ve had discussions where I’ve talked about how schoolyard bullies and domestic abusers grow up and work their way into positions of power in business and politics. I describe how the behavior and language of my bullies and abusers is just like certain political behaviors and language. I used this in the dog whistle discussion, in fact, how the bully and the victim often know certain meanings that seem innocent to observers but really are intimidating threats, and that the same happens within politics, and you have to learn that language or you’ll end up supporting the bully without knowing. I used examples from my life.
This is an example of finding shared values and speaking directly to them.
8. If it’s with a loved one & you trust them enough, get vulnerable and make it personal. What are the stakes FOR YOU in this election? If you’re scared, offended, or hurt let them know. Own it.
9. Keep asking questions.
10. If you notice contradictions between their values and positions, don’t point them out as an accusation, which will only trigger conditioning and shame. Ask them to explain how they reconcile the apparent contradiction.
11. Avoid directly arguing the talking points that have been been in the news. Find the side doors. Focusing on fundamental values can help with this.
12. Think about switching up your usual language. Couch your points inside their terminology rather than leftist terms. Talk about the Constitution, rights, freedom, American values. Not just speaking to their values but using their language to do so. They’ll say the words that are important to them, so just follow their lead.
6. Believing a lie told to them by someone they trust is NOT something to be ashamed of. Actively try to reduce this shame so they have a path out of their conditioning.
7. Talk about trust, who they trust and why, who you trust and why.
(Maybe more if I think of them.)
Had a very productive political discussion with my mom today that ended with her asking, “What’s a dog whistle?” and listening to and believing my answer.
Tips:
1. Ask questions to inspire curiosity and critical thinking.
2. Focus on fundamentals. Bring everything back to fundamental values.
3. Focus on your shared values. Ask questions to find out what they are. Use hypothetical questions to explore what these values mean to them and you.
4. When they make statements about their fundamental values and positions, cognitive dissonance will work for you when the discussion moves on to how those values apply to controversial political issues.
5. Defensiveness is bad. If they get defensive, you’ve triggered their conditioning. Back off, remind them of your common values or shared need for safety, and try a different track.
No, but it is super-culty.
"None of this is in any way conservative'
https://www.alternet.org/republicans-maga-takeover/
"Republicans grumble about MAGA takeover of party"
Alternet.org · 'None of this is in any way conservative': Republicans grumble about MAGA takeover of party