Before the few people who will actually read this get fully into this post, be sure to read my previous post first to understand where I'm coming from.
Over the past decade or so, I have witnessed a very noticeable change among people I've known all my life. In fact, it is a disturbing and confusing change. Family members and friends who are otherwise rational people have been gradually transforming. Specifically, they've become more fearful, more intolerant, more extreme, more close-minded, angrier, and, in some cases, outright bigoted.
They decided that it was a good idea to vote for and support a person with no political experience and who is demonstrably and woefully unfit to run the country. (Recently former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan was quoted as saying that DT "didn't know anything about government.") They continue to support him despite countless scandals, constant lies, outrageous and sometimes bigoted comments, attempts to circumvent the rule of law, complete disregard for U.S. political norms, siding with autocrats instead of our own intelligence agencies, disrespect toward military leaders, an undying refusal to release his tax returns like every other president in modern history (and indeed every presidential candidate) has done, thirty-four indictments, guilty pleas, and convictions of people in his orbit, blatant corruption, indifference to the Constitution itself, and more... so much more. Actions that, had President Obama done even one of them, would have inspired these deeply confused Americans to take to the streets with Tiki torches are simply brushed aside.
He can, in their eyes, do no wrong. And that is the problem. Generally supporting a political party/politician is fine, but supporting someone NO MATTER WHAT is not fine. That's not support; that's worship.
At this point, there is no other way to say it: They're members of a cult.
I'm not the only one who says this, either. Prominent conservative author and columnist George Will says so, as do many others. When otherwise rational people who were raised to know that things such as lying, stealing, cheating, name-calling, making fun of things people don't choose, etc. are wrong willfully and gleefully support a man and an entire political party that does all of these things and more openly and shamelessly, one can't help but conclude that they are complete and total hypocrites. This is even more apparent when they try to point out that the Democrats are the "radical" ones (since equality really is radical to them) or when they parrot one of their seemingly endless whataboutisms ("But... Hillary!").
They are doing this because they have been pulled into a cult. Really the Republican Party/American conservatism as we know it is now essentially a cult, with 90% support for a man who is himself not a Republican. He has completely hijacked and transformed one of the two major political parties of the United States. He is the folk hero to whom rules and norms do not apply, and he is the one who will lead them (in their twisted dreams) to what they truly want: a white America.
To better understand this spectacular transformation, let's do a little Republican before-and-after-The-Donald activity:
- Before: We don't like or trust Russia (think Reagan, and a little something called the Cold War). After: DT says Russia is fine, so now Russia is fine.
- Before: Open trade is good and is part of capitalism. After: DT says we're not for open trade now. Okay.
- Before: NATO is necessary. After: NATO is no longer trustworthy.
- Before: We are the party of the military. After: "I know more than the generals." "I know more about drones than anybody." "Okay."
- Before: We are the party of the rule of law. After: This is unprecedented intrusion and investigation into a president who has done nothing wrong.
- Before: Obama talking to Kim Jong-un is bad. After: DT talking to Kim Jong-un is incredible foreign policy and leadership.
- Before: Hillary's emails? Lock her up! After: Oh, Jared Kushner and Ivanka—two completely unqualified members of the White House staff put in place by blatant nepotism—also used private email servers? That's fine.
- Before: Bill Clinton did what in the White House!? After: DT has cheated on all three of his wives multiple times, tried to secretly pay illegal hush money to one of them, brought them to Melania's room shortly after his youngest child was born, and then incessantly lied about it? That's fine.
- Before: Obama's frivolous golf trips are costing taxpayers money. After: DT waking up late, doing his hair for an hour, watching Fox News and tweeting all day, and golfing more than any previous president, wasting our tax dollars, is totally fine.
I could go on... The changes in this party and its supporters have been simply breathtaking to observe. If their views can change so drastically, do they even truly have their own views, or do they just do whatever is necessary to oppose the Democrats? One wonders...
Alexander Hurst writes: "In an interview with Pacific Standard, Janja Lalich, a sociologist who specializes in cults, identified four characteristics of a totalistic cult and applied them to Trumpism: an all-encompassing belief system, extreme devotion to the leader, reluctance to acknowledge criticism of the group or its leader, and a disdain for nonmembers. Eileen Barker, another sociologist of cults, has written that, together, cult leaders and followers create and maintain their movement by proclaiming shared beliefs and identifying themselves as a distinguishable unit; behaving in ways that reinforce the group as a social entity, like closing themselves off to conflicting information; and stoking division and fear of enemies, real or perceived."
Now, the question is, how did people I've known all my life change so drastically? What is it about them or their environments that led to this change?
This article in Psychology Today does a great job of summing it up. Put simply, many of DT's supporters are people who are susceptible to being manipulated, especially for the following reasons:
- Conservatives are more scared/sensitive to fear
- The Dunning-Kruger effect
- The desire to see chaos reign, even if just to "stick it" to the other side
- Relative deprivation – a misguided sense of entitlement (basically, "I'm white so I deserve success.")
- A lack of exposure to other groups of people
- Some are mentally vulnerable to conspiracy theories, i.e., they are people with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia. These people are specifically targeted by Fox News, conservative radio and websites, and conservative politicians
- Some are narcissists, some fall into a category called social dominance orientation, and some have what's called authoritarian personalities
- And some are simply racists and bigots (yet let's not ignore that those who are not racists are apparently okay with racism, since it didn't prevent them from voting for him)
These reasons and others are explained well in the article above and are corroborated in other scientific and psychological sources. The idea is that, basically, many of DT's supporters are quite literally mentally unwell and therefore easily manipulated and tricked.
Let's emphasize that one more time: SCIENCE AND HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY HAVE PROVEN THAT MANY OF DT'S SUPPORTERS ARE MENTALLY UNSTABLE OR UNWELL.
After years and years of Fox News, conservative radio, weird YouTube channels, alt-right websites and forums, and conservative politicians lying to their faces, including about all other sources of news and information being biased and/or "fake," these people have been programmed to be loyal drones of the right. And they won't admit that they're wrong or mistaken or misguided. To quote Alexander Hurst again, "Those caught in the web of Trumpism do not see the deception that surrounds them." When challenged, they'll fight harder. They'll stick to their beliefs even more, even with irrefutable evidence right in front of them. This in itself proves that they are disconnected from reality.
A rational and reasonable person observes the world around him/her and forms conclusions. He/she can also learn and admit when he's/she's wrong and then alter beliefs. That is, after all, a lot of what life is. These cult members, however, have shown that they have made the choice (I hesitate to say "conscious choice" here) to be non-learners. "What the leader and Fox and my radio tell me is the truth and nothing else can be the truth." One time a family member angrily showed me a forwarded email about Obama (because of course they're still forwarding emails about Obama to each other). I asked him to see it, Googled it, and instantly proved that it was false. He then said, "Well I still believe it."
What's happening in the U.S. right now isn't normal. Despite what they believe, they are a small minority. They and their leaders are doing great damage to our country and to the world as a whole (think of the massive conservative scheme to trick about half of Britain to vote to leave the EU against their own economic interests but because of a perceived and racist view that immigrants are "changing" their country too much, as just one example). Also, the right's uncanny ability to be fooled by outrageous conspiracy theories is nothing new. Again, it has to do with the misinformation and deception they choose to surround themselves with.
It has been researched and demonstrated that one can get out of a cult, as former gang members, religious cult members, former KKK members, and former right-wing extremists have done, but they have to do it by realizing the error of their ways first.
It has been researched and demonstrated that one can get out of a cult, as former gang members, religious cult members, former KKK members, and former right-wing extremists have done, but they have to do it by realizing the error of their ways first.
Everything I've said to them or written here will likely only make them angrier. No one wants to be told that they are wrong or they have an unstable mind (even though science and psychology have proven that it's true for many). But I wrote this because I believe that deep down some of them know all of this is wrong, and maybe some of them can come back to the real America. The diverse, vibrant America built by immigrants and dreamers and pioneers, based on the Constitution, the separation of powers, limited government, individual rights and liberties, civic participation, and the rule of law.
Supporting a man who does things we all know are wrong, who does things they teach their own kids not to do, blindly supporting a party that is systematically dismantling democracy and is unabashedly pro-rich and bigoted, has to be eating away at some of them. They know this isn't what Jesus would approve of, or what Christianity teaches. They know ignoring established facts and discriminating against others and degrading the earth is wrong. They know policies that only benefit the rich are wrong. They know that some of their fellow DT supporters calling for a civil war against Democrats and non-whites is wrong (I've seen posts about this and they are sickening). They know that supporting one person over the Constitution and the institutions of the United States is wrong.
But if we completely give up on them, then their misguided belief that America is leaving them behind will actually come true. The thing is—the truth is—because we care about this country so much, we want them back. We want the people we grew up with who are good deep down back so we can fully recognize them again. I don't want them back so they can all be Democrats/liberals; I want them back so I can see them without the visible anger and fear that currently consumes them.
