Escape From The Trump Cult
https://newrepublic.com/article/152638/escape-trump-cultOn December 20, 1954, some 62 years before Donald Trump would be sworn in as president of the United States, Dorothy Martin and dozens of her followers crowded into her home in Chicago to await the apocalypse. The group believed that Martin, a housewife, had received a message from a planet named Clarion that the world would end in a great flood beginning at midnight, and that they, the faithful, would be rescued by an alien spacecraft.
Unbeknownst to the other Seekers, three of their groupLeon Festinger, Henry Riecken, and Stanley Schachterwere not there to be saved, but to observe. Psychologists from elite institutions, they had infiltrated the pseudo-cult to study Festingers recently elaborated theory of cognitive dissonance. The theory predicted that when people with strongly held beliefs were presented with contrary evidence, rather than change their minds they would seek comfort and cognitive consonance by convincing others to support their erroneous views.
Festingers prediction was right. When neither the apocalypse nor the UFO arrived, the group began proselytizing about how God had rewarded the Earth with salvation because of their vigil. His subsequent book, When Prophecy Fails, became a standard sociology reference for examining cognitive dissonance, religious prophecy, and cult-like behavior. What the three researchers probably never predicted, though, was that over half a century later Festingers theory would be applicable to roughly 25 percent of the population of the United States and one of its two major political parties. Nor could they have foreseen that the countrys salvation might well depend on its ability to deprogram the Trump cults acolytesan effort that would require a level of sympathetic engagement on the part of nonbelievers that they have yet to display.
bobbieinok
(12,858 posts)Merlot
(9,696 posts)I don't really think that's possible. Time, energy and money should be spent fixing what can be fixed in the voting system, making it easier to vote, etc. Then motivate enough non-voting citizens to vote, and vote democratic. Progressive policies that remove the insecurity from these peoples lives (financial, medical, etc) might help a bit. Making a country where racism isn't tolerated is our only option.
CrispyQ
(36,509 posts)It's a waste of time & breath trying to appeal to his cult & disaffected republicans. The non-voter pool is much larger! We need to get all the new voters in 2018 back to the polls in 2020, & reach out to the rest of the non-voters.
From the 2016 presidential election:
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,036 posts)BarbD
(1,193 posts)This awareness along with elimination of the electoral college should be our goal.
cilla4progress
(24,766 posts)Thanks for posting.
SunSeeker
(51,698 posts)My time is much better spent getting out the vote and engaging independents.
KY_EnviroGuy
(14,494 posts)Yes, we can isolate the Repugs by swamping-over their vote, but we're still a nation divided. Repugs have divided families, neighborhoods, communities, companies (large & small), our states and even our allies abroad. That's precisely what these fascists want.
These divisions make us highly vulnerable to a slow destruction of our society and culture, as the old fabric is ripped a thread at a time. That will not likely lead us to a takeover by a foreign power, but rather will turn us into a massive plutocracy caused by increasing economic inequality with an invisible group of oligarchs at the helm.
...... ........
Silver Gaia
(4,546 posts)It's a rudimentary roadmap to sustainably recovering our country and restoring some balance.
3Hotdogs
(12,408 posts)One friend is a Trumster. There is nothing wrong with how he is running the country. My cousin, Bob, voted for the Orange Asshole but has concluded that Trump is a fuck-up.
TygrBright
(20,763 posts)Okay, that is totally creepy. We know about the little mushroom in front of his shrivelled sack. Where's the SECOND one?
warily,
Bright
Stuckinthebush
(10,847 posts)I read that but didn't catch the weird "3rd" part. Yeah, what's up with that second dick?!
Ha!
Bob Loblaw
(1,900 posts)His pants fit like a glove.
Metatask
(18 posts)Some of them know hes a trashy liar and a idiot. They support him because of racism. So its not really a trump cult. More like a racist cult. They would happily line up behind some other racist leader if trump is gone.
bronxiteforever
(9,287 posts)Is fascinating but it is also sad. Brexit has the potential of disturbing all the hard work the peacemakers put into the Good Friday Agreements.
There
hostalover
(447 posts)voted for the idiot. They now know the truth but they continue to support him and just ignore the obvious evidence that he is a hugely incompetent and dangerous joke.
forgotmylogin
(7,530 posts)tblue37
(65,488 posts)Hamlette
(15,412 posts)hate the part about the hard work but they make a convincing case.