Well, on stuff like the litterbox thing and CRT or any of the many falsehoods aimed at educators, my wife being an educator, this really pisses me off. Mainly because I understand that these things are meant to demonize and create hatred of teachers and so puts them in a dangerous position. Last thing I want is for Julia to be in a dangerous position. She travels to work with teachers in other states, or did prior to Covid, and I really despise the idea that people are targeting educators.
If the cult explanation seems textbook that is because I read and watched a lot of stuff about how to create a cult and how to draw people into it. Rick Ross, the guy in the video helped me come to some understandings about who can be sucked in and that intelligence level does not play a part.
When you are on the outside, cult beliefs are easy to spot, and we think they sound stupid. We think "How could anyone fall for that?" but on the inside, well, it works in a different way. It's not as clear to those in the cult and those in the cult are getting an emotional boost and a feeling of belonging to something that provides a positive aspect to their involvement for them. It is seductive and this is why it works. For the programming to work there does actually have to be some kind of positive aspect for the cult member.
So, I don't know that I would call them incurious, I think MAGA cult members and the various subsets of them are curious, they seek out and take in information but...it is information that confirms the cult beliefs only.
The interesting aspect of the MAGA cult is that it does not require grabbing the potential cult members and taking them to some isolated spot to surround and bombard them with the cult programming, they actually can accomplish it through television and the internet. Cult programming made easier through technology.
Honestly, I began my look into the idea that MAGA is a cult with the simple question "Is it fair to call MAGA a cult?"
Turns out it is, because they are using textbook cult programming techniques and strategies to suck these people in and keep them in. Probably the interesting/terrifying aspect of this is...the leaders of the Republican party are intentionally, knowingly, using cult programming. It is not an accident, it is not just FOX News, it is an open attempt to program people to follow them, an executed plan.
This is why Ron DeSantis openly says his followers would "walk barefoot on broken glass" to vote for him. That message is not a mistake, it is not bragging, it is an acknowledgement that the programming is working and his cult members are all in. That he knows how to lead the cult.
The Republicans have created two major problems for themselves. One is having made Donald Trump the cult leader, a man who has no loyalty to them and will turn on them for his benefit or just for revenge. The second is, they did a good job creating their cult but have lost control of it. Now they will struggle with finding a way to change the programming to get the cult members to follow someone else.
In general, what they would want is just a succession of cult leaders, that repeat the messaging. This is what DeSantis was trying to do but they would need Trump, the current leader of the cult, to step aside and anoint DeSantis...Trump is never going to do that. So, what will happen now is the cult messaging, the programming, will become conflicting. We can already see it. Now the transition from one cult leader to the next is sloppy. You have a faction that won't break from Trump. DeSantis can promise them all the same death and destruction Trump has promised his followers but it is too late. The monster has been created and now they have to fight their own monster.
Trump is already making the grab for his portion of the cult. On his Truth Social platform he is posting Q Anon stuff like crazy. He is trying to solidify those followers behind him and enrage them to push them toward violence in the event that he is indicted...which it appears he will be. The Q subset does worship Trump and believes that Trump is the hand of god. That he is here to dole out the punishment god wants doled out.
Trump is directing his rage at Republicans, the Supreme Court, and law enforcement. I would expect that to escalate. DeSantis is technically not running yet. He has not announced and his strategy will be to wait, for several reasons but also in the hopes that Trump with two years of having to campaign now, will make a lot of mistakes and sink himself. This and I am certain that DeSantis is counting on Trump getting indicted and needing to beg for a pardon. This is the bargaining chip that the Republicans hold. With a sane person, they would just go to them and say "Hey, you have a lot of legal problems, you have broken several laws, you are quite likely soon to be indicted, help us elect a Republican president and you will get full pardons for yourself and whomever else you want pardoned."
Problem is, Trump is not sane and will not go along with this. Trump is made of rage, fear, and hate. He will, as he has always done, unleash those on those he feels have betrayed him. He also is a con man and the MAGA cult he sees as his victims, to exploit until he has milked them for all he can. Not likely he will give that up easily.
