I'll be blunt about it. Trump is merely the 'talented' opportunist who saw an underbelly of hate in America, an underbelly he himself shares, and embraced it and promoted it. He has encouraged all the beliefs in conspiracy theories (except if they're against him, of course) and produced more of his own. He's canonized truly bad people into being 'leaders' of a destructive movement. Trump is not a builder, but a demolition man (not the movie guy). He could live with a vast wasteland around him as long as he lives under a golden dome with sycophants there to praise his every word and act, no matter how self demeaning it may be.
But far too many in MAGA were there as tea party members before, followers of crazies like Sarah Palin. Others were closet bigots (that includes racists, BTW) who were frustrated that they had to hide under rocks because the will of the people was that all should be treated equally and fairly. The religious right is just full of delusions not found in any clean reading of their faith. Their leaders craved power, personal glory, and wealth; so the 'faithful' chose to believe what they were told to be more like them. We can't eliminate this ugliness, but we sure should work to either convert or neutralize it.
Yes, there are many who have been 'led astray'. But in my opinion, most people weren't forced to go astray, but saw something they wanted to see or needed to belong and so drank the Kool-Aid. But they also led their children into the compound in order to be indoctrinated in the 'great truths'. ahem. It will take a lot for me to have much sympathy for those who were 'merely' led astray. And, like others, I've got former friends and relatives who are among all of the above, and I know it's a next to lost cause to have them either consider there is a truer way or that they've just been plain wrong.
We've let the Genie out of the bottle. The only hope we have is to metaphorically neuter the Genie so that it does as little harm as possible. Reaching out and even occasionally making a slight dent towards conversion will help do that. Even 20% would take away their power, even in the reddest of states.
Now the authoritarians of wealth, I have no morally acceptable solution to what they've done to our country for their own benefit, but that's another story.
It’s exceedingly difficult for Trump’s true believers to desert him. It’s like asking someone to take one step back from themselves. It’s their identity. It’s much harder to give up an identity than it is to say give up ice cream, which by the way ain’t easy either
I liked his suggestion about information bartering. Dr. Steven Hassan, the world renowned cult expert who wrote The Cult of Trump, often talks about doing that technique. May have a possible impact on one of the doubters who’s on the fence. I think many of us not in the cult don’t realize how painful & shameful it is for grown adults to admit they’ve been conned, gullible, and so ridiculously made fools of.
Army arrest him as domestic terrorist. Then charged w crimes against humanity. Then a fair international trial less violence. Moral option or we are becoming complicit murderers
If anyone has ever had a clinical sociopath in their lives, then they know how charismatic and alluring someone with malignant sociopathy can seem. They pull out all the stops to lure others in — often decent people — so they can use them and later dispose of them without regard, remorse, or sense of ethics or humanity. It takes a lot, and painfully, to have your eyes opened to this sort of malice and to realize you were duped and never anything but a mark. It’s hard to see and admit you were a chump and got taken in.
I believe in many cases, the ordinary people we loved and thought we knew — family, friends, neighbors, coworkers — who inexplicably went all in for MAGA were dupes and marks for a sociopathic Trump. He has consistently said as much in rallies and speeches for the 11 years of his political life — that he is using them for their votes and doesn’t care about them. They laugh and don’t believe it. They fell under the spell of the dark charisma of a sociopath — because that’s what sociopaths do. It’s how they operate. They pull you in, get you to love and need them, they exploit you and take everything from you, and then leave you — one way or another.
Not all Trump supporters are like this. Many are cynical, many are racist and hateful. But some are just ordinary people who are no match for malicious sociopathy.
Every year Trump would process hundreds of special visas years bring white European women here claiming he couldn’t find people to work at his properties.
I don’t think he is. My parents and sister are DEEP in the cult and still worship the ground he walks on. They think everything against him is a lie and a witch hunt.
Cults don’t die because the leader lets them down. They cult even harder
They don’t die when he lies. They just believe harder
MAGA is less about Trump per se than it is about community. Cultists ARE the cult. The cult IS the cultists
Anything desultory that comes out about the leader, they turn around and blame someone else. I’ve seen this on FB when I challenged a cultist about Trump’s pedo-ing. He said Biden was the real pedo. Perfect
Or of course, these days they call it fake news. They live in a bubble where nothing gets in that’s undesirable.
A few here and there have left. Some are compelling like that St. Claire woman I’ve seen interviewed. But mostly those are anecdotal instances, isolated, and not a sign of any mass movement.
Best chance for the cult to break down is if they start turning on each other. There’s been a hint of that, but nothing more
MAGA is not a movement of policy, it is just a cult of personality who has slopped down the felon’s Kool-Aid. When facts don’t dictate your thought, and the lies of a single individual do, you’re in a cult. The Republican party no longer exists, it is simply the MAGA cult.
They will forgive Trump EVERYTHING. They will continue to support him. They know what he is and they just don't care. They sold their worthless souls when they willfully elected a serial liar and known fraud. They see their own ignorance and hypocrisy in him and it emboldens them. They don't care about lies or Trump's incompetency or that he could care a fig about them, they support him no matter what 🤦♀️
They run almost entirely on hate and hypocrisy. That's why I like wearing these kind of shirts in front of them, everyday 👇
I'll be blunt about it. Trump is merely the 'talented' opportunist who saw an underbelly of hate in America, an underbelly he himself shares, and embraced it and promoted it. He has encouraged all the beliefs in conspiracy theories (except if they're against him, of course) and produced more of his own. He's canonized truly bad people into being 'leaders' of a destructive movement. Trump is not a builder, but a demolition man (not the movie guy). He could live with a vast wasteland around him as long as he lives under a golden dome with sycophants there to praise his every word and act, no matter how self demeaning it may be.
But far too many in MAGA were there as tea party members before, followers of crazies like Sarah Palin. Others were closet bigots (that includes racists, BTW) who were frustrated that they had to hide under rocks because the will of the people was that all should be treated equally and fairly. The religious right is just full of delusions not found in any clean reading of their faith. Their leaders craved power, personal glory, and wealth; so the 'faithful' chose to believe what they were told to be more like them. We can't eliminate this ugliness, but we sure should work to either convert or neutralize it.
Yes, there are many who have been 'led astray'. But in my opinion, most people weren't forced to go astray, but saw something they wanted to see or needed to belong and so drank the Kool-Aid. But they also led their children into the compound in order to be indoctrinated in the 'great truths'. ahem. It will take a lot for me to have much sympathy for those who were 'merely' led astray. And, like others, I've got former friends and relatives who are among all of the above, and I know it's a next to lost cause to have them either consider there is a truer way or that they've just been plain wrong.
We've let the Genie out of the bottle. The only hope we have is to metaphorically neuter the Genie so that it does as little harm as possible. Reaching out and even occasionally making a slight dent towards conversion will help do that. Even 20% would take away their power, even in the reddest of states.
Now the authoritarians of wealth, I have no morally acceptable solution to what they've done to our country for their own benefit, but that's another story.
It’s exceedingly difficult for Trump’s true believers to desert him. It’s like asking someone to take one step back from themselves. It’s their identity. It’s much harder to give up an identity than it is to say give up ice cream, which by the way ain’t easy either
I liked his suggestion about information bartering. Dr. Steven Hassan, the world renowned cult expert who wrote The Cult of Trump, often talks about doing that technique. May have a possible impact on one of the doubters who’s on the fence. I think many of us not in the cult don’t realize how painful & shameful it is for grown adults to admit they’ve been conned, gullible, and so ridiculously made fools of.
Army arrest him as domestic terrorist. Then charged w crimes against humanity. Then a fair international trial less violence. Moral option or we are becoming complicit murderers
Their strongman ain't no strongman. He's a thief and he duped every single one of em.
If anyone has ever had a clinical sociopath in their lives, then they know how charismatic and alluring someone with malignant sociopathy can seem. They pull out all the stops to lure others in — often decent people — so they can use them and later dispose of them without regard, remorse, or sense of ethics or humanity. It takes a lot, and painfully, to have your eyes opened to this sort of malice and to realize you were duped and never anything but a mark. It’s hard to see and admit you were a chump and got taken in.
I believe in many cases, the ordinary people we loved and thought we knew — family, friends, neighbors, coworkers — who inexplicably went all in for MAGA were dupes and marks for a sociopathic Trump. He has consistently said as much in rallies and speeches for the 11 years of his political life — that he is using them for their votes and doesn’t care about them. They laugh and don’t believe it. They fell under the spell of the dark charisma of a sociopath — because that’s what sociopaths do. It’s how they operate. They pull you in, get you to love and need them, they exploit you and take everything from you, and then leave you — one way or another.
Not all Trump supporters are like this. Many are cynical, many are racist and hateful. But some are just ordinary people who are no match for malicious sociopathy.
Amazing show Rick. I really respect and admire Rich Logis and the work he’s doing to help people leave MAGA.
Great interview and I find some hope. Just wish this could happen within MAGA in a huge wave!!
Would it be possible to feature these mea culpas without so much Trump? Nobody watching this site needs to be reminded what he looks/sounds like.
Yes, it's about damn time!
They were in business together - finding girls
Every year Trump would process hundreds of special visas years bring white European women here claiming he couldn’t find people to work at his properties.
Got damn right
I don’t think he is. My parents and sister are DEEP in the cult and still worship the ground he walks on. They think everything against him is a lie and a witch hunt.
Same here in South Crackerlina. They're so far down the rabbit hole that they may never recover.
You've been screaming at these Maga's for years, Rick, sounds to me like you finally got through. Blessings 🙏 and will reStack ASAP 💯👍
Dunno about this
Cults don’t die because the leader lets them down. They cult even harder
They don’t die when he lies. They just believe harder
MAGA is less about Trump per se than it is about community. Cultists ARE the cult. The cult IS the cultists
Anything desultory that comes out about the leader, they turn around and blame someone else. I’ve seen this on FB when I challenged a cultist about Trump’s pedo-ing. He said Biden was the real pedo. Perfect
Or of course, these days they call it fake news. They live in a bubble where nothing gets in that’s undesirable.
A few here and there have left. Some are compelling like that St. Claire woman I’ve seen interviewed. But mostly those are anecdotal instances, isolated, and not a sign of any mass movement.
Best chance for the cult to break down is if they start turning on each other. There’s been a hint of that, but nothing more
We are years from this being over
MAGA is not a movement of policy, it is just a cult of personality who has slopped down the felon’s Kool-Aid. When facts don’t dictate your thought, and the lies of a single individual do, you’re in a cult. The Republican party no longer exists, it is simply the MAGA cult.
They will forgive Trump EVERYTHING. They will continue to support him. They know what he is and they just don't care. They sold their worthless souls when they willfully elected a serial liar and known fraud. They see their own ignorance and hypocrisy in him and it emboldens them. They don't care about lies or Trump's incompetency or that he could care a fig about them, they support him no matter what 🤦♀️
They run almost entirely on hate and hypocrisy. That's why I like wearing these kind of shirts in front of them, everyday 👇
https://libtees.dashery.com/t-shirts
Time to wake up. The cult ain't worth it!
I completely agree. I know too many of them that still worship their leader.
Thanks for this . . . we're fighting voter suppression up here in NW MT where MAGAts are trying to take over.