Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover
There must be fifty ways to leave your lover…
MAGA is considered by many non-MAGA people to be a cult. Cults are a fascinating aspect of social behaviour. Individuals join cults for different reasons, but the main attraction lies in the feeling of belonging to a specialized group. MAGA offers members a black and white answer to difficult questions; there is no need to get confused in the grey area of social policies, just repeat the party line. And then there is the allure of MAGA’s swag and swagger, i.e., the licence to be gleefully obnoxious with support from the rest of the group.
A charismatic leader is a basic requirement of cults. For each new felony charge in 2023, Trump’s popularity rose. His base stood behind him because his bad behaviour didn’t affect them. In fact, it added to his self-created mythology of a victimized genius.
Cult members will continuously overlook aspects of the cult that make them uncomfortable but the common turning point is a feeling of betrayal by the leader. The policies and actions of Trump’s administration are broad enough that the average American, MAGA or not, will be affected. It is one thing to hold the general belief that Trump will be good for the economy, it’s another thing to accept cuts to your social security, or to support tariff policies that will crash your small business.
Human beings love to be right, don’t they? Who wants to admit they’ve been duped or taken advantage of? This is where the “other side” needs to welcome anyone who is a recovering MAGA member. Although there are plenty of anecdotal stories, there is no evidence that a trend of mass defections away from MAGA is happening. But as the hurts keep on coming, the betrayals will be harder for his supporters to ignore.
Make a new plan, Stan.
Keep your joy.
Anne Milne is an every Sunday blogger, unless it’s a holiday weekend. Or summertime.
Sources; https://www.peopleleavecults.com/post/why-do-people-join-cults, https://www.peopleleavecults.com/post/why-do-people-leave-cults,https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/08/trumpism-maga-cult-republican-voters-indoctrination/675173/
Funny….they are happy enough to accept the things that under Biden’s presidency they complained about loudly. With Biden, eggs were too expensive but with Trump the cry is “be patient for better times”. Trust in Trump is now their motto. What happens when the times don’t get better??? I don’t see the trumpers changing their minds anytime soon. What will it take? Two impeachments, 34 indictments, lies and more lies, blatant admission of being a sexual predator, and a conviction for a felony charge haven’t swayed them one iota.
The point is betrayal. If, when they feel betrayed. I may be way off in them thinking at a cut to their social security will be a betrayal. But the loyalty is one-way, his way. Time will tell.
Thanks for commenting,
A.