Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) said new polling data suggests that supporters of Donald Trump are lurching into “cultism” territory.Kinzinger, now a CNN senior political commentator, during an appearance on “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer,” was responding to a question from the host over po...
it would seem to me that the intersection between certain flavors of religion, authoritarianism, faux patriotism, hate of the “other” and self loathing is a perfect catalyst for this national cult nightmare.
I agree, it is a sort of bug and deep down I think these people either want a rigid hierarchical society (where they are at least not the bottom rung) or are 100% willing to burn everything and everyone down to the ground - its binary with zero nuance or room for compromise. trump is the perfect guy for them.
Sociological analysis of Germany in the 1930’s and 40’s would agree with you, certainly, but I still find it a little hard to fathom. I think part of it may be that I’m just very resistant to viewing anyone as so wise/intelligent that I would put them up on a pedestal and regard them with awe. Maybe there’s a sense of comfort in believing that this other person has our complex, confusing world figured out and you just need to follow them, they’ll lead you through the morass of conflicting ideas. And yes, simplistic, us-vs-them, good-vs-evil narratives are a much easier sell to just about everyone, but it’s still a staggering thought to me that 75% of conservatives lack the ability to see through that bullshit. I mean, these are real people. Homo sapiens.
Fuck.