Understanding and Disbling the Cult of Trump, Part I

It is a pity that social psychologist Leon Festinger is not around to observe is not around to see the Trumpite movement. He would have a field day. Two of his works explain at least 75 percent of what is hap0pening in the movement. Those two are (1) his creation of the concept “cognitive dissonance”, and (2) his book, WHEN PROPHECY FAILS.

Festinger points out that in a cohesive group, what holds the group together is shared goals, beliefs and values. The more cohesive the group the more tightly bound the individual is to those. In such a group, if the individual begins to express differences in relation to those norms, the group puts pressure on the divergent person to come back into the fold. The differences and the response of the group create “cognitive dissonance.” If the person continues to express those divergent beliefs, he will encounter more intense pressure to return to the fold, and may even be threatened, or even expelled from the group.

The most cohesive groups are sects, whether those sects are religious or political. Typically, the sect has demagogic leaders whom the followers consider to be charismatic. Those leaders prey upon the fears, hopes, emotions and desires of followers, making it seem that the only way that they can achieve their desires is yield themselves to the words of the leaders. They yield their reason, judgment, consciences to the will of the leader and group, becoming “true believers” and they find comfort and strength in the ideology and the tightness of the group.

Even when events prove that what the leader says is not true. Followers find a way of rationalizing the false words and prophecies As they have already yielded their very beings to follow the leader that they have nothing left if the leader's words and predictions prove to be false.

The Trumpite movement is a cult. Republican politicians at all levels reinforce his words and goals, making them seem to be the ultimate truth. But, most of them are not true believers. They are parasites seeking o achieve their own political and economic power by hitching a ride with the cult leader. They have sold out their consciences, dignity, and patriotism for personal gain.

The next question is: What current social developments enable such a cult? Until we understand that, we will not be able to mount a program of action to weaken and disable the cult.