RNC Cult

Republicans	Tribalism	Hypocrisy	Ignorance	Intolerance	Transparency	Paranoia	Leavability	Abuse	Insecurity	Eccentricity	Prophets	Extremism
Level	3️⃣	3️⃣	6️⃣	5️⃣	4️⃣	5️⃣	4️⃣	5️⃣	2️⃣	1️⃣	6️⃣	3️⃣
Total	39%										47/120

Is the RNC (Republicans) a cult? Of course that matters how you define a cult. And it's a spectrum with no pure black or white. Are you talking about the leadership, the vocal personalities, or the voters? I'm talking about personalities and leaders -- the voters tend to be even more moderate than the party leadership. But being that there's more diversity in the RNC than the DNC, it automatically makes a wider spectrum that includes the middle. You have the little-L libertarians, that are fiscally very conservative but socially very liberal. You have the blue collar and poor conservatives that are socially conservative, but fiscally very liberal (towards Social Programs) (Trump appeals to this group the most). You have the Tea-Party (which is almost a non-player) which is socially and fiscally very conservative. You have a few Neo-Cons (misnamed), which may be willing to force democracy through war -- and you have the isolationists. It's a big tent party, and their diversity means a lack of homogeny that is required to be a cult. But being under attack by the left (which controls the media and education and minds of the weak/young) means they do have some cult-like paranoia, clustering, attitudes towards outsiders, and some fanatics in the fringes that make them less than open-minded.

Signs of a Cult

While you can't judge all individuals by the group behavior, you can judge the group by the group averages. If there are traits in common to the group, that's hinting that it is a group dynamic. They might be filtering, intentionally or unintentionally. But either way, if you ride with outlaw bikers, don't be shocked if you end up in a bar fight. (1) Tribalism: If there's differences in rules or treatment for insiders versus outsiders, that's a hint away from healthy group psyche. (2) Hypocrisy: If the movement refuses to be introspective and admit it's own flaws or it's leaders don't live by their own rules, another hint. (3) Ignorance: If the majority of the followers are low-information, prefer to argue feelings over facts, or fall back to talking points or fallacies like appeal to celebrity, authority, popularity? That's a hint. (4) Intolerance: How do they respond to divergence of thought, identity or behavior, is one of the stronger indicators of whether it's a cult. Cults demand conformity. (5) Transparency: How open is an organization, their finances or their leadership? Public versus private rituals or beliefs? A secret society and lack of transparency is cultish. (6) Paranoia: Being paranoid and into conspiracies (especially doomsday ones), especially without some valid reasons, is a strong sign. So Jews or Mormons being a little paranoid has some valid history and justification, thus deserve a bit more leeway. Democrats in Academia or the Media? That deserves finger-ear orbits: the American Sign Language gesture for cult. (7) Ability to leave: If adherents can leave, and not be ostracized or attacked? That's a good sign for a group. If they will be ostracized, maligned or attacked? It is not. (8) Abuse: Demands for conformity, litmus tests for being devout enough, punishments for non-compliance with micro-managing norms? Cult, cult, cult. (9) Insecurity: If adherents constantly try (and fail) to measure up to their exalted leader or absurd standards? Guilt, doubts, unworthiness are not signs of a healthy organization/individual psyche. (10) Eccentricities A little is fine, a lot is not. Cults start differentiating themselves with alternate language/terminology, dress, mannerisms, or history. Those divergences from norms (and reality), aren't good signals. (11) Prophets: If the leader is revered and infallible, and becoming more than a flawed human, then that's another strong hint of losing touch with reality. (12) Extremism: a lot is about degrees and balances, which is what makes the lines a bit fuzzy. You can disagree, but how much? I once had a coworker shriek "No" in pain, like I'd physically struck her, because I'd mentioned some of the mis-assumptions people make on organic farming. Not a healthy reaction. But someone just politely saying, "I disagree and here's why" is completely reasonable. It's the old, "I'll know it when I see it". more...

Cult

This article is about various cults, what are they, what do they do, and what does it mean? Well the word comes from cultus, latin for worship. The definition is usually pejoratively used to refer to a group or sect bound together by veneration (worship) of the same person, object, beliefs, or goal. It's also used for anything that veers from popular or correct norms -- so usually they have a false idol, believe in a false prophet/leader, or have quirky beliefs and practices -- and will stick to beliefs despite any evidence that contradicts them. So there are things you can look for that differentiate a sect or clique, from something that's gone full cult. more...