You won’t want to miss Wednesday’s livestream on October 7th, at 2 pm EDT! We will have a very special guest, former Democratic Majority Leader and Presidential candidate Dick Gephardt. He is on the Board of Directors for two bipartisan non-profits focused on Free and Fair Elections: Issue One and Keep Our Republic. Come learn about what is going on with the midterms one month away!
So many media outlets are now calling Trump and his base a “cult of personality.” They point to the blind devotion of his followers and their willingness to accept any bad behavior, excuse any scandal, and shrug off endless instances of lies, economic hardships, and even civil rights violations perpetrated by this administration.
As I have pointed out, the Cult of Trump is a real phenomenon, complete with controls that are easily classified through my BITE Model of Authoritarian Control® and other models of manipulation, such as Lifton’s Eight Criteria For Thought Reform.
But the “cult of personality” factor isn’t the whole story, and doesn’t explain what will happen when Trump’s career inevitably ends, or even why his base follows him.
In this week’s article, It’s Not Just a Cult of Personality, I describe in detail why focusing on only Trump and his personality hides the networks that recruit, shape, and steer his base, and why his followers are not just one cult, but a network of groups, each devoted to Trump because he is the current best vehicle for furthering their own agenda. It’s an article you’ll want to read and share with anyone who wants to understand what is happening in our political sphere today.
For my Friday Livestream, I will be talking with my guest, psychiatrist Ravi Chandra MD, whom I have interviewed before, about his activism in the American Psychiatric Association, about his efforts to get mental health professionals to be willing to lead on issues that concern people’s well-being! The APA shut down its listserv for members, stifling information sharing among them. Information Control!
And if you missed last week’s livestreams, you can see them here:
Inside the 'COVID-Conscious' Lesbian Bar Controversy: Cult Dynamics?
Cult Expert Answers YOUR Current Questions about Trump & Politics
On this week’s episode of my Cults, Culture & Coercion podcast Is It Dementia, Alzheimer’s, or Medication Side Effects?, I spoke with my guest Germaine Odenheimer, MD, about the danger of assuming that Trump has dementia without actual medical clinical evidence. We outline possible causes of the president’s behavior and discuss the dangers of labeling early behaviors and “locking in” a diagnosis without proper evidence. If you have a loved one who is an older adult, you’ll want to watch this one.
Catch the full episode here: Listen on Apple | Spotify | Watch on YouTube
You can also read my accompanying Substack article about our conversation here.
Next week’s episode will feature author, filmmaker, actor, and director Ben McKenzie, whose documentary, EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU FOR MONEY, based on his New York Times bestselling book, Easy Money, chronicles his investigation into the murky world of cryptocurrency and fraud. This is really worthwhile!
We are delighted to announce that we have now gotten a Registered Trademark for the BITE Model of BITE Model of Authoritarian Control®!
Remember, check with legitimate state election officials that you are registered and request a mail-in ballot if you wish. Be sure that your neighbors and everyone you know is registered to vote and able to do so! We must defeat MAGA in the coming elections!
As always, please let us know what you think about these pieces or what you’d like to see us discuss in the future. Thanks so much!
