Cult-like behaviour in political movements.

in #politics5 years ago


When people refer to a "cult" you probably think of stuff like the Branch Davidians, Heaven's Gate, or Jonestown; and the phrase "cults of personality" brings to mind the world's worst dictators like Stalin and Kim Jong-un.

But cults also comes in milder forms and on smaller scales. Political movements are often susceptible to cult-like behaviour. Mediocre grifters play essentially the same game without taking it to the same suicidal extremes. Most ideological causes and political campaigns don't do this, because it's counterproductive when the goal is to grow into a winning majority or at least to become a viable and influential political constituency. But if the goal is less about winning an election or changing public opinion, and more about profiteering and creating an insular base of adulatory fans, then those who adopt a public persona in this arena can often slide well over into the grey area of cult-like behaviour.

While there are plenty of examples elsewhere, my personal experience has been among political libertarians, so it's there I've often seen cult-ish groups pop up around the fringes. Sometimes they even launch hostile takeover bids of larger organisations. You've probably seen them too. The ones who get extremely angry when their leader is criticised, who swarm as a group to repeat their leader's talking points, and who dismiss all such criticism of the leader's behaviour and record as being made in bad-faith regardless of the evidence presented.



It's something we should have a greater awareness of, and take steps to shun those who engage in it, rather than treating them as respectable opinion leaders and public intellectuals. Because they're not. They don't engage in the give and take of publicly debating ideas. They are not allies of any political agenda. What they do is a simulacrum of political advocacy, but that's not really what they're about. They're a deeply unhealthy influence, harming both those who get sucked into their little world and the broader causes which are foolish enough to welcome them in.

Rick Alan Ross, a noted expert on the subject, has the following list of :

"Ten warning signs regarding people involved in/with a potentially unsafe group/leader."

It's worth reading through them and considering where, and from whom, you might have seen this sort of behaviour before. Maybe not all ten are perfect fits, but if half or more of them apply then it's time to start asking the tough questions. Because enabling this sort of behaviour is ultimately complicity in it, and it will consume and destroy any cause that normalises it as acceptable.


  1. Extreme obsessiveness regarding the group/leader resulting in the exclusion of almost every practical consideration.

  2. Individual identity, the group, the leader and/or God as distinct and separate categories of existence become increasingly blurred. Instead, in the follower's mind these identities become substantially and increasingly fused--as that person's involvement with the group/leader continues and deepens.

  3. Whenever the group/leader is criticised or questioned it is characterised as "persecution".

  4. Uncharacteristically stilted and seemingly programmed conversation and mannerisms, cloning of the group/leader in personal behaviour.

  5. Dependency upon the group/leader for problem solving, solutions, and definitions without meaningful reflective thought. A seeming inability to think independently or analyse situations without group/leader involvement.

  6. Hyperactivity centred on the group/leader agenda, which seems to supersede any personal goals or individual interests.

  7. A dramatic loss of spontaneity and sense of humour.

  8. Increasing isolation from family and old friends unless they demonstrate an interest in the group/leader.

  9. Anything the group/leader does can be justified no matter how harsh or harmful.

  10. Former followers are at best considered negative or worse, evil and under bad influences. They can not be trusted and personal contact is avoided.

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