Sunday, October 27, 2013

Is the GOP a "Kooky Cult" or a "Crime Syndicate"?

by Len Hart, The Existentialist Cowboy

As it is true of individuals, it is also true of groups: they are what they do! The GOP, like any other group or any individual is defined by what it has done over the years. I am of the opinion that most of what the GOP has "accomplished" has been harmful to American society over all and to individuals in specific cases. This includes the GOP's apparent disdain for the environment, its horrific record with respect to any "class" that is not fabulously wealthy. By its many acts and as many omissions, the GOP has created the ruling elite.

I have often called the GOP a "kooky cult, possibly a crime syndicate". Following are The defining characteristics of a cult according to Janja Lalich, Ph.D. & Michael D. Langone, Ph.D.
  • The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.
  • Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.
  • Mind-altering practices (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, and debilitating work routines) are used in excess and serve to suppress doubts about the group and its leader(s).
  • The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (for example, members must get permission to date, change jobs, marry—or leaders prescribe what types of clothes to wear, where to live, whether or not to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth).
  • The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s) and members (for example, the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity).
  • The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society. The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations).
  • The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members' participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before joining the group (for example, lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities).
  • The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt iin order to influence and/or control members. Often, this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion. Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before joining the group.
  • The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.
  • The group is preoccupied with making money. Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities. Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.
  • The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group.
  • They believe there is no other way to be, and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave (or even consider leaving) the group.
  • --Janja Lalich, Ph.D. & Michael D. Langone, Ph.D.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Crime Syndicate", and as its titular head Company man, it explains much of "Obwana's" US' representative aversion; for fear of termination with extreme prejudice.

LanceThruster said...

Is the GOP a "Kooky Cult" or a "Crime Syndicate"?

A: Yes!

Anonymous said...

Your definition seems to set out the criteria quite fitting for what I've observed by the Republican Party! C. Douglass here. A personal guideline reliable for many folks to practice in such analysis is the statement in the AA Big Book that there is a principle that if not followed will leave a woman / man in complete ignorance bound by that defect unable to comprehend much less practice rigorous honesty in all one's affairs: No contempt prior to investigation. Reading your blogs I believe you practice this principle prior to publication. Is it ironic that the party in my observation & investigation /analysis rarely practices this very principle? The failure to do so led me to a firm conclusion that ignorance drives their following. Ignorance coupled with an additional failure to value humanity vs operating proudly on the basis that as humans we must only be humane scares me. Seriously I'm an adult now. I've seen the intentional agenda to take away forget mere curtailment of the valuable Constitutional rights the past 30 years. I'm 47 but even at 16 I saw in the eager optimistic eyes of a young voter the hypocrisy of the Rs to claim their platform stood first and firm for the fight against governmental intrusion into the people's personal lives as their platform every election sought loud & proud for the exact opposite! As I aged I at times thought I'm nuts for thinking this but the end goal unstated is a police state. Now I've grounded my belief in that goal as reality after much investigation! Thanks for giving me a forum to tie back my apron strings and holler about the bad guys! Cathyd

Unknown said...

To Lance Thruster: thanks and welcome back. Always good to see your comments.

Re: anonymous who wrote: " No contempt prior to investigation. Reading your blogs I believe you practice this principle prior to publication."

The GOP's worst enemy is its own record. Anyone writing about the GOP need only tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. There is no need to make up anything as GOP crimes exceed all norms. They have skewed the curve. A cult? Yes! A crime syndicate? Yes! A lost cause? Without a doubt!

David B. Dancy said...

Amurican Badass!!!!!