A recent poll reveals that 17% of Americans say they trust and support Donald J Trump today. Many see that number and think That’s progress! He won the popular vote in 2024. His behaviors and policies are causing schisms among Republican voters. Democrats will win midterms elections by landslides. Others like me see that number and think What the fuck is wrong with Americans?!
MAGA was never popular within most American communities, among most American groups. Most of the U.S. sees Donald J Trump since the early 1980s as a con, shyster, an entitled wealthy brat, a liar, and a braggadocious imbecile. Movements like MAGA and men like Trump normally come and go very quickly. While U.S. history is replete with stories of loathsome men rising to seats of power and movements gaining undeserved approval, the loathsome men and equally odious political/religious movements had short lives. Loud mouths, fame, and fortune attract many Americans, but they’re easily bored with those who flaunt their wealth and privilege. That’s why successful politicians and entertainers – the true stars of American culture -- often resort to ‘Comeback’ events. They’ve fallen from popularity. We love a ‘comeback’ story. Elvis let Hollywood ruin his creative musical talents throughout the 1960s, then he returned to concert performances in the 1970s. But it was too late for him to reverse the harmful effects of self-indulgence.
So why did our nation allow MAGA and its cult leader, Donald J Trump, to rise to power in many states and in our national government? They were offensive in every way except the important one…they used fame. People in modern societies seldom earn fame; fame is gifted to the individual (movement, idea, group, product) and fame grows from the gift. The gift is a package. A benefactor sees potential and uses various marketing strategies to create a famous person. Backers benefit from the transactions; the famous person benefits because they must only maintain fame. The scheme works for as long as both backers and famous entities uphold their reciprocal bargains.
Where does the audience fit into this bargain? The audience must be ready to receive the package. Elvis was not the first person to swing his hips and sing sexy rock-n-roll on stage. His style was not original. But his audience was ready. Black Americans had been performing and recording rock, blues, and jazz for two decades before Elvis stood on a stage. The Big Band sounds during the WWII era introduced music to which white Americans could dance and dream dirty. When Elvis’ beautiful white body and voice performed for white Americans, his style received an appreciation and acceptance that had been denied to Black performers for years. Once the audience accepts the package, the backers look for new ways to profit on the fame.
Donald J Trump, utterly imbecilic and repugnant, found himself in a famous television show, The Apprentice. The backers took a man whose name had become synonymous with business, profit, excess, and sex and installed him on a scripted show about business, profit, excess, and sex. The lies, misinformation, gaslighting, and sexual predation also synonymous with Trump made no difference to the backers. His fame – no matter that it existed on lies -- was going to make them wealthier. His job was to read the scripts and play the role they created for him.
The audience? They bought the package: hook, line, and sinker. Why? Because Americans, a people already becharmed by images of ‘He started out with nothing and built a successful empire’ ‘He commands people with his wit, male strength, and magnetism’ and ‘He is unique; men want to be him, and women want him to rape them’ were easily duped. Why? Because the film industry built its fortunes on the ‘strongman’ image. Because Americans since the Reagan era believed in the ‘trickle down’ promises. Because for-profit, corporate-owned television and radio news outlets were increasingly misinforming the American public. Because white Christian evangelicals had risen in political power and influence since the Republican party embraced Christian Nationalism, and they were laying the groundwork from their pulpits and media for an American savior. Because Americans were willing to compromise their freedoms for war, white Christian supremacy, and immigration enforcement.
Cult Mindset is learned, not inherited, not natural, not logical, not essential, not respectable. This is my definition of Cult Mindset:
MAGA is not the first political/religious cult, and it will not be the last. When individuals desire power to enact their extreme policies, they allure the masses via religious teachings. When groups desire power to exact revenge on others, they convince the masses via religious text. Religions train the followers to humble themselves to teachings, rituals, and leaders. Religions train their followers to fear the consequences of dissent, skepticism, questioning, or rebellion. All the despots and dictators and emperors of the ages have used religion to control the people and hold onto power. The MAGA movement, a political arm of the Christian Nationalist movement, is no different.
What must happen to grow generations of citizens who eschew Cult Mindset? I humbly submit some ideas that might or might not merit open discussion: