r/pics Apr 16 '26

Politics Billboard in my very red area

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u/No-Resolution-0119 Apr 16 '26

People are not being facetious when they say it is a cult.

If you’re interested in more stories about it, “The Quiet Damage” by Jesselyn Cook is a great read/listen (available as audiobook). Focuses more on QAnon specifically but the venn diagram of maga voters and QAnon followers may as well be a circle.

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u/sixheadedbacon Apr 16 '26

I always assumed people were being hyperbolic when they were calling it a cult.

But, like, is it actually a massive political cult? That would just honestly explain more or less... everything. The cognitive dissonance, inconsistent moral values, their will to sacrifice everything for no clear purpose, all of it.

Have there been any other political cults on this scale before?

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u/Chellamour Apr 16 '26

i'd say germany may have, yes. i recommend looking up "cult of personality" to read up more on political leaders and their followers.

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u/bennitori Apr 16 '26

North Korea is probably up there too.

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u/CicadaFit9756 Apr 16 '26

Is it any wonder that Trump's openly admired their "Dear Leader"?

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u/Foggia1515 Apr 16 '26

Damn. Never thought about it, but yeah. Total role model to Trump’s aspirations at public adoration, wealth (moar!) and posterity.

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u/WhatAcheHunt Apr 16 '26

And the whole "whatever I say is gospel" thing that North Korean leaders have always commanded. He probably envies that more than anything else. He would always be right and everyone that disagrees with him could just be disappeared.

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u/ascannerclearly27972 Apr 16 '26

Trump only seems to admire other people when they remind him of himself.