The Right-Wing Alternative Fact Bubble Is Cult-Adjacent

What don't most conservatives realize? Answered by Peter Kruger

What I'm hearing in this post is the anguish of someone who holds an actual conservative philosophy, an actual system of values. I may not agree that conservatism is the way to go (I think the world is changing fast and we'd best change with it), but I have 100% respect for someone who holds that other system of values with honesty and open eyes.

The people he's angry about, who insist on calling themselves "conservatives" and who sully the name... they are not demonstrating that they hold a system of values. What they're demonstrating, I feel, is best summed up by the term "cult".

A strongly held view crosses over into becoming a cult when you insist on members holding beliefs regardless even of directly observable facts. Denying reality has no place in a system of values. Denying reality is not a philosophy, it's a deranged state of mind. Treating every inconvenient fact or observation as an attack by a vast conspiracy: that is a shield against reality, and probably ought to be considered a mental illness.

Driving out anyone who demonstrates insufficient devotion to the cause (so that the entire group becomes more extreme over time) is also cultish. So is caring only about the welfare of other cult members (so long as they're toeing the line and therefore worthy), and considering anyone else a valid target of all manner of abuse.

The sad thing is, once someone reaches the point where they vociferously deny any counter-evidence you put to them -- insisting that even journalists who pride themselves on their even-handedness are actually members of the evil conspiracy -- then I don't know how it is possible to get through to them.

Original Facebook post

Location: Waikoloa Village, HI, USA

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