To the Editor:
I wish we would stop calling the people who believe in Trump, cultists. By calling them cultists, we automatically shut down any rational communications we might have with them. It gets their hackles up and puts their tribal defense mechanisms into overdrive. As it would the rest of us. It causes the “non cultist” to immediately assume the diminished value of what the “accused” might believe and their reasoning for such beliefs. Hence, no communication in both directions. It also demeans the “accusers” and cheapens their own arguments.
I have done this myself in the past, but I’m not going to do it anymore. Here’s why.
The word itself is defined, according to Webster’s Dictionary, as: a small religious group that is not part of a larger and more accepted religion and that has beliefs regarded by many people as extreme or dangerous. : a situation in which people admire and care about something or someone very much, or too much.
Now let’s parse that definition. First, a small religious group that is not part of a larger and more accepted religion and that has beliefs regarded by many people as extreme or dangerous. You can be a Trump supporter and not be a religious person or even a religious fanatic. Just because many of his fandom happen to be, not all are, but it helps. And, really, how extreme or dangerous can any of this be? Hmmmm.
Second; a situation in which people admire and care about something or someone very much, or too much. This is even shakier ground for my decision, because it does not “say” political or patriotic situations. However, if you include those terms, I guess you might construe his followers that think they are patriotic and political “saviors” as members of a cult.
Oops, I think I just talked myself into calling it a cult again. Please ignore this post.
Art Cavaliere
Village of St. Charles
