Most of us here at Kos have the same opinion of Glenn Beck and it is "not a good one." But the people he affects more than us - because we know enough not to trust him - are the ones who have a desire to be a part of something...these likeminded folks have a simple way of expressing a need of belonging...hate and anger are simple...they have to do something, anything, even if it has a negative outcome. No need to think or lead, just follow and belong to...Glenn....their leader.
Cult Leader and Coward Glenn Beck knowingly and intentionally uses the airwaves as a conduit to channel his hate and paranoia to the weakest and most ill informed of our society. He preaches his hate, fear and violence...he gathers together a willing people who are listening to his words every day...day after day after day...slowly drowning out all reason and reality. They become devoted to him...and need reinforcement from him... constantly needing a fix.
Beck preys on certain groups of people...he knows that they will anxiously await their orders from him. His followers/victims are easily led...they have become a part of this powerful and manipulative man... Beck's goal is to continue to hold hostage this group of people...people that have such a belief in him and his words, that no matter what, they will support him. Even if some are harmed or killed, they only hear the words of their leader.
The health care reform town hall meetings and the tea party rallies are a good example of rabid brainwashing and most certainly...have one thing in common... when a teabagger/death-er/birth-er is asked a question... "why are you here and what do you want?" Most answers are a repeat of what Glenn Beck has told them they want. How could they answer verbatim otherwise. They are convinced of their mission. Again and again we hear a repeat of words originating out of the mouth of their leader...vile and evil words that Beck himself must believe inside his heart & soul...He is a Cult Leader of mass destruction. That is his calling...and Fox News will be an accessory to the social discourse that Glenn Beck is stirring up which I fear may eventually lead to many lost lives and possibly the destruction of our society.
Cult Leaders/Followers are generally set in a fixed location/place where that type of a brainwashed culture feeds off one another...living in a commune with a cult leader is a constant reminder of what their responsibilities are to him...and consumes them. Action/Reaction. Iteration to the end....and sometimes a violent end at that...David Kor-esh (Waco-TX)...What we have now is that Beck's followers are scattered and are many among us...some our neighbors or family members....
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
Studies of the psychological aspects of cults focus on the individual person, and factors relating to the choice to become involved as well as the subsequent effects on individuals. Under one view, an important factor is coercive persuasion which suppresses the ability of people to reason, think critically, and make choices in their own best interest.
Studies of religious, political, and other cults have identified a number of key steps in this type of coercive persuasion:[29][30]
People are put in physically or emotionally distressing situations;
Their problems are reduced to one simple explanation, which is repeatedly emphasized;
They receive unconditional love, acceptance, and attention from a charismatic leader;
They get a new identity based on the group;
They are subject to entrapment (isolation from friends, relatives, and the mainstream culture) and their access to information is severely controlled.[31
And just as any Cult Leader wants and demands... power and validation, he himself now must continue on with his "duty."
Quote by: Margaret Thaler Singer
"The wisdom of the ages is that most manipulation is subtle and covert. When Orwell drew on this wisdom, he envisioned the evolution of an insidious but successful mind and opinion manipulator. He would appear as a smiling, seemingly beneficent Big Brother. But instead of one Big Brother, we see hordes of Big Brothers in the world today. Many of them are cult leaders."
Unite for the fight. Hope is on our side.