Glenn Beck, Cult Leader

Democracy Corps did a series of focus-groups with movement conservatives in Georgia and found them happily living in their own special reality. "Democrats may joke that Republicans seem to live on a different planet sometimes," their report says, "but in some important ways, these Republicans would happily agree."

If you haven't read the results, I suggest you take the time (PDF). It's only a few pages long and confirms a theory I've held since last summer: the conservative movement has become a cult, and Glenn Beck is their cult leader.

More than half of the respondents in our conservative Republicans groups indicated that they try to watch or listen to Beck on a daily basis, with some going to great lengths to ensure they (and their families) do not miss a thing. (Emphasis mine)

 

Cults are personality-based, and therefore a natural fit for a movement built on charismatic politics. Sarah Palin may have plummeting approval numbers, but her fanatics are undeterred from their loyalty because she is a proud member of their movement and speaks to their world-view.

The report digs into the strange belief system of the Glenn Beck cult. While I am not suggesting Beck exudes some form of hypnotism over anyone, his audience chooses to believe his simple, Manichean, black-and-white world-view because it is convenient to their frightened little minds. It's how they wish the world worked.

And as we've seen with the Junior Bush experiment, they actually govern as if the world worked that way.

Yes, I realize the word "cult" is a loaded word in these days of sweat-lodge suffocation, but consider the characteristics of cults.

Cults control and filter information to deter and discourage debate or dissension. Prayer, meditation, and study sessions make the cult victim dependent on fellow cultists for their view of reality. Invariably, this focuses on "special knowledge" that outsiders lack. So what are we to make of this?

A central part of the collective identity built by conservative Republicans in the current political environment is their belief that they possess knowledge and insight that the majority of Americans – whether too lazy or too misguided to find it for themselves – do not possess. A combination of conservative media outlets are the means by which they have gained this knowledge, led by FOX News (“the truth tellers“), and to a lesser degree conservative talk radio. Their antipathy and distrust toward the mainstream media could not be stronger, and they fiercely defend FOX as the only truly objective news outlet.

Several of the women particularly talked about becoming a sort of truth police, spending a great deal of their personal time and energy watching FOX to get the real stories, then turning to CNN, MSNBC, and the networks to document their failure to cover the “real truth.” It was unclear what they did with this information once gathered, other than share it with others within this group. (Emphasis mine)

Now, it isn't that Glenn Beck is altering the signal of other news providers. But his viewers have internalized his filter and apply it to everything else they watch. Again, bear in mind that this is a cult of the willing; Beck tells them what they want to hear, and claims he is the only one telling the truth.

In a cult, the sole source of legitimacy is loyalty to the leader. So when the study says conservatives revere Ronald Reagan, see every Republican presidency since 1989 as a "betrayal" of his legacy, and that Glenn Beck receives "nothing short of adulation" from the tea party demographic, you begin to understand what I'm talking about:

Two aspects of the discussion on Beck among conservative Republicans were particularly noteworthy. One was a common fear among the women for his personal safety, a belief that his willingness to stand up to powerful liberal interests was putting his life, as well as the lives of those working with him, in danger. Of course, his willingness to face this danger head on only adds to his legend. (Emphasis mine)

And how do they know Beck is in danger? Why, because he tells them so. And he is always right. See how that works?

As if in answer to the study, Beck was spotted Monday night with an armed bodyguard at a Broadway show. Such an ostentatious, public display is an indication Beck is aware of his cult status -- and actively courting it. Indeed, cult leaders thrive on perceived personal danger. The outside world is evil, after all, and its evidences not to be trusted.

Another cult characteristic is skewed normative psychology. For example, cults dress and behave differently; such differences are intended to uphold a set of values. The values being pushed by the conservative movement are no longer majority issues, yet the movement insists those values are not only traditional, but universal. Indeed, their way of life is the only normal way to live -- and more importantly, they believe their way of life is under siege:

In our focus group discussions, we quickly noted how they routinely used plural first person pronouns to describe a group of individuals (including all those in the room but extending far beyond those walls) who share a set of beliefs, knowledge, and commitment to oppose Obama that sets them apart from the majority of the country.

[...]

Conservative Republicans passionately believe that they represent a group of people who have been targeted by a popular culture and set of liberal elites – embodied in the liberal mainstream media – that mock their values and are actively working to advance the downfall of the things that matter most to them in their lives – their faith, their families, their country, and their freedom. (Emphasis mine)

That emphasis on first principles is invariable among cults. Every cult offers special knowledge that is ancient, immutable, and (of course) the original answer. The Glenn Beck cult believes the current President of the United States is not only opposed to America and the Constitution, but to their very way of life. He is a sinister threat to their faith.

Put simply, Obama hates God; he's the antichrist.

There is no doubt in their minds that the ultimate goal of this strategy is to change our country to a socialist nation. In their minds, this is the key to truly understanding the Obama presidency and what is happening in our country today. Everything goes back to government control and Obama (aided by Democrats in Congress and the liberal media) seeking to systematically strip away individual rights and insert government into every aspect of our daily lives. (Emphasis mine)

But the most frightening cult characteristic of movement conservatives is the willingness to isolate themselves. Granted, so far the Beck cult just practices ideological isolation. But the time to be scared is when Jim Jones takes his flock to Guyana wrapped in the rhetoric of apocalyptic doom:

This concern combines with a profound sense of collective identity. In our conversations, it was striking how these voters constantly characterized themselves as part of a group of individuals who share a set of beliefs, a unique knowledge, and a commitment of opposition to Obama that sets them apart from the majority of the country. They readily identify themselves as a minority in this country... (Emphasis mine)

The Cult of Beck believes in a secret, global conspiracy that connived across time and space to put a foreigner in the White House. They believe Barack Obama is a liar -- about absolutely everything:

We find further evidence of this pattern of deception in questions they believe have not been adequately answered or investigated about Obama’s background, including his place of birth, his education, the authorship of his books, the degree of his associations with controversial figures including William Ayers and Jeremiah Wright, his work as a community organizer, his links to ACORN, and his service in the Illinois legislature. Again, they see a unique pattern of secrecy and subterfuge, abetted by either incompetence or willful neglect by the mainstream media.

Got that? They're not racists; they just think Obama isn't a real American because of his dad being, you know, an African. Beck does not debunk the birthers, he just subsumes the race issue with red-baiting. It's a page right out of the right-wing race-politics playbook. Beck enables this subtle racism of his audience and deflects the whole thing to Valerie Jarrett's choice of quotations.

The Beck Cult is actively rooting for Obama to fail. They think of Obama as a puppet in the hands of liberal elitists. The logic is impeccably circular and immune to facts in what I have called "The Samsara of Wacky." Obama is evil; but he's not the real evil, he's just the puppet of evil.

Conservative Republicans do not oppose Obama’s policies simply because they think they are misguided or out of partisan fervor. Rather, they believe his policies are purposely designed to fail. When they look at the totality of his agenda, they see a deliberate effort to drive our country so deep into debt, to make the majority of Americans so dependent on the government, and to strip away so many basic constitutional rights that we are too weak to fight back and have to accept whatever solution he proposes.

Got that? Obama is trying to fail so we can be taken over by...well, by them. (Believe me, trying to keep up with an explanation of "them" is like trying to understand Tolkien's Silmarillion). "They" want to control our minds to take away our faith:

Fear of government control is at the heart of virtually all of the concerns raised by these voters about Obama’s agenda, and it is literally a fear of two things – government and control. They see government as inefficient, ineffective, and corrupt and believe it preys on the middle class and ‘hard-working Americans.’

Mind you, the Democracy Corps study gives Republicans no reason to celebrate. The conservative movement has "virtually nothing positive to say" about the GOP. The study found a clear disconnect between national party leaders and movement voters, who "could not have been more negative."

No wonder the GOP "brand" is at an all-time low. Ever since the "tea parties" began, I have been saying this would happen. The Republicans Party faces a dilemma: either pander to this new, paranoid Cult of Beck, or disown its base. As David Corn put it:

GOP chairman Michael Steele, Republican congressional leaders, and the party's 2012 presidential contenders will have a tough time remaining in the real world while courting conservatives who reside somewhere else. But if GOP leaders don't join the underground movement hailed by these conservatives, won't that indicate that they, too, are part of the Obama conspiracy?

To which I say: Quod erat demonstratum! If there's anything we should understand about the monster being unleashed by Glenn Beck, it's that the Cult of Beck already thinks Democrats and Republicans work for the same side.

A "movement" that actually believes this nonsense is not a safe foundation for a political party. It is quicksand.

 

 

Osborne Ink is a Website of Media Deconstruction

 

 

Follow Matt Osborne on Twitter: www.twitter.com/OsborneInk

Comments

[ZIRGAR]

Matt, I disagree with you here: "But the time to be scared is when Jim Jones takes his flock to Guyana wrapped in the rhetoric of apocalyptic doom"...

I think that's the time for the sane among us to rejoice because these nuts finally left and the country will at last be run by sensible, reasonable souls and the nuts can have their own land, probably in Siberia to do with what they will. They can blow up the taiga, tundra and permafrost and have their little apocalyptical war dance and time share with the Yakuts and Mongols of the region.

[DangerClose]

Im happily living in my own special reality..... Ive never taken a penny of government aid. No welfare, no pell grant, section 8, food stamp etc. Im conservative and believe an individual rises and falls by the choices they make, and by the life they lead. If that makes me a member of a "cult" so be it .... I'll wear like a badge of honor ......

[gschear]

Your argument is that all anyone need do is work hard and choose correctly and they will do well.
There are people who work hard and do their best but they still end up in very bad situations.
I am sure that being a realistic conservative your response is that not everyone can succeed. Some have to lose so that some may win. I am happy that things are going well in your reality but I know things are not going well in many other peoples realities. I also know that in a country as rich as this one, we can afford to look after the least of us. Our current economic troubles are the direct result of the the incredible greed and sense of entitlement, not among the poor but among the very rich practicing the rules of your reality, "I've got mine" You go ahead and wear your badge of honor My intention is to make sure that my brothers and sisters are at least kept whole enough that they can strive to improve themselves. Pay it forward.

[DangerClose]

life aint fair....

[gschear]

The danger here is that they find an issue which could gain traction, deserved or undeserved. The last sentence of Matt's post may point to that issue. The perception that the Republicans and the Democrats may serve the same masters. From the left it is easy to see that both parties do in fact vigorously serve corporate interests. If the Democrats are unable or unwilling to buck corporate interest to make social progress then the center may reject them. If some conservatives are setting themselves up as an alternative to Republicans and Democrats then that will be seen by the casual, low information, nonaligned voter as an alternative. Witness the House race in New York in which Palin and other conservatives have backed a non-GOP conservative over the Party nominee.
We ignore this at our own peril. This is the same nation, after all, that elected Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush.

[nexxtep54]

Cult Leader = Rupert Murdoch

Cult Minion = Glen Beck

[Cedman]

Here is how we solve the problem to everyone's satisfaction: Invite the entire movement to have its own state free of federal government intervention. As a show of faith will let them have the largest one - Alaska. It has lots of land and resources where they can hunt and fish to their hearts content. They could choose their own supreme governess - any ideas? There would be only a small percentage of minorities, assuming they did not leave or are expelled. Finally, they could adopt only those portions of the Constitution and Bible that reflect God's true purpose and restrict any network that televised or promoted content not in keeping with their values. They would still enjoy all the rights and priviileges of other Americans except the right to vote in national elections and, we would ask that they have an Alaskan passport for travel to the lower 49 states.

[MimiGardner]

I recall the judge who heard Orly Taitz's birther case commented it had "an Alice in Wonderland" quality about it. I think the same could be said about the conservatives' world view in general.

[Matt Osborne - Huffpost Blogger]

I attempted to evoke the judge's approach with the line about Tolkien. Perhaps I should have been clearer, but I didn't want to get sidetracked by Birtherism.

[booker52]

Has everyone heard the lastest false hood from Beck?? He is telling those who will listen and believe his drivel that the President saved GM because he wants to spy on everyone via OnStar!!!!

[MajorKong]

Ha! The joke is on him. My (very stylish) tinfoil fedora protects me from OnStar!

[Matt Osborne - Huffpost Blogger]

Yes, I'm working on a post at my site on that topic this weekend.

Facts have SUCH a liberal bias...

[Neuromaster]

Clearly the fair and balanced thing to do is look at both sides of the issue. The American public deserves to know the truth. I suggest that the media present experts from both sides of the issue and present their case: Is Obama trying to spy on you with OnStar or not? They report, we decide.

[joejets19]

He never said the president saved GM because he wants to spy on everyone via OnStar, he just said that there is technology that makes it physically possible. I would love to hear what the factual argument is. All of the technology is there, but will it ever happen can never be proven either way, unless it happens.

[TRYKER]

A Cult...its Beck's Heaven. He always wanted a following and didn't care how he got it...he is lapping it up. Let's encourage him and pump him up and up until he collapses, like all cults do. When his followers finally learn they have been thoroughly duped, they really aren't going to like that...the effects will reverberate for decades.
In fact, it looks like this right wing cult-a-thon is actually a devious left-wing project to reduce the Republican party to a mindless ranting wreck.
Already down to 20% of the country, marginalized to the point where they will continue to lose seats in the House and the Senate...swallowing their own poisonous kool aid will only doom them further .
America is a progressive Nation, progress is our name, our fame.
Having the obstruction gang of liars out of our way, America can do what she has needed to do for 60 years...Progress.
America will choose to save people through health care over choosing to build more bombs for the war profiteers to kill at will - anyone - in any nation.
America will close the lobbyist-b­ribers-hav­en and install public funding for elections.
America will tax the rich their fair share for once.
This right wing madness is ushering in a whole new world...yess!

[jasper48]

"Fear of government control is at the heart of virtually all of the concerns raised by these voters about Obama’s agenda, and it is literally a fear of two things – government and control."

This quote, from the report, though pretty much right on, is not what I believe to be the most important statement in this piece, nor the complete picture.....

" 'They' want to control our minds to take away our faith:" ------- Now this is the "Motherload" statement.

The same way that Grover Norquist (http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Grover_Norquist) would like to reduce the size of government, "down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub.", these "People" believe that their Evangelical Faith is their guiding light, and most important aspect of their life to be defended, and guarded at all cost. Nothing comes before "THEIR' God. They share their God with no-one, especially not the government.

To lose sight of this simple fact is to be blind to the TRUE danger they present.
I'm not talking against religions in general here, just that unless, and until, these "Evangelical Taliban" are marginalized, this horror show will continue.

[jasper48]

Sorry ! The connection to the Norquist statement has to do
with the fact that they believe their faith is under siege, and
subject to being killed off by "Obama and his government minions".

[MajorKong]

One of my co-workers would start just about any conversation with "Glenn Beck said last night....."

I finally had to tell him "Look, I'm more than willing to listen to YOUR ideas and opinions but not if it's just going to be a rehash of last night's Glenn Beck show".

[atienne]

Right, small town local papers don't want to be 'liberal' papers. I fight back with facts and source it. They never right back to fight me, cowards!!

[atienne]

You should see the craziness by the Beckintologists in our local paper...they believe everything he says, write letters to the paper under the guise of the 'truth' and no matter how many FACTS you throw their way, they refuse to believe in anything other than what they learn from their master.

That is just how cults form. You mislead your flock (viewers) for your own gain (ratings & money). You gain their trust and tell them whatever you want.

Same with the Palinheads. No matter what proof is right in front of their faces, they believe and follow this person and it's rather scary.

[DevonTexas]

to some there's Truth that stands on facts and corraboration.
To Beck-types, the truth is whatever one believes and requires only "faith" in the absence of facts.

[KindOne]

Part of the problems is I recognize one of the people in the video and respect him a lot. You call him nonsense, you better be willing to defend yourself.

[Matt Osborne - Huffpost Blogger]

Let me guess: Alex Jones.

Try this: try calling his show and asking him about the Vatican and pedophile priests. Ask him about Opus Dei. You will find out that the only organization in the world Jones refuses to criticize is his church.

[aurora50]

I tried to connect this post to the discussion at the Palin Rogue/Rouge site and somehow the link was not made.

Am very glad you are not letting this report slip into the timestream unnoticed.

We live in perilous times.

[tomas0808]

The only reason these nutjobs have any credibility at all is because the economically their ideas make a little sense to both sides. The position on the values of Americans holds no water anymore, but they take a position that they are the only ones willing to stand up to the corporations and their supposed liberal comrades. If Obama can stand up to the corps (which I think he is doing) eventually the cult will collapse. They will have no more reason for existence