Re:My favorite nonfiction books about cults, scams, and schemes
by groundzeros2015 on Sunday August 23, 2026 @04:09PM
(#49412134)
I think you’re correct that mainstream leaders of the parties try not to talk about each other in that way and mostly succeed. But I absolutely do know family members and friends treat it with that level of zeal.
Re:My favorite nonfiction books about cults, scams, and schemes
by kstrauser on Sunday August 23, 2026 @06:08PM
(#49413115)
I think that's true of just darn near everything. People are tribal and tend to get uncomfortable when people around them change:
* Their political parties
* Their religions
* Their diets (meat => vegan, or vice versa)
* Their music
* Their computer OS
None of those compare to cult shunning, which is more systematic and absolute. I mentioned in another comment that my parents were sad when I stopped going to church. That's got nothing on having one's entire family and support groups ceasing to publicly acknowledge their existence.
Re:My favorite nonfiction books about cults, scams, and schemes
by groundzeros2015 on Sunday August 23, 2026 @07:56PM
(#49413778)
> None of those compare to cult shunning
I absolutely disagree. I’ve seen cult shunning and if there is a version which has mass appeal now it’s politics.
Perhaps if you are saying attacks of politicians switching parties, which I could see. But I don't think I've ever heard of republicans talking about exrepublicans or democrats talking about exdemocrats. I personally have switched from voting republican to voting democrat. It's not something my family really cares about and I still have good relations with them even though a number of them are pretty MAGA.
Cults will actually have lessons and classes about the evils of ex members. Someone brought up JWs and that's a pretty good example of what I'm thinking of.