Great piece. Prompts a question: What is the difference between a cult and a religion? I am not sure. But when I think of a cult, I think of something both small and secret, like one of those shadow organizations in a Dan Brown novel. Is, say, Buddhism a cult? What you describe for Fox and its viewers strikes me as being a religion. Not small, not secret. To be sure, religions tend to enjoy a wholesome glow of spirituality, which cults tend to miss, but religions also unite people into an us (believers) vs them (non-believers) and depend on faith not rationality. And of course the religious unity of people has been used to support rulers and war for thousands of years. For Fox and its viewers, I wonder if 'religion' is a better word than 'cult'? After all, many of us participate in a religion but I'd guess rather few belong to a cult. Musings for you. I enjoy your writing very much.
Thanks, I sent your book to Massachusetts btw. And I think it's cultish bc it relies on so much paranoia. Which in a way Evangelical Christianity is too. I dont know about Buddhism.
Yes! Thank you. The book made it to my home. Looking forward ! to reading when I return. Agreed that the MAGA/Fox world is deeply paranoid. Pizzagate anyone? But I don't know that paranoia defines cultism. I worry that using the word cult somehow trivializes the movement. A cult seems easier to dismiss (weird, crazy) than a religion, which is what grown ups do.
Nice job. It is a shame that the First Amendment ate the FCC. On par with a license to steal, it is a license to misinform, if not lie. As for Juliet Jeske, you could not pay me to watch Fox "News."
I love what you write - every time! You cut to the quick and it's beyond time for doing that. Thank you and as soon as I can I will subscribe...yours truly, a less-than wealthy senior...and I share!!
Great summary that meshes perfectly with what narcissist psychology tells us. - "Fox News (is) a “cultic programming” vehicle. Fox News viewers are isolated in their own information, & it’s all about generating fear. They are exposed to a continuous expansion & repetition of a certain way of looking at the world. The ideas themselves are not as important as feeding certain emotional needs.” - Dr. Bandi Lee
Great piece. Prompts a question: What is the difference between a cult and a religion? I am not sure. But when I think of a cult, I think of something both small and secret, like one of those shadow organizations in a Dan Brown novel. Is, say, Buddhism a cult? What you describe for Fox and its viewers strikes me as being a religion. Not small, not secret. To be sure, religions tend to enjoy a wholesome glow of spirituality, which cults tend to miss, but religions also unite people into an us (believers) vs them (non-believers) and depend on faith not rationality. And of course the religious unity of people has been used to support rulers and war for thousands of years. For Fox and its viewers, I wonder if 'religion' is a better word than 'cult'? After all, many of us participate in a religion but I'd guess rather few belong to a cult. Musings for you. I enjoy your writing very much.
Thanks, I sent your book to Massachusetts btw. And I think it's cultish bc it relies on so much paranoia. Which in a way Evangelical Christianity is too. I dont know about Buddhism.
Yes! Thank you. The book made it to my home. Looking forward ! to reading when I return. Agreed that the MAGA/Fox world is deeply paranoid. Pizzagate anyone? But I don't know that paranoia defines cultism. I worry that using the word cult somehow trivializes the movement. A cult seems easier to dismiss (weird, crazy) than a religion, which is what grown ups do.
Nice job. It is a shame that the First Amendment ate the FCC. On par with a license to steal, it is a license to misinform, if not lie. As for Juliet Jeske, you could not pay me to watch Fox "News."
She has a grant I think. But yeh.
Luv that Archie Bunker sentence about the 'bottom feeders' addicted to fake newz....and low info. voters.
I love what you write - every time! You cut to the quick and it's beyond time for doing that. Thank you and as soon as I can I will subscribe...yours truly, a less-than wealthy senior...and I share!!
Thank you! That means a lot, and of course sharing is as almost as good as subscribing.
I doubt cable can dump Fox because football (the American variety.) Despair!
Exactly.
Trump destroys everything he touches. He should not be allowed to wreck people's lives https://youtu.be/k9RweR9EUSg?si=QnksH5C2eo74XKnV
Great summary that meshes perfectly with what narcissist psychology tells us. - "Fox News (is) a “cultic programming” vehicle. Fox News viewers are isolated in their own information, & it’s all about generating fear. They are exposed to a continuous expansion & repetition of a certain way of looking at the world. The ideas themselves are not as important as feeding certain emotional needs.” - Dr. Bandi Lee
If SCOTUS does rule Trump immune from accountability for crimes, the first thing Biden should due is take Fox off the air