[Free Vulcan]

Very good article into how they think, and their hypocrisy.

[edcoil]

btt

[danielmryan]

Thanks a lot...only I think it's worse than hypocrisy. People who lie to you know that they're lying, so they restrain themselves a little bit becasue they're afraid of being caught. Not so for people who lie to themselves: they're beyond worrying.

Fanatics are always sincere, and show an unlimited credulity towards their leaders. Any liars in the global-warming movement are at the top. Even they might be lying to themselves.

Con men tend to respect people who see through their shinola. If you play them right, they'll admit the truth to you and even offer you a place in the con. Not so for the people who lie to themselves. Instead, they show a certain obtusity with respect to the truth. Instead of "all right, you got me", they tend to fog out or unveil a talking-point somewhat robotically unless they're polished and practiced at mollfying skeptics.

If you haven't, you should read The True Believer by Eric Hoffer. It's a short book, but packed with profundity.

[danielmryan]

I should add something else. In full-blown cults, you'll see real full-blown doublethink at the top. On the one hand, they'll acknowledge that they keep certain dogmas (and truths) away from the rank and file. In that mode, they're like any other con artist. On the other hand, they'll fanatically insist that they do so because the rank and file aren't ready, or don't deserve to hear, or whatnot. That combination of flim-flam and deadly sincerity in the cult leadership are what make cults so dangerous.

Some cult leaders are "sincere" psychopaths.