You’ll often hear it said — indeed I’ve said it myself — that Trumpism is a death cult.
The MAGA faithful, on this account, are so beholden to their leader that not only would they forgive him for shooting someone on 5th Avenue — the scenario Trump himself conjured during the 2016 campaign — but they would line up to be shot, if it were deemed necessary for the cause.
But the death cult analogy is wrong. Death cults tend to be suicidal. Think People’s Temple and Jim Jones. Think Heaven’s Gate, with their black Nikes and purple death shrouds. And at first blush, perhaps the analogy seems to fit when it comes to Trumpsters. In the wake of COVID, the faithful insist they would be willing to sacrifice their lives for the sake of the economy. Thus, they call for an end to social distancing and the re-opening of everything as soon as possible.
Glenn Beck has said he would “rather die than kill the country,” and suggested that people like himself who are older should go out and keep the economy moving, even if they all get sick, for the good of coming generations.
