"You set up a worldview in which the sort of true believers are pitted against the [wishy washy] fans. The way you sort them out is by increasingly extreme lies. And the lies you buy into have some social costs outside of the movement.

So if you are one of the people who said, yes, this was the biggest crowd on innaugauration day back in January 20th, 2017, that was the first lie. And they got much, much crazier over time.

People make their identity part of this member only group and they signal it.

Because they've bought into so many crazy lies and so much outlandish behaviour, the breaking point becomes much higher. It becomes impossible for someone to jump ship. The cost is raises so high, it creates cohesion." - Brian Klaas on how the MAGA Movement operates like a cult