Cult of Personality

This is based upon a foundation of hypnotic states induced in its devotees. The hypnotic leader, be he an abusive husband, religious leader, or politician, induces these states by inciting resentment and guilt in his subjects and manifesting charisma that induces an excitement in them by causing them to believe that he can free them from these painful emotions. Their guilt, resentment and excitement are sufficient to cause the subjects to to deny various obvious facts, as they must do if they are to persist in believing that they should follow the hypnotic leader.

There are three ways to disrupt the hypnotic state. The first is epistemic: reasoning, thinking, and re-evaluating the evidence. Obviously, by the vary nature of the hypnotic state, it isn't likely to work. Also, it doesn't make one resilient to the next attempt to prey upon one's resentments and guilt.

The second way to disrupt the hypnotic state is psychosomatic: by sitting quietly and refocus the hypnotic state upon one's own conscience, body and mind, training it away from thoughts of the leader, allowing the excitement to abate and the guilt and resentment dissipate. This way is more prophylactic, making future encounters with hypnotic leaders unlikely to have the pernicious effect.

The third way is to tire of the hypnotic leader's charisma and allow one's hypnotic focus to be captured by another hypnotic leader or by preoccupations with behaviors that offer temporary respite from the resentment and guilt (intoxicants, television, and other diversions, even one's career or hobbies.) Of course, this third way offers no freedom from pernicious hypnotic states. It merely disrupts one in order to substitute in another.