Ok, so bear with me here, because this comment is going to be so far off the planet of this post, it's not even funny.

However, as I was reading it, I had an epiphany. (Don't ya just love it when that happens?!?!)

Anyway, what you described with all the political propaganda and BS is exactly how abusive men (and women) gain control over their victims. Separating them from friends and family so all they know is their abuser.

Not to mention, the exact same thing can be said for victims who end up with Stockholm Syndrome, protecting their captor.

All of it is just in the shaping of someone's personality. It's just breaking down another's will until there is so little of themselves they are merely a shadow of what they once were and incapable of formulating their own throughts. They are all just...owned.

Cults of conformity, even if the victim is alone.

Scary.

BTW - right there with you on politics. Someone asks me my affiliation and I get a deer in the headlights look and change the subject. Or start ranting they should all be fired and we should just start over. Depends on my mood. 😏