Brilliant piece from @shekhatgupta on Modi ji’s messaging to the gullible. Each time he ask the gullible 2 do something - like lighting lamps - he makes them surrender their rationality, makes them complicit in his act, in fact making them own it. 1/2 https://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/shekhar-gupta-modi-and-his-politics-of-messaging-120040400064_1.html

This is standard cult recruitment trick whereby a recruiter induces you to do simple things for him to initiate you into the cult. It helps that this is done when you are terrible stressed, confused & therefore more likely to surrender your rationality 2 the recruiter.

Once you surrender your rationality in such a simple act, you automatically become obligated to defend it. Which is why new recruits to cult are so fanatical about defending it. By these simple tricks, Modi ji cultivates a “cult” that will do anything to defend him.

By now Modi ji has a sizeable number of such gullible cultish followers who will do anything to defend from criticism from others, no matter how justified such criticism may be.

Creating a cult is more science than art. And Modi ji’s methods are a text book case to follow.