Veracious02/28/2021
Again: ego; narcissistic pride. The hypocrisy is blind to her. There's no way others were misled by her or them (she and they are too honorable), but the hate media (which is dishonorable) tricked her.
Raniere has played on the vulnerabilities and narcissistic tendencies of these women (is it really a surprise that a former working actress is the most vocal of his supporters on social media?), and has convinced them that they are superior to other women because they are prime examples of ones who fully use their agency and take responsibility for their choices and actions in a society that treats them like children, when it's just been a manipulative “game” of control for his own purposes all along. The irony is subtle but it's an undercurrent in all of the schemes he plans, i.e., to twist virtuous, abstract principles such as justice, agency, ethics, critical thinking, etc., for his machinations. He has these women “seal-barking” about these terms because he's deceived them into believing (through years of cultic isolation and manipulative, suggestive, indoctrinating course work) that this makes them better than other women because they have “chosen” to be strong in a society that panders to and babies women. But where is any of the data for the latter? Sure, good looking, wealthy, of status, men and women, etc. sometimes get away with things more than your normal average Joe or Jane, but that's hardly any indication for their over-generalizations. This has happened throughout history and in many different cultures and societies.
Sociopaths “get off” on things like this–preying on others, fooling, using and/or abusing them, etc. What kind of real ethical leader does any of the following things? Forces a follower to grow her hair almost to her feet (abusing her apparent love for him) and socially isolates and humiliates another in a room for two years for “ethical breaches” against him. Comes up with degrading nicknames for his (female) followers. Jokes about the vagina as a “fish” hole. “Helps” to create an animated film where a character with his name in an anagram turns out to be the trickster who fools an unsuspecting character who is a follower who puts his trust into him.
These women are in full-blown cognitive dissonance mode. Even if they had chosen freely and willingly to be part of Raniere's ridiculous harem, other women were obviously blackmailed, manipulated, lied to, deceived, victimized, etc., and that is why their leader is in prison, and not just because of hate or his lifestyle choices which is what drove him to do all of this although they most certainly didn't help his case. They were also willing agents in that process. They're “all in” because they've built narcissistic walls around themselves to actually believe that they're that small set of people referenced in Mead's famous quote often quoted by NXIVM followers: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” If they just keep pushing on they'll finally be one of those people. Sorry ladies, you won't because your leader is a conman. There is nothing special about him or his movement. He will be relegated to the annals of history as just another charlatan.
