hoW TO bECOME A Charlatan, "in five easy steps": did Trump know something we didn't?

(Views expressed are the writer's only.)

"Step 1: Keep it Vague; Keep it Simple": "As a corollary to its vagueness your appeal should also be simple. Most people's problems have complex problems: deep rooted neurosis, inter-connected social factors, roots that go way back in time and are exceedingly hard to unravel. Few, however, have the patience to deal with this; most people want to hear that a simple solution will cure their problems. The ability to offer this kind of solution will give you great power and build you a following."

"Step 2: Emphasize the Visual and Sensual over the Intellectual": "Surround yourself with luxury, dazzle your followers with visual splendor, fill their eyes with spectacle. Not only will this keep them from seeing the ridiculousness of your ideas, the holes in your belief system, it will also attract more attention, more followers."

"Step 3: Borrow the forms of Organized Religion to Structure the Group": "Organized religions have long held unquestioned authority for large numbers of people, and continue to do so in our supposedly secular age."

"STEP 4: DISGUISE YOUR SOURCE OF INCOME." "Your followers want to believe that if they follow you all sorts of good things will fall into their laps...Never reveal that your wealth actually comes from your followers' pockets."

"Step 5: Set Up and Us-Versus-The Dynamic." First, make sure that your followers believe that are part of an exclusive club, unified by a bond of common goals. Then, to strengthen this bond, manufacture the notion of a devious enemy out to ruin you...Any outsider who tries to reveal the charlatan nature of your belief system can now be described as a member of this devious force." (ALL taken from Greene & Elffers, 2010).

Reference:

Greene, R., & Elffers, J. (2010). The 48 laws of power. London: Profile.