It’s different when we have given over a portion of our identity to the one we admire. When that occurs, revelations of that person’s corruption may be perceived as a threat not just to the other, but to our judgment; even to ourselves. It is a natural reaction, in this situation, to try to minimize these revelations.
In the extreme, people may have entirely subsumed their identity into that of their leader. Accusations are felt deeply and personally – and rejected at a wall of cognitive dissonance. Counterintuitively, the more serious the charge—and the clearer and more undeniable the evidence—the more they are rejected, and the more closely these followers will cleave to their leader.
Leaders may cynically lock down their hold on followers by intentionally making absurd statements, then repeating them incessantly. This serves two purpose with followers; as a loyalty test, and as a training tool, to reduce their will question anything their leader says.
“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.”
- Voltaire
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