#deprogramming

warnings for talk of sex / sexual programming

Your whumpee has been turned feral/into a living weapon/villains pet.

They're often kept on a leash or kept tethered to a post - always in sight of the Villain who often smiles and pets them on the head. Sometimes they even let the whumpee use cutlery at meal times, and if the missions go particularly well, they're allowed to see a human doctor instead of a vet. The Villain keeps photographs of all their past 'pets', sometimes stating it was a shame to have to "put them down" when they were no longer useful.

However, during a mission, the whumpee realises it's their old team/friends/family the Villain is after, and it takes every single thing in them to break the programming that was every so painfully instilled in them.

As tensions rise, the Villain turns, preparing to set the Whumpee on whoever was getting in their way... only to see the handler unmoving on the ground, and the leash broken.

The whumpee helps from the shadows to assist their old team. They take the blows for them, unlock doors where possible, and keep the guards at bay knowing damn well this insubbordination will be punishable by death, so they give their last bit of allegiance to the team that kept them safe... even if the same team stopped looking for them long ago... (or so they think)

So my lovely Tumblr people, I think you can agree that we are facing dreadful times and that it would be wonderful if we could get out of them. As we all know, changing anything in society and politics requires changing a lot of of minds, which often feels like a Herculean task. Since I believe in trying to fight smarter rather than harder, here's my list of advice to make this work easier.

Ask yourself if you’re really up to the task.

If you’re really tired or not in a good mood, you might want to pass. If you’re looking at someone who’s really obnoxious and maybe likely to set you off in bad ways, you can pass. If OP has a username that signals an extreme viewpoint like retvrn1488, maga5ever, or wyldwombyn, consider that just blocking them may be your best choice. Also, you’re probably never going to get anywhere with someone who thinks you’re beneath them – if someone obviously holds you in contempt, just don’t bother. You are not required to try and educate or argue with everybody who’s wrong. Pick your battles.

Know your stuff.

I’ve made the mistake of trying to talk about things that I didn’t know nearly as much about as I should have a few times. Even though I wasn’t wrong, I just didn’t have enough information to demonstrate that my positions were justified. Each time I tried this, it basically blew up in my face. Please don’t repeat my mistakes.

Ask yourself: Can you explain and justify your position without repeating a soundbite like “X is a conspiracy theory” or “Y is racist”? Can you show why it’s a conspiracy theory? Can you show how it’s racist? If you can’t, you’re not ready yet. Go level up first!

Stay composed and be charismatic.

I know this is sometimes easier said than done, but coming off as calm and confident does wonders, especially in contrast with someone who just can’t hold it together. It also helps to have a big vocabulary and to be articulate, and to inject an energy into your message that makes people feel empowered and motivated.

Don't talk to people like they've been consciously choosing evil just because they want to.

People don't do that. People believe that what they've been doing is either good, neutral, or necessary to survive. Functionally telling people "you're evil and you know it" signals to most people that you're a bad faith actor. (The ones who will actually agree with you are probably deeply traumatized from abuse and/or suffering from moral OCD.)

Don’t show contempt.

Showing contempt signals that the person you’re arguing with isn’t worth taking seriously. This is can be useful for handling bad faith actors who come and try to make themselves your problem. You know you aren’t going to change their minds, but you can signal to anyone watching that this person is an utter fool, even a laughingstock while signaling to them that they aren't getting anywhere with you.

If you’re trying to actually change somebody’s mind, you do not want to show them that they aren’t worth taking seriously. You want them to feel respected, like you think they’re smart and have ideas and feelings worthy of attention. I know this can be easier said than done! But if you begin with the assumption that the person you’re talking to is capable of learning and probably has some insights, values, and opinions worthy of consideration, you’re going to give off a much better vibe for them.

Don’t attack people personally.

If you’re trying to persuade someone, don’t call them racist, sexist, bigoted, etc. Don’t call them ignorant, stupid, or whatever. This is basically just a form of showing contempt. Again, showing contempt has its uses, but persuading people isn’t one of them.

A lot of people assume that the people they want to persuade think very highly of themselves and if they just cut their ego down to size they’ll become receptive and listen. But most people are just going to see an attack and nope out. Besides that, teaching self-hatred is how capitalism manipulates people into making themselves more profitable and marketable, and it’s also one of the ways white patriarchy manipulates people into taking on its repressive and often oppressive roles. Self-hatred is the weapon of the enemy, we don’t need it.

Don’t play the victim.

Playing the victim isn’t the same as acknowledging that you have been abused or harmed, or acknowledging that you lived a life where everything was stacked against you. Talking about ways you’ve been victimized doesn’t equal playing the victim, contrary to what some bad faith actors out there say.

Playing the victim is about the role you take on in a social interaction, where you position yourself as fragile, put-upon, and vulnerable. It’s the kind of thing a lot of white women do when things don’t go their way. It’s also a habit that’s easy to pick up if you don’t have firm boundaries. People who haven’t realized they can just go, “I don’t want to do this, I don’t want to have this interaction, so I just won’t,” might start traumadumping, or try to shame the other person, or try to make a big guilt trip. “How dare you talk to me this way, you don’t know what I’ve been through! You’re so selfish, you don’t think about anyone but yourself! You’re forcing me to do all this work for you because you’re so entitled!”

I know, people can be really frustrating. Sometimes they can be incredibly upsetting. Sometimes they can send us spiraling into dangerous places. But the thing about playing the victim is that it not only doesn’t persuade people, but it’s also really unhealthy for you. It feeds a narrative that you are always disempowered, even when you’re not. On the Internet, you can usually just choose to not interact if things get overwhelming, and maybe use the block button. It can be harder to get away from people offline, but it’s important to do the best you can.

It’s also useful to recognize when you’re getting defensive and to know what you can do when that happens. Here’s a page that might help you with this.

Don't act like anyone you wouldn't listen to.

When's the last time you've listened to one of those street preachers screaming about everything they think is wrong with society and yelling at people to repent of their sins? Never, right? Don't act like the kind of people you would ignore.

Be a good listener.

Persuading people isn’t just about saying what you want them to hear, it’s also about listening to them so they feel like you’re engaging with them, rather than talking down to them. Plus, listening helps you assess what they actually know and believe, which helps you determine what you need to say to them. Here’s a page to help you improve your listening skills. (And I know stuff like maintaining eye contact and reading body language isn’t always easy or possible for people – just try to do the best you can!)

Validate people where you can.

Validation signals that you understand and care about people’s problems, which makes them more open and trusting. You don’t have to validate bigotry or anything like that, but you can validate how frustrating it is to deal with high grocery prices, politicians who don’t seem to care, and lots of everyday frustrations. This is also how you begin building solidarity, by the way – when people see how we all suffer the same way, they can begin to see that we’re all working toward a common goal.

Use anecdotes.

It would be wonderful if we could just show people scientific data and have them be persuaded by it all the time, but for many people data feels abstract and not really real. (It probably also doesn’t help that most people don’t understand how the data was collected.) However, anecdotes often feel more real to people, and have a lot more persuasion power. (Consider how many “this happened to a friend of a friend” stories get passed around like gospel!) Personal anecdotes are really great – telling someone about your awesome trans friend can do a lot do make them reconsider their prejudices about trans people.

But also, have scientific/scholarly resources.

Some people are going to be sharp enough that anecdotes won’t work on them – and good for them, honestly! Also, scientific and scholarly resources can lend further credence to anecdotes. So try to have them on hand, if you possibly can!

Give people reasons.

People don’t like doing things if they don’t feel like there’s any good reason for it. Also, be aware that different types of reasons will be more or less compelling to different people. Some people will find moral reasons compelling on their own, while some people will respond better to a “how this benefits you personally” reason. Someone might respond better to “we shouldn’t do X because it hurts the environment” than to “we shouldn’t do X because it’s cultural appropriation.” (And of course we want people to understand that cultural appropriation is bad, but that’s going to be a whole other thing you’re going to have to give reasons for!)

Adjust your rhetoric for the person you’re talking to.

Though we all share many common values, we also understand the world through many different lenses use different language to communicate what we see and feel. We also prioritize certain ideals over others.

If I were going to talk about the racism in the Republican party to a strongly Christian person or a New Agey person, I might say that all of this stuff they’re saying about immigrants is meant to stir up fear and divide people, then go on to talk about how the data just doesn’t support this idea that immigrants are as violent as they say.

If I were talking to the kind of person who strongly believes in the ideals of freedom and liberty, I might talk about how anti-queer legislation infringes on people’s freedom to live how they see fit. I might bring up that it violates their constitutional right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Offer alternatives.

The easiest way to end a bad habit or belief is to replace it with a good (or at least neutral) habit or belief. For example, if you’re trying to persuade people to stop using unsourced white sage (here's information on the problem with this, if you don't know), list alternatives such as rosemary and juniper.

Leave them with additional resources to explore.

In the coming weeks, there are probably going to be more people with stories like this who begin to question and rethink their MAGA involvement, and who decide to leave it behind. I'd imagine that's a hard enough realisation to come to independently, even without the fear of having to face ridicule and non-acceptance by leftists and liberals once they do manage to get out. And ngl, there's plenty of moral high-horsing going on in the notes of multiple of posts after the election and most recently the inauguration, and while the anger is understandable, the "you made your bed now lie in it" attitude helps nobody. More likely, those former-MAGA-now-questioning individuals have more in common with the marginalized/poc/queer/neurodivergent/immigrant/financially struggling people in their immediate local communities who are actively threatened by this regime.

I'm seeing all these posts about building and organising community to withstand the next 4 yrs of the cheeto's presidency on my dash - and you just can't do that if you decide to punish members of your community/neighborhood/workplace/educational institution etc based on their past mistakes, and decide who's "pure" enough or who was always been anti-MAGA right from the start and thus good enough to join your silent/not-so-silent resistance efforts. Purity culture doesn't have a place in survival.

Like Rich Logis and others have mentioned, it seems that the most attractive part of MAGA was just having community to be a part of. Thus, it also seems that the way to get through the next 4 yrs would be to extend that inclusivity to these people who sought it before as well, but just in the wrong places. If you're going to make it through, it'll be because that ex-MAGA neighbour of yours howled "La Migra !!" at the top of their lungs when the ICE squad was coming around the block. They'll only do that if they feel like they're a part of your community too, that your struggles are theirs as well. You'll make it through because that ex-MAGA granny volunteered to babysit your kids while you worked 2 and maybe even 3 jobs to make ends meet.

Idk, I've just been seeing so much doom and gloom on my dash, people feeling so isolated and terrifed and angry - but there is also resistance. And you aren't alone in it. It's scattered, and seemingly welling up from the most unexpected places and people, but it's definitely there and that's a good thing, if only people on both sides are able to get over their respective prejudices and however justified anger.

So if you see a former Trump voter now wavering, questioning and uncomfortable, don't be cruel or mocking. The shit stinks for everyone. If you don't know how to (or more likely don't want to - that's valid too) reach out to them, maybe let some other ex-MAGA person speak to them in familiar language and terminology but with the direction now flipped 180°. You could direct them to this site

MISSION STATEMENT Empower others to leave MAGA and tell their stories.

Foster reconciliation with their friends and family.

Develop movement leaders to help others leave.

"Dear MAGA Americans,

I was a devoted member of MAGA nation for seven years; it made me feel I was part of something important: a movement that was trying to save American democracy. But starting in 2021, I realized I had been mistaken. It took me a full year to finally break away. During that time, I came to understand that MAGA is sustained by a series of myths that are intended to create perpetual feelings of desperation and panic. Succumbing to these predatory myths does not mean you are unintelligent, weak, or lack good character and morals. I have a Bachelor’s degree; have been a working professional my entire life; am a family man; and consider myself a relatively honest and intelligent person. I think the same about you. I understand the reasons you have for supporting MAGA. And I know many of us traveled different paths to get there. I gravitated to Donald Trump because I have always been suspicious of our two-party system, and I saw him as the right man at the right time. I have a sense that some of you have quietly left MAGA already, or are increasingly regretful, confused and scared. All of this can be doubly upsetting, since some of your sincerely-held beliefs may have alienated you from friends and family. That certainly happened to me. It’s perfectly OK to feel this way; leaving MAGA was a tumultuous roller coaster of a process for me. It may be one of the most difficult endeavors you embark upon. In the end, it brought me an inner peace, and a newfound clarity about what is happening in our beloved country. I founded this organization, Leaving MAGA, because I wanted to create a safe, non-judgmental community for those who leave MAGA, as well as for those who are having doubts about, or remorse over, their devotion to Trump and MAGA. Our Leaving MAGA community will celebrate how acknowledging mistakes empowers you and America. It’s difficult for a democracy to function well when millions are estranged from those closest to them. You do not deserve to have your anxieties about change exploited. You deserve to know the truth. And with Leaving MAGA, you don’t have to feel you would be alone if you leave the movement. Leaving MAGA is possible. Recognizing that we were wrong, and acting on that knowledge, makes us all more invested in democracy and in the continued work of perfecting our union." - Rich Logis

One might ask, 'how do i know whether they've actually left maga behind and aren't just pretending to in order to expose me as queer etc/ harm other marginalized people I know ?' I genuinely don't know how to answer that, and it's a very important and valid doubt to have, and a good idea to be cautious. From what I've seen of Rich Logis on Bluesky, he's willing to talk individually to people who have left/are in the process of leaving - if you're not sure if someone is for real, put them in touch with him I guess, or link them to the above website.

Also, look out for and try to follow independent journalism and unbiased news. I know people have their issues with substack, but that's where a lot of actual indie journalism is happening rn, and there are plenty of great free articles available. DON'T JUST STOP AT READING HEADLINES. Read fewer articles if you must, but read and understand them in their entirety. There are a few media collaboratives started up by senior journalists who've recently quit their positions within legacy media. These are some which I've either read myself (and found pretty comprehensive) or am currently in the process of reading news on.

The Contrarian:

Democracy faces an unprecedented threat from an authoritarian movement built on lies and contempt for the rule of law. The first and most critical defense of democracy—a robust, independent free press—has been missing in action. Corporate and billionaire media owners have shied away from confrontation, engaged in false equivalence, and sought to curry favor with Donald Trump. It is hardly surprising that readers and viewers are fleeing from these outlets. Americans need an alternative.

The Contrarian is that alternative: unflinching, unapologetic, and unwavering in its commitment to truth-telling. The Contrarian contributors may not agree on all issues (and, in fact, enjoy lively debate), but we share an unequivocal determination to defend our fundamental freedoms and the values essential to a pluralistic democracy.

2) Inequality Media (founded by Robert Reich, former US Secretary of Labour and Sam Reich of Dropout TV's father). Their Linktree

3) Democracy Docket: Democracy Docket is the leading digital news platform dedicated to information, analysis and opinion about voting rights and elections in the courts. Find case filings, news updates and analysis: democracydocket.com

4) MeidasTouch Network: Bio on Bluesky reads - "The fastest growing independent news network in the world. We cover breaking news, politics, law and more. We are unapologetically pro-democracy."

5) 404 Media (more for tech): 404 Media is a journalist-founded digital media company exploring the ways technology is shaping–and is shaped by–our world.

We're focused on investigative reports, longform features, blogs, and scoops about topics including: hacking, cybersecurity, cybercrime, sex, artificial intelligence, consumer rights, surveillance, privacy, and the democratization of the internet.

I'm not USAmerican and I don't live in the country, so please feel free to add on with more relevant useful information. (This is an incomplete list of resources, and call me an optimist but I also sort of hope it remains incomplete because more people speak up and organize, thus ensuring there are always more helpful organisations to add on)

School isn't just about the information you are given it is about teaching young, developing brains how to learn new things then apply it accordingly to what you already know, including changing opinions based on new facts and how to obtain good imformation in the first place

I was homeschooled. Well, really, I was unschooled. My mom didn't think that anything you were taught in middle or high school mattered, so I barely finished a grade school level education before stopping school altogether

I have such an insanely hard time learning new things and processing new information to a degree that is disabling and I do not use that word lightly

Taking in new information used to give me headaches sometimes and I would get so unbelievably frustrated with it, even if it was something I was eager to learn about. My brain doesn't know how to learn things at all and I suffer for it constantly to this day

Forming new habits is so unbelievably hard for me and I forget things people tell me, important things, so bad it's cost me work and relationships

Under education is an intentional piece of oppression that the ruling class has placed to ensure people follow their doctrine and rules without question. It's why it's impossible to give right wingers information and have them give you the time of day, they literally weren't taught to intake information worth a damn and this is on purpose