Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

Why had this new religion become so successful?

Because it's practitioners know how to seduce new
adherents with skillful flattery. Shy people are told
that shyness is a mark of soulfulness, extroverts are
complemented for being able to connect. Happy or sad,
well educated or not, Vision has a place for everyone.

Whatever their political or cultural stripe, Vision
can reflect back an idealized version of everybody
willing to join. This form of flattery is extremely
powerful and hard to resist.

Visioners are taught how to put themselves into a
hypnotic alpha brain wave state (and often stay in this
state for hours at a time). It is then that the Vision
message is absorbed. Adherents are taught that their
goal in life should be the development of the Self.
That they should follow their intuition and emotions
while distrusting their reason. That they are a part of
a cosmic struggle between good and evil, and that as
long as you are on the side of good, everything you
do is ultimately justified (especially violence which
is idealized).

Eventually many adherents become addicted, neglecting
their friends and family to stay in the warm embrace
of the alpha state. That is except for work, adherents
are expected to work hard (or go into debt) to earn
the money needed to keep Vision going.

As adherents have already been taught to distrust their
reason, they are an easy mark for the wheedling and
manipulation needed to separate them from their cash.
They are taught that no price is too high to pay for
the development of the self. That money spent to enhance
the self, is money well spent.

Visioners are also taught that politics is a waste of
time as the system is corrupt. But that if adherents
want to vote, that they should vote their heart, that
their intuition will allow them to choose the best
candidate.

So beware the Vision religion (short for Television).