Cult of Personality: Difference between revisions

''I'm the cult of personality

''Like Joseph Stalin and Gandhi

 

A [[Cult of Personality]] arises when mass media, [[Propaganda Machine|propaganda]], or other methods are used by or on the behalf of an individual, usually a leader, to create an idealized, heroic, and at times worshipful image of them, often through [[Lickspittle|unquestioning flattery and praise]]. A Cult of Personality is similar in some ways to [[A God Am I]], except that it is established in the minds of ''others'', usually by a state to empower its leader, especially in Totalitarian (and sometimes Authoritarian) governments. (And its subject ''rarely'' possesses the powers of a god, although he will in many cases make claims to them anyway -- see some of the more outlandish stories circulated about the Kim family of North Korea.)

A Cult of Personality is often a deliberate attempt to [[Invoked Trope|invoke]] the old and discredited concept of the Divine Right of Kings for modern rulers, by painting them as [[Glorious Leader|greater-than-human figures who can make no mistakes and do no wrong]]. They are generally perpetrated to give a nation or people a focus during a period of trouble or transition by turning their subject into [[The Messiah|a benevolent "guide"]] who will bring them into a new, better era by way of a revolutionary transformation that could not happen without his unique oversight and all-embracing love for the common people. The process usually paints them as some variety of [[Large and In Charge|larger-than-life]] [[Memetic Badass]] [[Badass in Charge|in Charge]] along the way as well.

 

 

Anywhere in fiction and [[Real Life]] where you see people fanatically devoted to a ''leader'' rather than an ideology or a cause, you're probably looking at a Cult of Personality. This is a common tool of the [[Glorious Leader]] and [[The Generalissimo]], and the effort to start up (or expand) a Cult of Personality is almost always one of the first priorities after a [[Tyrant Takes the Helm]]. [[Magnetic Hero|Magnetic Heroes and Villains]] often inspire these, sometimes unintentionally. And if the subject of the Cult is a leader working it for all it's worth, expect to see an [[Egopolis]] or two.

 

{{examples}}

* Light Yagami from ''[[Death Note]]''. The devotion he inspires is so strong that he gets three other people ([[My Friends and Zoidberg|four if we count]] {{spoiler|[[My Friends and Zoidberg|Higuchi]]}}) to commit mass murder on his behalf. He gains {{spoiler|Rem's}} loyalty as well despite the fact that she hates him ( {{spoiler|[[Black and Gray Morality|because his motives are]] [[Pure Is Not Good|more pure]] [[Complete Monster|than Higuchi's]]}}).

 

* R'as al Ghul in ''[[The Dark Knight Saga|Batman Begins]]'' has a literal cult built up around him.

 

* Napoleon in ''[[Animal Farm]]'', as evidenced by Boxer's motto "If Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right."

* The Wizard in ''[[The Wonderful Wizard of Oz]]'' has a Cult of Personality that extends to the far reaches of Oz, and even takes in the very real witches from whom he hides. Whether this cult is an intentional tactic or grew around him on its own is hard to say for sure, given the later ''Oz'' books' rather sketchy grasp of continuity. However, given how ''The Land of Oz'' (the second book) describes him kidnapping and hiding the legitimate heir to the throne of Oz, it seems likely the cult of the Wizard was orchestrated and cultivated.

** ''Potter'' [[Fan Works]] often dial these cults [[Up to Eleven]], until both sides are effectively [[Church Militant|militant religions]] with demigod leaders who can do no wrong in the eyes of their followers, who will undertake any task and suffer any torment for them.

 

* Tommy, from the [[Rock Opera]] of [[Tommy|the same name]] by [[The Who]], seems to accidentally inspire a Cult of Personality around himself while he is unware of the world at large. Ultimately this is a [[Subverted Trope|subversion]], though, because when he regains his senses and tries to actually direct and ''use'' his cult following, they turn on him.

 

* David had one build up around him in ''[[The Bible]]'', to the jealousy of Saul, who attempted to kill David because he feared David would use said personality cult as a pretext to a popular revolt against him, a fear that proved groundless.

** David's own son Absalom had one which he encouraged so he could usurp his father. It backfired on him and fell apart after his death.

 

* "Trust the Computer! The Computer is your friend!" Among all the other things included the 24-hour propaganda in ''[[Paranoia (game)|Paranoia]]'''s Alpha Complex is a heavy dose of personality cult centered on the Computer.

 

* One of the motivations driving Judas in ''[[Jesus Christ Superstar]]'' is his belief that Jesus is building a Cult of Personality around himself that will inevitably grow so large and loud that it will draw the Romans down on their heads -- and possibly on the heads of the rest of Judea.

 

* Jet's little gang in ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'' may be small, but it's a cult of personality nonetheless.

 

* Practically every dictator or other authoritarian head of state in the last century or so has at least ''attempted'' to grow a Cult of Personality around themselves; many, like [[Romania|Nicolae Ceaușescu]] and [[Yugoslavia|Josip Broz Tito]] were successful, at least in the relative short run. However, the two most prominent examples have to be [[Adolf Hitler]] and [[Josef Stalin]]. It's hard to decide which of them is the [[Trope Codifier]], although both qualify for the role; perhaps they both are, collectively.

* The Kim family, rulers of [[North Korea]]. The state-owned press in North Korea is effusive in its unending praise when it comes to covering them, to the point that to outsiders it seems almost like an embarrassing parody. For instance, despite the Communist rejection of religion all the Kims are and have been painted as semi-divine, "a great person born of heaven". The latest Kim, Kim Jong-un, is a case in point. Everything good that happens is because of him; everything bad that is even reported is a defiance of the natural order because it flies in the face of Kim's intentions for the land and people.

* In a benign version of this trope, [[Christianity]] is in large part a Cult of Personality centered around Jesus, as those who bear the name of "Christian" consider him the apex of morality to which they should adhere and attempt to emulate at all times, and since, according to the Christian faith he was a man who was also [[God]], the divine aspects often given a figure at the center of a Cult apply by default to him. It's worth mentioning this doesn't prevent him from being misinterpreted or outright perverted for the use of madmen, cult leaders, or any other figure who wishes to use the Cult of Personality of Jesus to justify their own actions or shield themselves from criticism while invoking it, but this sort of thing is actually frowned on by the mainstream of the Christian Cult of Personality, as Jesus' own commentary on this very possibility lampshaded his name would be used by those who did not truly represent what he stood for.

 

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[[Category:Older Than Feudalism]]

[[Category:Authority Tropes]]

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