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[ArkhamFantasy]

Can someone explain how a single human being becomes powerful like Putin or Kim Jong Un? Or refer me to a site that explains it.

I dont understand why people just listen to what they say and give them all the power especially if they are dangerous.

 

[Suikoguy]

Can someone explain how a single human being becomes powerful like Putin or Kim Jong Un? Or refer me to a site that explains it.

I dont understand why people just listen to what they say and give them all the power especially if they are dangerous.

I think the primary way is cognitive dissonance. It's a fucked up ability/reaction humans have, that part of me thinks will lead to humanities downfall.

In psychology, cognitive dissonance is the mental stress or discomfort experienced by an individual who holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time, or is confronted by new information that conflicts with existing beliefs, ideas, or values.[1][2]

Leon Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance focuses on how humans strive for internal consistency. An individual who experiences inconsistency (dissonance) tends to become psychologically uncomfortable, and is motivated to try to reduce this dissonance—as well as actively avoid situations and information likely to increase it.[1]

This leads people to avoid non Putin media, discredit any challenges to Putin. Basically, it leads to an echo chamber, especially when combined with Confirmation Bias.

I'm no psychologist, just have a passing interest in it. I'm sure there are other factors at play too.

 

[Team Alucard]

Can someone explain how a single human being becomes powerful like Putin or Kim Jong Un? Or refer me to a site that explains it.

I dont understand why people just listen to what they say and give them all the power especially if they are dangerous.

Extensive propaganda tactics and a lack of unbiased and accurate news and information, often accompanied by violent suppression of opposing political factions and their supporters.

I already mentioned the term earlier, but I recommend that you read up on Personality Cults.

 

[Suikoguy]

Extensive propaganda tactics and a lack of unbiased and accurate news and information, often accompanied by violent suppression of opposing political factions and their supporters.

I already mentioned the term earlier, but I recommend that you read up on Personality Cults.

That's another good topic to add to the ones I mentioned.
Basically, it's the mechanism by which cognitive dissonance works.

As the wiki says "Not all dictatorships foster personality cults, while not all personality cults are practised in dictatorships". However, just looking at the propaganda put out by Russia via photographs and the like, it's obvious to anyone from a distance what those are actually for.

 

[chadskin]

Interestingly, re:

Although some argue that any new leadership coming from Politburo 2.0 would be as bad as Putin, Russian commentator Andrei Piontovsky begs to differ. He makes the claim that members of the Russian elite have been sending signals to the West that “everything will be resolved in the coming weeks.”

...comes this today:

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday the United States has been sending "signals" that it wants to start mending ties with Moscow, badly strained over the past year and a half by the conflict in Ukraine.

Lavrov made clear Moscow was open to further dialogue, though it would also not "beg" for better ties.

"But if we receive a proposal to start, even gradually, restoring these channels, mechanisms for dialogue and cooperation that have been frozen by our American partners, I am sure ... we will agree to restore these channels," he said.

"We are already getting such signals from the Americans, though for now not very clear," Lavrov told a youth meeting.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/24/us-russia-usa-idUSKCN0QT1L820150824

Signals everywhere.