loading . . . The Shocking Militia Mindset Behind January 6th - EXPOSED By a Former Leader White nationalists want a new civil war-NOW. Jason Van Tatenhove, former spokesman for the infamous extremist militia the Oath Keepers, joins cult expert Dr. Steven Hassan for a critical conversation about how far-right hate groups recruit, radicalize, and prepare for “the revolution”. As we honor the 5 year anniversary of the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, after which the Oath Keepers leadership were convicted of seditious conspiracy, this episode offers urgent insight into how movements like this escalate toward political violence.
In this powerful episode of the Cults, Culture, and Coercion podcast, Jason Van Tatenhove, author of The Perils of Extremism: How I Left the Oath Keepers and Why We Should Be Concerned About a Future Civil War, shares his firsthand experience inside one of America’s most dangerous paramilitary extremist organizations. Jason explains how vulnerability, propaganda, conspiracy theories, and media manipulation pulled him in and what ultimately helped him leave.
Dr. Steven Hassan connects the dots between extremist movements and cult dynamics, drawing on his BITE Model of Authoritarian Control and his decades of research on cults and disinformation campaigns. Together, they explore how fear, “us vs. them” narratives, and identity manipulation are weaponized online and how compassion, critical thinking, and community can help people disengage before violence erupts.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How extremist groups and militias like the Oath Keepers recruit and radicalize members
- The ideologies that led to the events on January 6, 2021
- Why loneliness in the digital age and economic stressors increase susceptibility to mind control
- How propaganda and conspiracy theories shut down critical thinking
- The psychological similarities between cults, extremist movements, and addiction
- Why attacking beliefs directly backfires—and what actually helps people question and leave
- How families can create “exit ramps” for radicalized loved ones
- The role of social media propaganda, “us vs. them” narratives, and AI in political extremism
- Why de-radicalization requires empathy, patience, and human connection
This episode is essential viewing for anyone concerned about January 6, political extremism, hate groups, cult dynamics, misinformation, and the future of democracy.
📖 Check out The Perils of Extremism: How I Left the Oath Keepers and Why We Should Be Concerned About a Future Civil War- https://amzn.to/49phG0M
This archived episode of Cults, Culture, and Coercion was originally recorded March 26, 2024 and is being re-released for as part of a special retrospective highlighting some of Dr. Steven Hassan’s most important but underappreciated conversations, offering new listeners deeper context into his long-standing work on cults, coercive control, and recovery.
Chapters:
00:00 “I Was the Propagandist for the Oath Keepers”
02:33 How a Left-Leaning Artist Got Pulled Into Extremism
04:25 Bundy Ranch, Waco, and the Mythology of Government Tyranny
06:08 Becoming the National Media Director of the Oath Keepers
09:04 The Collapse of Journalism and the Propaganda Vacuum
13:07 Extremist Propaganda and Emotional Manipulation
17:09 AI, Deepfakes, and the Future of Political Propaganda
20:21 What Kind of World Are We Leaving Our Children?
24:29 Veterans, Belonging, and the Militia Pipeline
31:18 What Actually Helps De-Radicalize Someone
36:25 Talking to the “Real Person” Behind the Ideology
39:54 Why Conspiracy Theories are so Popular Now
45:13 Billionaires, Tech Fantasies, and Abandoning the Planet
50:46 Why Failure Is Necessary for Growth
54:09 Testifying Before Congress in January 6 Hearing
1:01:31 Final Thoughts: Is the Next Civil War Inevitable?
#StevenHassan #JasonVanTatenhove #January6 #OathKeepers #SeditiousConspiracy #Extremism #CultPsychology #MindControl #Deradicalization #BITEModel #PoliticalExtremism #UndueInfluence #Propaganda #CivilWar #ConspiracyTheories
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