“Thought-terminating cliché” was a phrase coined in psychiatrist Robert Jay Lifton’s seminal work on mind control,
Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism. Described by Lifton as “the start and finish of any ideological analysis,” the thought-terminating cliché is just that a short phrase designed to stop those who hear it from further exploration. Such cliches can be as simple as “it is what it is,” or “that’s just your opinion” phrases that end a conversation in a way so as to remove the possibility of rebuttal. Featured Video Hide
In the QAnon world, thought-terminating cliches are the currency that Q and the movement’s biggest promoters use to stop followers from delving into the contradictions and failed predictions inherent to the movement. Anons are told to “trust the plan” and “nothing can stop what’s coming,” despite there being no evidence there’s a plan or anything coming. They’re told “where we