In this post, I briefly detailed how sad communist cult the Center for Political Innovation (CPI) recently imploded: its leader, Caleb Maupin, was revealed to have abused members in various ways, including by exploiting them sexually. Having made some of them destitute didn’t help.

There was more than enough written evidence, coupled with Maupin’s own admission that he had to make sure his sex life did not interfere with his politics in the future. Although he had no words to say about the privations some members had suffered, such as having to scavenge for food in bins or having to engage in sex work to survive, several members corroborated each other’s accounts with a flurry of details.

The following is a very recent string of comments Maupin received on his last videos, uploaded before disappearing from public view. They are beyond delusional, and, to no one’s surprise, Maupin discretely encourages them.

Ergo the following conclusions, exemplified by such comments.

Cult members give the leader and cult undue importance on the world stage

As mentioned, although he has gained some popularity and support for expressing his views, Maupin hasn’t had an actual impact in the political sphere. His group was also unaffiliated with the Communist Party in the US. Organising conferences, waving flags and playing dress-up, at times donning red berets and green shirts, does not, in and of itself, achieve anything. Some group members would spend their days asking for donations and selling buttons. Having big ideas and being able to achieve them is an entirely different thing, especially as a radical. This might look impressive to some people, were it not for the fact that it’s just a bunch of weirdos in a rented venue.

Some cults convince their members the world can be saved if only they convert enough people to their views, which is a pipe dream, especially when lacking the resources to spread a message. Even with said resources, one tiny group has absolutely no chance of upturning a country’s political system. This is reminiscent of the Landmark Forum, its adherents envisioning a better world in which every single person has completed the courses.

Along with the leader’s imagined importance comes the paranoia that others are out to get him/her/them. The first comment mentions the CIA, whilst the second brings up the deep state. The contrast with reality is incredibly ironic: Maupin was not brought down by powerful enemies, but by his former comrades, some being utterly broke and at least one being temporarily homeless.These are people who at times could not afford to eat, some having to resort to prostitution.

As for Maupin being the torchbearer of the revolution, I don’t recall Fidel Castro spending his time tanning in the sun, calling his unwanted presence in foreign countries activism.

Cult members see the leader’s fall as a conspiracy by default

Although Maupin admitted to some of his abuses of power, his adherents continue to argue his fall had been somehow planned, as if he’d been incetivised to use people in the way that he did. The period of time discussed by former CPI members stretches over a few years. This was not some momentary slip-up, but persistent terrible behaviour. Maupin was aware those he pestered with sexual requests were not interested in engaging with him that way, or in discussing his fetish. Nonetheless, he persevered.

Maupin would come up with very strange ideas to mesh his kink and activities with the group. From the Medium article linked to above:

Pardon me for not seeing this man’s potential to lead a revolution, when his politics were a mere pretext to indulge his rather embarrassing sexual fantasies. Either way, nobody made him do any of this. It all came out of his illustrious head.

Cult members see those reporting abuse from the leader as traitors

It’s fascinating that these people don’t even imagine they could’ve been at the receiving end of Maupin’s abuse instead. Given that these are online supporters, it’s not clear whether they have ever met him in person or how close they are to him. Those close to him were always the subject of gossip he would initiate to keep members from communicating openly with each other.

These “vicious people” subjected themselves to privations a normal person would never even consider, at Maupin’s request. It’s a very sad read. Some lived in a constant struggle to feed themselves while he enjoyed a comfortable life and dictated to them.The “you weren’t lying” part, I assume, refers to Maupin denigrating these people at some point, which was very common for him.

One might consider them rather silly (or perhaps a harsher word), but they undoubtedly took so much shit from Maupin that vicious is the last thing one would call them.

Cult members are more interested in the message, even if their leader is a proven hypocrite

This has always fascinated me: although a public speaker may be proven to be a terrible person, their followers somehow disassociate it from their work, which overall, includes saying words. It boggles the mind anyone would be in a disposition to trust the words of an utterly shitty individual, as if they had a life of their own and were not a produce of a shitty brain with shitty morals. This is especially valid when the person is known for lying and manipulating. Somehow, Maupin’s political message is still seen by some as the Gospel truth, as if he could turn off his lying and manipulation for this purpose alone.

Cult members feel compassion and indignation for the leader, not the leader’s victims

This is very important in the present situation, as these “comrades” claim to stand for the proletariat, and in supporting Maupin, they disregard his exploitation of poor people and abuse of power.

Needless to say, this was never about Maupin’s kink; he could’ve sorted that out in private. He was already paying a dominatrix twice a month. He chose to involve these unwilling people who looked up to him and in a sense, depended on his approval. The member who ended up having physical interactions with him was also broke and desperate for money. Had this person not interacted closely with Maupin, they wouldn’t have lost their job in the first place, to end up in such a dire situation, which he fully took advantage of. It’s also known he would discourage members from working, so they could dedicate all their time to the group.

Is he finished in terms of having adepts? It doesn’t look like it. All he needs, to start with, is a small group of dedicated followers he can abuse and control, and it’s downhill from there. In a few years they’ll come out with their own stories. Rinse and repeat.