Hey friend,
I’ve been reading "Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism" by Amanda Montell lately, and it got me thinking about how subtle and pervasive cultish groups can be. It’s not always about satanic rituals or secluded compounds; sometime…
Hey friend,
I’ve been reading "Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism" by Amanda Montell lately, and it got me thinking about how subtle and pervasive cultish groups can be. It’s not always about satanic rituals or secluded compounds; sometimes, it’s the everyday groups that we least expect. CrossFit and Lulu lemon arementioned in the book, for example. And if she wrote it's not later, I'm sure Stanley cups would make an appearance. 😜Not all cults are mass-murdering false religions. If you are employed by a big corporation or were born into a large family, for example, you might already be in a culty group.
Here are some points to Lok out for that might indicate you're in a culty group:
Excessive Zeal: Look out for groups with an excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to their leader or ideology.
Recruitment Focus: Be wary of groups that are preoccupied with bringing in new members.
Financial Obscurity: A lack of transparent financial disclosure can be a red flag.
Fear Tactics: Unreasonable fears about the outside world, often involving evil conspiracies, can be a sign.
Isolation: Groups that isolate members from society and foster dependency and an us–them mentality can be dangerous.
Control Over Members:
Watch for groups that dominate members through psychological manipulation and pressure tactics.
Remember, it’s important to maintain a healthy skepticism and do your own research before getting involved with any group. Stay safe and informed!
Not every culty group is a death-dealing false religion, as I said before.
Many culty groups are relatively benign, often begun with good intentions like saving the environment, animals or other marginalized and underserved groups.
After all, cults work because of human nature. It's part of who we are to seek purpose, meaning, community and belonging. Just be aware of what to look out for and be prepared to leave if it starts to feel TOO culty! If you find it hard to imagine leaving a group, that's one bi..
