This morning I woke up with the realization that a bunch of my friends and family have joined a cult. They didn’t mean to, it was gradual, but the signs are all there.
The four hallmarks of a cult are control of behavior, information, thoughts and emotions.
Separation is usually the first step of joining a cult. Normally a cult group member dictates where, how, and with whom the member lives and associates with, or isolates them from others. Today, many people have been separation by our segmented society and further isolated by the pandemic. Through radio and the internet people have been falling down the rabbit hole—a virtual cult if you will.
The next step in cult activity is to deprive people of sleep. The disturbance of regular life has led to many people’s disruption of schedules. So now with everyone isolated and sleep-deprived we are all now more susceptible for the big lies.
Information control is a big part of convincing people and right now information is everything.
Cults use information deceive in three ways. First, they deliberately withhold or distort information or just plain lie. Then, they minimize or discourage access to non-cult sources of information and finally they make extensive use of cult-generated information and propaganda (YouTube, newsletters, movies and other media). Algorithms on the internet feed into this by gathering information on what people click on and feed them more of the same. Social media groups allows for further isolation of people into smaller and smaller intellectual spaces.
Thought control is the next step into to slavery of the mind. Cults require members to internalize the group’s doctrine as truth (black-and-white, good vs evil thinking). See if you recognize any of these patterns. Cults change a person’s name and identity, and on the internet anyone can pretend to be anything. Cults use loaded language and clichés which constrict knowledge, stop critical thoughts, and reduce complexities into buzz words. Do you your friends use loaded words or phrases to disparage, categorize and reduce those that disagree?
Emotional control is used by cults to manipulate and narrow the range of feelings—some emotions and/or needs are deemed as evil, wrong or selfish. When someone expresses pain or sadness are their feelings mocked or belittled? Cults make the person feel that problems are always their own fault, never the leader’s or the group’s fault. They instill fear, such as fear of the outside world, enemies, leaving or being shunned by the group. Does this seem familiar with any political, religious or social groups right now?
Finally, cults practice financial exploitation, manipulation or dependence. These modern cults reach out to followers with desperate pleas for cash. Unfortunately, people I know who can hardly afford their own lives are throwing money at their beloved leaders and groups even though those people don’t even know they exist or anything about them.
These are some disturbing patterns that I have observed. I don’t have the answer for all of it, but I have an idea. First, we need to climb out of our own little foxholes. Did we drink some Kool-aid too? Then we need to pay attention to these signs and help the ones we love that may have worked themselves into corners know that they aren’t alone, the end is not nigh and together we can make it.
