Newsletter: Giving the Gift of Freedom of Mind
This holiday season, give your loved ones the gift of knowledge
We will not be doing a multi-platform livestream this week, but if you missed last week’s livestream, you can see it here. I will likely do a few live streams on Instagram and potentially Substack, but nothing is currently scheduled.
During this holiday season, it’s easy to get caught up in the wave of “needing” to buy presents for our loved ones. But instead of rushing around to stores to get another thing to put on a shelf, I would suggest considering a more practical gift – the gift of knowledge.
Too many people still have no idea how manipulation works, or how predatory, authoritarian groups can lure well-meaning people into the trap of high control. Worldwide, millions of people are held in a web of restrictive beliefs and abusive organizations that prey upon their goodwill and altruism. Especially online!
And yet, social undue influence is one of the least understood parts of human nature; there are endless cult documentaries on any streaming service, but they invariably focus upon abuses and the “weird” practices of the group, with little to no explanation given as to the mechanisms of control at play.
Too many people say, “It could never happen to me.” But it can. And often, it has happened, whether to them or to a family member, a friend, or a loved one. After a family or friend gets radicalized and everyone experiences their radical personality change, they are usually taken off guard.
The Gift of Freedom of Mind - Our Essential Course
To help people understand the basics of cultic manipulation, I have devised a short course, “Introducing Understanding Authoritarian Control: The Essentials,” an easy-to-understand presentation that will take you through the intricate layers of manipulation, empowering you to recognize its signs and protect yourself and your loved ones.
In this course, you will learn:
Why do people who are under undue influence usually not see their situation clearly
What the fundamental attribution error is - and how it works to cloud our perception of ourselves and others
How everyone is vulnerable - and when we are most vulnerable - to indoctrination
Individual factors that might make some people more vulnerable to high-control groups and relationships
The vulnerability factors unique to 21st-century life and the use of social media in indoctrination
How high-control authoritarian groups recruit and seduce people into their grasp
What is a cult - and what is NOT a cult
Warning signs that your loved one is in an unsafe situation - and how to talk to them
And SO much more!
As a special bonus for this holiday season, we are offering 20% off the original price of $49, valid through the end of January.
Simply input the code “HOLIDAY20” for your savings now!
Applying the Bite Model of Authoritarian Control™
Learning how cults operate is vital for prevention; my Bite Model of Authoritarian Control™ is designed to help people quantify the level of control in any organization. If you are a paid subscriber, you can access my full range of interviews with experts, helpful articles and guides, and of course, my BITE Model© analyses of prominent cults, including:
Scientology and the BITE Model of Authoritarian Control™
Jehovah’s Witnesses and The BITE Model of Authoritarian Control™
QAnon and the BITE Model© (Control of Behavior, Information, Thoughts and Emotions)
If you are not already a paid subscriber, now is an excellent time to become one!
Another way to learn about cults is to study those in history. Ironically, the sign hung over the throne of cult leader Jim Jones had the quote from philosopher George Santayana, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
His cult - and the horrific consequences of his actions - are well remembered, and yet, we have not yet learned from history.
From Jim Jones to Trump: Cults, Past & Present
This week, in the latest episode of my Cults, Culture & Coercion podcast, “Messianic Con Men, Past and Present: Cult History and the Cult of Trump,” I sat down with journalist Don Lattin to talk about Jonestown, a subject on which he is quite knowledgeable, as he has specialized in writing about religions, cults, psychedelic history, cultural norms, and other fascinating topics since the 1970s.
We spoke about cults, past and present, particularly the political cult surrounding Donald Trump, and the implications for our democracy and the world at large. You’ll find it a fascinating discussion about cults, thought control, and the need for constant vigilance against tyranny.
Listen on Apple | Spotify | Watch on YouTube
Or read the full blog post version:
Messianic Con Men, Past and Present: Cult History and the Cult of Trump
A Very Special Project
Finally, this week, we had a very special episode of my podcast, “The cult of Frederick Lenz: The guru who glows gold, shapeshifts, and teaches computer programming,” where I sat down with my friend and colleague, filmmaker Jim Picariello, to talk about his own cult experience, but also about his exciting new project, The Cult of Us, a romantic comedy about two people trying to help each other out of their different cults.
You’ll definitely want to listen to this conversation, as we discuss the perennial problem of how to talk to your loved one about cults and manipulation.
If you are interested in learning more about the film, considering a donation for a tax deduction, joining his small circle of investors, or connecting Jim with potential supporters, please email him at jimpicariello@gmail.com.
As always, please let us know what you think about these pieces or what you’d like to see us discuss in the future. Thanks so much!
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Soon as rent is covered and hopefully I'm gainfully employed even as Labor Stats for end of 2025 crater even further down, down, down....High time for the swells, though! Hang on their fine sleeves!
Health & Balance through '26
Tio Mitchito