It’s something I hear all the time: “I would never let myself get fooled into joining a cult!” Often, the person making this claim will add a description of how they have already resisted a cult recruiter, and use this experience to “prove” that they are immune to any kind of recruitment: after all, they spotted one recruitment pitch for what it was, so they’re confident they will be able to spot any future attempts.
Or, an atheist will announce how their distrust of “any form of spirituality or religion” will keep them safe from any authoritarian group, despite the fact that so many controlling groups are not spiritual or religious in nature.
Or perhaps the person believes that only the “stupid and gullible” or those who are “missing something” would ever be drawn in, so of course, they are safe.
Whatever the reason, no one ever sees the recruitment for what it is. They’re not joining a cult; they’re making friends, taking a class, or starting a new career path.
If you’ve ever found yourself at a loss to explain how cultic recruitment can happen to anyone, you’ll want to read this week’s post for paid subscribers, You Would Never Join a Cult. In it, I lay out the process of how one person can get drawn into a high-control group and have no idea that they have been recruited - even when they start recruiting others.
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This week’s regular livestream will be on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 2 pm EDT. We will be talking about how the White House is using AI to make Trump into Green Lantern in a desperate bid to influence the gamers and his core disciples. He did the Jesus Christ AI thing, now this.
The Friday Livestream will feature my guest, Lance Christie, a former member and whistleblower of the authoritarian cult, the Exclusive Brethren, a splinter group of the Plymouth Brethren.
If you missed last week’s livestream, you can see it here:
Trump’s Cold War with Canada?! - September 2
In this week’s episode of the Cults, Culture & Coercion podcast, The Power of Us, I sat down with Jay Van Bavel, PhD, professor of Neuroscience and Social Psychology and author of The Power of Us: Harnessing Our Shared Identities to Improve Performance, Increase Cooperation, and Promote Social Harmony. Our conversation centered on the vital importance of bridging social and cultural divides through respectful, civil discourse, even when we disagree. Did you see him on Oprah’s podcast?
Catch the full episode here: Listen on Apple | Spotify | Watch on YouTube
You can also read my accompanying Substack article about our conversation here.
In next week’s episode, I will be speaking with Dr. Carissa Véliz, writer, keynote speaker, and associate professor at the Institute for Ethics in AI at the University of Oxford. We’ll be discussing her recent book, Prophecy: Prediction, Power, and the Fight for the Future, from Ancient Oracles to AI. We talk about cults, AI, privacy, and how to rebel- read a paper book!
Remember, be sure that you, your neighbors, and everyone you know is registered to vote and ready to do so! We must defeat MAGA in the coming elections!
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!
Thanks for emphasizing this point. I always stop people when they use the verb join in relationship to cults. Hearing that word always reveals they don’t know what they’re talking about. Additionally, I ask people if they’ve ever believed a lie. We are all vulnerable to deception in some way. Humility goes a long way when intentional targeting is at play. Thanks for sharing your wisdom.
Hmm. I met the Moonies /Unification Movement long ago, and I studied with them a little bit then I went back to school; and then I talked to my family and I worked for a while and then I came back and studied some more with them. Over time I realized this was the best way for me to use my creativity, my love for community, my love for learning, for a good mix of races, and appreciation for all Faiths.. "Recruitment" ? No. Just a normal process of curiosity, getting to know new friends, and finding a meaningful way to live. Stop the silly fear tactics Steve.