from Hacker News

The Psychology of Cults

by caser on 8/2/23, 1:12 AM with 56 comments

  • by initramfs on 8/2/23, 3:24 AM

    I also recommend Don Delillo's Mao II, which covers the Moon cult and the deprogramming of one of the ex-followers.

    And Ted Patrick! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzlNrWlakmA

    Cults are fascinating- some appear to be by opportunists, and others true believers, but all are dangerous. I feel that the word cult is sometimes given a bad name, and it is overlooked in the word culture, yet I think it is a great way to examine modern-day dictatorships and nuclear powers, which still use some some of that power (maybe not so much in the west) to broadcast a cult of personality.

  • by GartzenDeHaes on 8/2/23, 3:27 AM

    Mind Control Made Easy by Carey Burtt (HQ)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJfm71I0OyU

  • by mvncleaninst on 8/2/23, 5:15 AM

    Feel the need to post this fantastic read: https://www.thecut.com/article/larry-ray-sarah-lawrence-stud...

    > His primary conversational tactic is to overwhelm. He can go on 20-minute unbroken monologues, especially if the subject turns to his victimhood. Everyone in his past, from his defense attorneys to his own mother, is “corrupt” or “biased.” He firmly believes that he, Felicia, Isabella, and Talia have been poisoned — and are still being poisoned. “We’ve suffered so much, and we’re still suffering so much,” he says.

    Has anyone here met anyone like this irl?

  • by what-no-tests on 8/2/23, 1:57 AM

    Plot-twist: our entire society is essentially a cult, parenting and education is simply indoctrination, and the same psychological glitches which are exploited in order to produce compliant citizens are also exploited by would-be cult leaders to control their unfortunate members.

    Can't fix the problem because doing so would unravel everything we call society.

  • by swayvil on 8/2/23, 2:51 AM

    You gotta ask, "am I in a cult?"

  • by it on 8/2/23, 2:51 AM

    Final research project: start your own cult.

  • by imperio59 on 8/2/23, 3:59 AM

    Ah yes, the "it's not bigotry because it's taught at Harvard" garbage.

    No thanks.