oh, GSR, thank you for making space for these hilarious stories! I came across this recently, about the Moonies coming to Gloucester in the 70s, and going tuna fishing:
Even when I was being recruited by the Gans/Klein Group Who Couldn’t Shoot Straight, I had the idea that they might be a cult. I even told my friends, “hey, I think this school I’m going to might be a cult, so watch for any funny behavior.” My (naive) idea of a cult was based on these wacky kind of stories– I thought at worst, it would be a bunch of people with silly beliefs. I did not, at that time, realize that alongside the wacky practices, was a deeply manipulative and destructive element. I think I’m not alone, and it’s part of why people don’t realize how damaging cults are. Another reason is that people think they’re too smart to get taken in. He he he– joke’s on you, smartypants!
Hi Gerda – Thanks for your comment and for the links … I will check them out.
“I did not, at that time, realize that alongside the wacky practices, was a deeply manipulative and destructive element. I think I’m not alone, and it’s part of why people don’t realize how damaging cults are.”
You make a very good point. The damage I experienced through “school” wasn’t blatant, either, it was a weird kind of cult mindset that really fucked with my life and psyche — a bizarre invisible prison. When I look back on my state of mind and my bi-weekly indoctrination sessions now, I simply can’t believe I let myself get yanked around like that — let this “evolved group” micromanage my life into the toilet. Even with all the reading and talking and writing I’ve done, I still find myself thinking sometimes, “What the f happened to me!” AND I still find myself falling into cult thinking at times … can’t think of a good example at the moment. And that’s after only five years and never getting into the coveted “inner circle … thank God!
“Isn’t it weird that they all basically do the same sh**t? I mean, do they all read Cult Leading for Dummies, or what?”
I think about this alot, because not only are the social dynamics and engineering echoed in other cults, they are the same relationship dynamics in domestic violence. A friend and I (a while back) were once gonna write a book called “Summer Camp for Verbal Abusers”. Maybe, instead, I’ll open the Cult Education and Advancement Institute:for any one who’s ever wanted to start their own cult, but felt they didn’t know how!
I could be rolling in it … just like L.Ron Hubbard!
OK, if you want to become a cult leader there is some seriously good information about how to do it. Interesting how much information there is out there. A lot of people must be interested in making this their life’s work just like some of our former “friends” did. Check these out:
This is the tip of the iceberg! Just try putting “How to Become a Cult Leader” into your favorite search engine (not Google) and its amazing how much comes up. Or you could do it the old fashioned way like Sharon: just lie back on your velvet pillows in your $8 million dollar condo on Central Park and receive your inspiration from Oprah on your $5,000 big screen TV…
oh, GSR, thank you for making space for these hilarious stories! I came across this recently, about the Moonies coming to Gloucester in the 70s, and going tuna fishing:
https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/2014/12/16/when-the-moonies-came-to-town/
Even when I was being recruited by the Gans/Klein Group Who Couldn’t Shoot Straight, I had the idea that they might be a cult. I even told my friends, “hey, I think this school I’m going to might be a cult, so watch for any funny behavior.” My (naive) idea of a cult was based on these wacky kind of stories– I thought at worst, it would be a bunch of people with silly beliefs. I did not, at that time, realize that alongside the wacky practices, was a deeply manipulative and destructive element. I think I’m not alone, and it’s part of why people don’t realize how damaging cults are. Another reason is that people think they’re too smart to get taken in. He he he– joke’s on you, smartypants!
This was interesting, a scale of determining the “cultishness” of a group.
http://www.neopagan.net/ABCDEF.html
Isn’t it weird that they all basically do the same sh**t? I mean, do they all read Cult Leading for Dummies, or what?
Hi Gerda – Thanks for your comment and for the links … I will check them out.
“I did not, at that time, realize that alongside the wacky practices, was a deeply manipulative and destructive element. I think I’m not alone, and it’s part of why people don’t realize how damaging cults are.”
You make a very good point. The damage I experienced through “school” wasn’t blatant, either, it was a weird kind of cult mindset that really fucked with my life and psyche — a bizarre invisible prison. When I look back on my state of mind and my bi-weekly indoctrination sessions now, I simply can’t believe I let myself get yanked around like that — let this “evolved group” micromanage my life into the toilet. Even with all the reading and talking and writing I’ve done, I still find myself thinking sometimes, “What the f happened to me!” AND I still find myself falling into cult thinking at times … can’t think of a good example at the moment. And that’s after only five years and never getting into the coveted “inner circle … thank God!
“Isn’t it weird that they all basically do the same sh**t? I mean, do they all read Cult Leading for Dummies, or what?”
I think about this alot, because not only are the social dynamics and engineering echoed in other cults, they are the same relationship dynamics in domestic violence. A friend and I (a while back) were once gonna write a book called “Summer Camp for Verbal Abusers”. Maybe, instead, I’ll open the Cult Education and Advancement Institute: for any one who’s ever wanted to start their own cult, but felt they didn’t know how!
I could be rolling in it … just like L.Ron Hubbard!
OK, if you want to become a cult leader there is some seriously good information about how to do it. Interesting how much information there is out there. A lot of people must be interested in making this their life’s work just like some of our former “friends” did. Check these out:
http://reallyweirdstuff.com/howtobesuccessfulcultleader.htm
http://www.cultwatch.com/warning-others.html
http://www.songpoemmusic.com/cults/guru.htm
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/spycatcher/201208/dangerous-cult-leaders
http://www.christianworldview.net/2014/09/how-to-become-a-cult-leader-in-seven-easy-lessons/
http://www.thesatirist.com/satires/Psychology/cultleaders.html
This is the tip of the iceberg! Just try putting “How to Become a Cult Leader” into your favorite search engine (not Google) and its amazing how much comes up. Or you could do it the old fashioned way like Sharon: just lie back on your velvet pillows in your $8 million dollar condo on Central Park and receive your inspiration from Oprah on your $5,000 big screen TV…
Thanks CCLR – Wow, that’s quite the rabbit hole to fall down. It led me to some disturbing information … too much to go into right now.