My Project Reflection

Cults before the Internet: Dangerous & Deadly

In the last post, we discussed how cults are able to spread their beliefs to a wide-ranging audience through various online platforms. But how did cults operate before the Internet became a widely available commodity for beliefs and information to spread? At their core, cults are fundamentally driven by controlled human interaction. Individuals join organizations that are seemingly well-meaning, and become enveloped by the beliefs and behaviours the organization (and its leader) promote. Members encourage other members to conform through peer-pressure and by shunning all “non-believers” from their personal lives. The only way for a cult to be successful is if its members believe what the cult leader says, and bring new members into the organization by spreading information through word of mouth. Two of the most prolific and destructive cults during the pre-internet age were the Manson Family , which operated in California during the late 1960s and early 1970s, and the Peoples Templ...

Cults in the Media

In the previous post, we discussed the anti-cult movement and several variations of it that target specific types of cults. We briefly touched on the topic of the media and how they both portray and attempt to peel away the veneer of cults, so that people have a better understanding of how they work. This week, we’re taking a deeper dive into media coverage of cults, and how big of a role the media can play in a cult’s downfall. Media is arguably the most powerful tool of the twenty-first century (aside from technology). It shapes the way we view the world, and our perceptions of particular topics, people and events are heavily influenced by what we read and watch, and where we are getting that information from. Just think about how the media has been reporting about the COVID-19 Pandemic over the last year, and how differing opinions about the virus and the measures being taken to mitigate its spread are influenced by where people are receiving their news from. There is always bi...

How do Cults Work?

In the last blog post, we discussed some fundamental elements of cults: A charismatic leader who believes themselves to be “God-like”; a “Thought Reform” program of indoctrination; and some form of exploitation of its members. But how do Cults actually work? How do they operate? Returning to the Netflix docuseries Explained episode all about cults, it’s clear that leaders of these organizations prey on people who find themselves falling on hard times. People who are at a crossroads in their lives are usually at their most vulnerable, meaning that someone with nefarious intentions and a charming personality could use those circumstances to manipulate the individual. This process begins by promising the individual that by joining the organization, they can bring new and improved meaning to their lives. The docuseries argues that there exists a loneliness epidemic around the world, with people lacking a sense of community even though in theory, human society has never been more inte...

Cult Culture

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