What is A Cult and How Cults Brainwash
There are different definitions for cults.
A lot of them are sinister.
One definition on Google is:
A relatively small group of people that have beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister.
This is a very blurry definition.
I think it adds more complexity than simplicity in today’s era.
Think about something that you are passionate about.
Well, there is someone on the planet who thinks you are weird for believing that.
I know this guy who I consider to be getting carried away with conspiracy theories.
He went down a rabbit hole and never came out.
I’m looking at him like he’s weird.
He’s looking at me like I’m weird.
Which one is right?
In this article, I want to break down how cults work and how cults brainwash.
My Definition of A Cult
I view cults as:
A group of people with codified values.
This can be good.
This can be bad.
If you were to ask me, Amazon is a cult.
As is Apple.
A lot of founders want their business to be a cult.
Because it creates an us vs them mentality.
The Amazon leaders work with the operating system of:
- Customer obsession.
It’s a battle cry they took for their career.
And now the battle cry influences their narrative.
Why Cults Often Go Bad
All cults are not good.
They may start off with pure intentions.
But later on, we must ask the question:
- Are they serving the grander system or not?
The grander system may depend on the:
- City, state, nation, etc.
Cults often go bad because they are taking rather than giving.
The organization is:
- Taking residents.
- Making them cut off their critical thinking faculties.
- And making these residents only serve the cult and its cult leaders.
There are cults that have rituals that give the followers the illusion of progress.
But the question to ask is:
- Who is the cult serving?
In 1 line, what is the useful value they are adding?
No matter how much useful value there is, with scale, comes criticism.
With Amazon, they are capable of selling items for cheap to the mass market.
That’s their useful value.
However, they have had questions regarding how they treat their employees.
Especially in the warehouse.
Before ruling off any group with codified beliefs as evil.
Ask, what is the bare minimum level of useful value they are providing?
Any?
If there is a pause in answering that question, that shows a sign of darkness…
How Cults Brainwash
Cult leaders brainwash through repetition.
The brain learns via repetition.
Over and over again.
The more the information is repeated, the more it is deemed important by the brain.
The more the brain deems it important, the more the brain hyper-focuses on it.
Once it hyper-focuses on it, the brain identifies with the information.
Once we identify with something, the brain consumes information to justify the logic of what it idenitifies with.
Imagine if you believe capitalism is evil.
Then the reticular activating system will take in information to further justify that belief.
And the intellect will reason through that information.
Cult leaders understand this; therefore, they repeat information over and over again.
Brainwashing does not happen at once.
It happens in increments.
It is beyond your conscious awareness.
But one day, you wake up and find yourself thinking in a certain way.
So be very wary of repetition.
That’s how cults brainwash.
How to Fight Against the Bad Cults
One thing I’ve been doing as of late is watching content that I disagree with.
Not just slighty disagree with.
But vehemently disagree with it.
I am a big fan of accountability.
I believe once you are accountable, then you have more incentive to improve.
Invite in the pain and chase greatness.
However, I am aware that there is a group that thinks accountability is an illusion.
I used to know this dude who said accountability is an illusion.
He said there are forces working upon us in a complex system that makes accountability damn near impossible.
This was not a silly person.
Normally, this person was very well thought out.
At first, I just waved this person off.
Thought it was finger-pointing 101.
But nowadays, I try to understand his worldview.
This is very difficult to do.
It may even cause physical pain.
Because my brain is completely opposed to his idea.
The goal of this exercise is not to agree with the other person.
It’s just to prevent yourself from falling for blind spots.
Blind spots can destroy someone’s life.
While feeding them the illusion of progress.
One Final Thought in Regard to Cults
Be wary of someone who is quick to identify something as a cult.
A lot of times, a person will label something as a cult just because they don’t understand it.
Maybe they are vehemently opposed to the idea and rather than hearing the party out…
They’ll just be like:
‘This ENTIRE organization is a cult!’
Once they label this group as a cult, those near the person who created the label will immediately be like:
‘Okay, I guess I will not take this organization seriously.’
I often see the mainstream media pulling a technique like this.
An organization will get big.
Then one of the anchors with a smug face will be like:
‘This cult really knows how to market to the gullible.’
One person’s cult is another person’s brotherhood or sisterhood.
Before labeling something as a cult, show curiosity to better understand their position.
Remember this, my friend…
The #1 rule of debating is to have a curious attitude regarding the other party.
And you can’t be curious if you are having a snobby attitude towards them.
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