What Are Cults?

When people hear the word cult a certain image tends to burst into their brain. Brainwashed devotees worshipping a crazed narcissist and ready to sacrifice anything for them.

While Jonestown, Heaven’s Gate, and the Solar Temple have given cults a violent reputation, most cults keep a much lower profile.

Cults are everywhere. There's probably a cult in your town. And the tricks they use to lure people in aren’t complicated but rather tried and tested social manipulation tactics that anyone can fall for.

So what is a cult, how do they trap people, and how do people end up believing that volcano alien ghosts are living on their bodies? Well Let’s Find Out.

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Sources:

Going clear : HBO Documentary
Cults, Explained | Netflix (by Vox)
Holy Hell : Netflix

Do All Ex-Cult Members Think The Same?

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#Cults #cultsexplained #religions

[iammrbeat]

I started a cult, but no one joined, so I'm gonna give it another go after watching this. Thanks for the advice.

[maddietillem]

Omg finally someone said that multi-level marketing is a corporate cult. Too many people think cults are just religious and therefore super rare. Also, I love how Scientology does everything in their power to prove they're not a cult. It's ridiculous.

[Ggdivhjkjl]

When I was in a cult, I told a few others it was a cult. The leader said I was insane and told everyone a series of lies before having them vote me out. I'll skip the long story, but if any of you are reading this, thank to those old friends who contacted me to apologise after that cult collapsed.

[Nebroc]

The one criticism I have with this video is that not all cults are run by a single charismatic leader. Cults can also be run by a group of people too.

[jithio]

Scientologist: "We have volcano burnt alien ghosts in our bodies".
Tom cruise: " Take my money godammit" .

[Espinozaize]

13:37 WAIT!! Cogito is a charismatic individual, at this point he asks us to: Like & subscribe AKA believe what he says in his videos. Also he 16:20 he desires to control our funds by making us join his Nebula system. Furthermore he likes nice & constructive comments(love bombing)...Need I say more

[jameskosusnik]

"Are y'all with the cult? We're not a cult we're a organization that promotes love and harmony. Yup this is it." Gotta love king of the hill

[abthedragon]

Cogito you've seriously perfected the art of hooking the audience with the last sentence of your introduction.

[Fungamerplays]

9:59 that's horrifying they convinced her that in a past life she did something "shameful" to use it as leverage now

[timwilson]

Not to forget the cult I was raised in. The doomsday cult called the Jehovah Witnesses. Every word you spoke sounded like a dicription of them. I am so ad I escaped and woke up.

[charisr.]

I have to be honest, I grew up in a Christian-based cult. I know when I tell people that, they think of me as some kind of freak, and who can blame them? The word "cult" has so many misconceptions behind it. This video definitely showed the reality of cults. Obviously, I am no longer involved with the cult, and I feel very sorry for the other children I know who grew up in the cult. I'm also glad that this video mentioned the long lectures because if it's anything he got right in this video, it's this. Every Sunday we go to "fellowship" which is basically church on drugs, which is an hour long, and has absolutely no substance. However, every year there is an "advanced class" that has lectures that last 6 HOURS at a time throughout the ENTIRE DAY. They also have a "foundational class" which is meant for teens when they turn 13, which includes lectures that last 3 hours on the weekends, and you're supposed to go every weekend for 6 weeks. Cults are complicated and cruel, and they left my parents poor, and robbed me of a childhood. I hope this helps give some perspective on this topic.

[anotheryoutubeaccount]

I love how he uses South Park characters and doesn’t address it lmao

[gursimarsingh]

Sudden research prove that cogito gives heart to comments.

[rrezonkrasniqi]

I was part of the cult Nuevo Acropolis/New Acropolis, they pose as a psychology and philosophy course as a front to get followers, Then when you become a true member you start to do ceremonies and rituals, you dedicate everything to the cult, family becomes a problem, the encourage relationships but mostly with the members.

I am glad I got out of it!

[juliopeinado]

There is a BITE Model that people can use where to tell if it’s a cult or not. B is for Behavior Control, E is for Emotion Control, T is for Thought Control and E is for Emotion Control. It is mainly use to identify cults with it’s criteria. A YouTuber, Telltale Atheist used the Byte Model to denounce cults like Jehovah’s Witnesses or Heaven’s Gate.

[jataim]

So, its basically: 'spiritual multi-level marketing' with some added CEO worship?

[squared]

well im glad butters didnt get caught up in it, but poor kyle went deep down the rabbit hole

[Rynewulf]

When Cogito was describing signs of cult activity, it honestly just made me think of society in general. You've got to be careful who you even minorly complain about your job to, or they'll guilt trip you or get your co workers or boss to punish you. Even if you agree with someone's political stance, having criticism or doubts of a particular part will get the conversation shut down at best and collectively criticised at worst, even if talking about non controversial things. Not having the right interests can get you ignored or even ostracised. Coming from or being born into the wrong background in life makes you an inherently bad or inferior person... the horrible list just goes on.

[neoteucer]

At an old job of mine (food service) we had a policy of giving out leftover food that was still good but was destined for the trash to local homeless folks, and I got the chance to get to know several people who had abandoned their families and support networks to join a local cult here, and when they got out they had nowhere to go and no support network. They were all sad stories, but the one I most remember was a fellow named Jacob who was a genuinely smart, funny, good dude. He was who taught me that it's not just gullible hippy types that go in for cults - after stress or trauma (in his case the death of someone close to him) the human mind wants to find meaning and support wherever it can, and even someone with good critical thinking skills can fall into that trap. After fice years in the cult he'd cut off his entire family and didn't have any other friends outside of it, so he ended up on the streets.

I honestly don't know what ever happened to him after I left that job, but I hope he made it somewhere better, I liked the guy.

[ebonyblack]

The isolation of family abuse works similarly. Cults are like abusers who decided controlling their household was not enough and went for a 'grander' scale.

I can also say there are cult-like facets to cop culture. Being raised in the big blue family is a trip when you finally get enough distance to see it...