Welcome To The Golden Age Of Cults

A few years ago, I did a video about cults and predicted that we are living in conditions that make cults thrive. Today, a few years later, that seems to be the case, with cult activity skyrocketing not just in the US, but around the world. Today we look at what’s causing this problem, and what you can do if a friend or loved one goes a little too far down the rabbit hole.

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TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Intro
3:39 - Defining Qualities of Cults
6:24 - What Draws People To Cults
8:20 - Can You Deprogram Someone Who Joined A Cult?
13:00 - How To Support a Loved One
16:15 - Sponsor - Ground News

[goldwingerppg]

This reminds me of the saying “It’s easier to fool people than convince people they’ve been fooled” Mark Twain

[AFishNamedBob]

Born and raised in a religious cult. Broke free in my late 20's. Lost everything. Literally. Every family member. Every childhood friend. Every "close" friend (and when you live in a closed society they are everything). All my money and job opportunities.
Everything.
Best thing I ever did but also the hardest.

[acidchronic]

QAnon dropout here, this video is spot on. Short length but great and necessary content. Didn't expect this video but I'm glad it's out there!

[fathistory]

I’ve been getting my mom away from conspiracy theories by getting her into baking bread & replacing all the videos on her fyp with bread videos. She sounds more like herself than I’ve seen in years.

[michaelmorrison]

I had a friend/coworker some years ago named Joel. He was born in a cult in upstate New York in the early 1960s. The place was highly secure, and Joel spent the first 18 years of his life living within the compound. Then in the late 1970s, he began to feel that something felt “wrong”. Joel literally escaped into the forest in the middle of the night by climbing over numerous high fences, barbed wire, across trenches, streams, and numerous other barriers. He eventually found his way to a rural road where a passing driver picked him up and took him to a nearby town. Joel was shocked and amazed at what he saw; he had no idea that there was a whole civilized world beyond the walls of the compound. He has never seen his parents or siblings again after his daring escape. It took years of help from many kind folks to get Joel adjusted to the modern world. It’s an amazing story. I’m glad that Joel turned out okay after such a horrific childhood.

[bobbywalker]

I would just like to point out that almost every single step that you mentioned was also useful in my guiding someone away from an unhealthy relationship. In case that helps any dads or moms out there.

Be there for when they come back and lightly question things to draw their attention to warning signs in a non-judgmental way. Don't offer ultimatums or timelines and just help guide them to the solution that everyone else can already see.

Thanks Joe

[Enn-]

This worked for me. I assured my son he was loved, expressed my concerns to him about the group he was with, and encouraged him to continue learning without letting others direct his exploration away from topics. His curiosity and enthusiasm (which had attracted them to him in the first place) drew others around him within the group, and when his questions lead to discoveries that they couldn't answer, the house of cards fell.

[owenpiffaretti]

It's really difficult to change anybody's mind about what they believe.
We almost always respond with emotions rather than reason.

[undefined]

Remember tribal political bias is also indicative of cult like behavior. We need less blind loyalty to left and right and more calm rational discourse.

[Saffron-sugar]

I joined a convent and became a novice nun. It was Episcopalian, but it was an independent convent in the sense that it was not affiliated with any particular church or organisation. They turned out to be a cult. Irrational, dishonest and violent. It wasn’t until I was beaten up that I truly woke up. I think I stayed because they told me they loved me and I needed that.
They made it hard for me to leave, and when I left, they all shunned me. They robbed me and I had to get the police because they would not let me collect my belongings. The diocese of the Area could not have cared less. It took me a long time to recover.
Then I left and I joined a real convent that belongs to an organisation that is hundreds of years old. I am safe now, but I look back in horror.

[tymonritco]

As a former Jehovahs Witness I can say that deprogramming from a cult is hard. I know so many that are still trapped mentally.

[rustymustard]

I haven't joined a cult yet, and i'm not going to until the really good sex, drugs and rock and roll cult recruits me. I'm saving myself.

[Talon]

In the wise words of William S Preston and Theodore Logan: “Be excellent to each other “

[Gilgie]

My cult isn't a cult, your cult is a cult.

[seattlegrrlie]

The difference between music fans, people in a hiking group, and a cult is the level of control and manipulation that happens in a cult. Taylor Swift isn't trying to force her fans to dress, eat, think, or give all their money. A hiking or other local community group is also not trying to abuse you, manipulate you, force you to stay in the group, and make you believe lies for power and control

A cult, the whole point is power and control

[emaarredondo-librarian]

As a librarianship student (the past millennium!), I witnessed this: we were at a room studying, a student from another level brought a different set of study materials. They were a questionnaire and a booklet from a cult. Not one of us were aware it was a cult, or even what a cult was at the time. One of us casually asked her what was she doing. She explained those were the main teachings of (the cult) and that she was supposed to use the booklet to fill the questionnaire. And our classmate just observed: "How nice of them! They give you the questions *and* also the answers!" And we all laughed. For a group of students who had to answer to many questions without being given the answers beforehand - it was hilarious. But something also clicked there. We all noticed how *odd* that was. Including her. Time later, incidentally, we learned that girl was not going to (the cult's) meetings anymore.
Everything was just an anecdote. Sometimes I think that casual interaction saved her life. Nope, that cult didn't end up in a collective suicide, but you know what I mean. ✌

[stevenhoir]

The disconnect from realty is widespread today. And growing. Our media, society and technology are encouraging it.

[GeoMeridium]

As a cult member, I find this video extremely helpful for deprogramming members of rival cults

[darthsirrius]

"Love with your heart, use your head for everything else."
- Captain Disillusion

[michaellowe]

I always liked the Carl Segan quote. I would rather have questions I can't answer than answers I can't question. When someone uses coercion or violence in response to questioning their assertions, they are controlling and likely have a cult mentality. Plenty of football team, political, and climate change doomsday enthusiasts fit this description. That is why it is so hard for people to notice when they go over the edge.