Excellent piece, Derek. I think what we’re coming to discover is that cults can happen without a cult leader, or an ever-changing cult leader. The henchmen are always the real enforcers anyway and a lot of religious cults from the ancient past have been dispersed and with a completely fictional cult leader.
It’s the control mechanisms, not the structure, that matter.
Have you heard of Cults and the Culting of America with Daniella Mestyanek-Young? Excellent podcast recommendation. She was born into a Christian sex cult, left the cult as a teenager and realized how the same tactics are used everywhere in U.S. culture, from the military to corporations.
Calley calling out “corporate capture of government” is ironic considering he IS “corporate capture of government.” 🥴
Excellent piece, Derek. I think what we’re coming to discover is that cults can happen without a cult leader, or an ever-changing cult leader. The henchmen are always the real enforcers anyway and a lot of religious cults from the ancient past have been dispersed and with a completely fictional cult leader.
It’s the control mechanisms, not the structure, that matter.
Have you heard of Cults and the Culting of America with Daniella Mestyanek-Young? Excellent podcast recommendation. She was born into a Christian sex cult, left the cult as a teenager and realized how the same tactics are used everywhere in U.S. culture, from the military to corporations.
Might offer some food for thought.