How intelligent people end up in a cult

[SearchingforPeace]

Interesting video on a former cult, including the former guru, produced by the Atlantic. It is well worth watching.

 

[Beorn]

Intelligence is way overrated.

 

[Population: 1]

They had cookies. Chocolate peanut butter chip.

 

[biohazard]

These aren't intelligent people, IMO. If you need a cult to get you through daily life and cannot think/act for yourself then the problem lies with you, your willpower, and inability to think independently.

This Cohen guy seems like a sociopath.

 

[Magic Poriferan]

Defining intelligence is very difficult.

 

[ceecee]

These aren't intelligent people, IMO. If you need a cult to get you through daily life and cannot think/act for yourself then the problem lies with you, your willpower, and inability to think independently.

This Cohen guy seems like a sociopath.

Anytime I hear - "spiritual awakening", I automatically take a couple steps away from whatever it is that's saying "spiritual awakening". I don't know that it makes me more intelligent, though. I think it makes me more aware, which is what this really comes down to.

 

[rav3n]

Intelligence would be irrelevant. Cults appeal to emotion, provide structure and a sense of belonging for lost individuals.

 

[Jaguar]

This Cohen guy seems like a sociopath.

I read about that megalomaniac's behavior back in 2006 or so. He's bad news.

 

[BlackCat]

Only real reason I've heard intelligent people getting into cults is to find like minded people and just dealing with the stupid crap. But that's coming from people who have gotten out.

 

[ceecee]

Intelligence would be irrelevant. Cults appeal to emotion, provide structure and a sense of belonging for lost individuals.

I agree but why are they lost to begin with? Does having higher intelligence make one more susceptible to being a lost individual, needing structure or even being more emotional or at least recognizing that they have emotional needs that go in this direction?

 

[rav3n]

I agree but why are they lost to begin with? Does having higher intelligence make one more susceptible to being a lost individual, needing structure or even being more emotional or at least recognizing that they have emotional needs that go in this direction?

Often, it's the impact of abusive or seriously dysfunctional formative environments (at home and/or at school), mental health issues, etc. What's not known is why some who came from dysfunction/abuse don't break and others break and become lost.

 

[Totenkindly]

Often, it's the impact of abusive or seriously dysfunctional formative environments (at home and/or at school), mental health issues, etc. What's not known is why some who came from dysfunction/abuse don't break and others break and become lost.

Yeah, I posted this video in my blog the other day when I saw it. I found it interesting especially because the cult leader is in the video -- he actually agreed to talk and comment on the collapse of his cult. I wish the documentary were longer.

But the angle you raise always interests me. I feel like my family was crazy dysfunctional because of my dad's alcoholism and my mom's inability to cope. I do have residual damage from growing up in that environment, but I never joined a cult like this. Some people seem to look for the external structure and need it, or they are missing something and wanting to find something that provides feelings of worth and substance (or even closeness / part of a community) which the cult can provide.

Some of the people seemed sincere in terms of being skeptical and then having some kind of experience that they decided validated the guru as a leader of spiritual truth... but you have to wonder about the phenomena of "spiritual faith" and these kind of transcendent experiences... like, are they truly evidence of spiritual truth or simply psychological experiences that people across the spectrum can have / other states of awareness and euphoria, regardless of the religious belief in question? But then it gets attributed to a specific religious system or set of truths?

 

[ChocolateMoose123]

Intelligence would be irrelevant. Cults appeal to emotion, provide structure and a sense of belonging for lost individuals.

Agreed. The entire initial question is naive and pandering, in an apologist sort of way to be honest. For starters, why wouldn't intelligent people be lulled into these situations? Cults work like any other abusive relationship. It doesn't start on the predication that to be intelligent (upper class, poor, tough etc) is to be immune. That's fallacy.

What happens is you're given rules and structure. You are given time or by condition accept these as normal because they MAKE SENSE. That's the first step. Then what happens is you're rewarded for that. Then you're chastised by going against it. Now you have normalcy. You know where to step and mistep.

Then - and here's the cult aspect kicking in, the initial rules change. They mutate. You are now told what you know is false by the very same person who explained the situation/belief to begin with. Then confusion creeps in and during this time, you're vulnerable and whomever is leading this manipulation (cult of personality) will infuse their own version of that initial truth with their own. Often there is violence or the threat of it.

All it takes to be seduced by a cult is a willingness not to question with a desire to live with integrity. It's f*cked up but perfect storms exist.

 

[ChocolateMoose123]

I agree but why are they lost to begin with? Does having higher intelligence make one more susceptible to being a lost individual, needing structure or even being more emotional or at least recognizing that they have emotional needs that go in this direction?

People want and desire love and acceptance. It's a secondary drive but it often overshadows the rest. Sad and beautiful.

 

[Sacrophagus]

Introducing a fallacious premise, aye?

Cults and cabals are an invitation to a system and a pradigm with a certain view or a philosophy that entices the emotions, desires and senses. Intelligence, which remains to be defined, has nothing to do with a venture that might elicit the curiosity or the fascination of any human being in alignment with it and share the same interest.

 

[biohazard]

Anytime I hear - "spiritual awakening", I automatically take a couple steps away from whatever it is that's saying "spiritual awakening". I don't know that it makes me more intelligent, though. I think it makes me more aware, which is what this really comes down to.

Yeah, I get that. I definitely feel an uneasiness when they kept saying how spiritually awakened they were. It's like a trigger word, you just know when it's used insincerely.

 

[ChocolateMoose123]

Yeah, I get that. I definitely feel an uneasiness when they kept saying how spiritually awakened they were. It's like a trigger word, you just know when it's used insincerely.

I had a friend rave on after taking ayahuasca in Mexico. Spiritual journey for days or something. I guess there's this whole ritual and it makes you vomit and sh*t and right there I'm like, nah. I don't need spiritual awakening that badly.

 

[ceecee]

I had a friend rave on after taking ayahuasca in Mexico. Spiritual journey for days or something. I guess there's this whole ritual and it makes you vomit and sh*t and right there I'm like, nah. I don't need spiritual awakening that badly.

You could accomplish the same thing with some Taco Bell and never leave the house.

 

[Lucy_Ricardo]

They had cookies. Chocolate peanut butter chip.

Seriously all it takes. A cult is only as good as its cookies.

 

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