According to Ross, “My experience has taught me that a cult can potentially recruit anyone regardless of his or her education or social background. “A charismatic and sincere approach from a demonstrative recruiter,” he continues, “might be all it takes, and all of a sudden they feel like they’re part of a brotherhood/sisterhood, and treated in a way that makes them feel special, with a chance to be something bigger than just themselves.”Ībusive and controlling cults know exactly who they’re going for and prey upon them, utilizing timeless strategies that can sway even the most unlikely of people. Tod Gross, a Boston-based psychologist who has worked with victims of abuse. “It varies person to person, but if they’re welcomed and received in a safe way that makes them feel a sense of belonging, and offers an approval that perhaps they don’t have in their lives, it can be a place where they feel someone really gets them,” says Dr. Cults hold a tight control over the individual, both psychologically and emotionally, he explains, with a goal of slowly increasing their isolation away from family, friends, and the outside world, sometimes even moving them to a far-off base or compound. Ross says leaders often convince members to willingly hand over access to their finances, or perform labor without pay.
“A personality-driven and defined group dominated by a charismatic leader is the most salient single feature of destructive cults,” says Rick Alan Ross, an expert in cult behavior and deprogramming, and author of Cults Inside Out.įor some, exploitation could be a common trait too. While all cults differ with motives, methods and objectives, there are definitely common threads to look out for, the biggest one being abusive control. From the Manson Family to ISIS, Waco to Jonestown and beyond, the best books about cults take a deep dive into the testimonials from survivors and overviews of the experts. From ancient times to the modern day, there’s always been an ever-present person who comes along and strikes the perfect combination of intrigue and awe among followers, with control and manipulation not far behind. If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.Ī cult’s recruitment process and psychological hold on its members can seem like an obvious red flag to outsiders, and leave us thinking, as individuals, that we’re way too smart and savvy to ever fall into anything like that.
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