Part 1:
Bradbury, Shelly. “Yellow Deli Boulder owner Twelve Tribes exploits cult followers for free labor, ex-members say.” The Denver Post, 7 March 2022. https://www.denverpost.com/2022/03/07/yellow-deli-twelve-tribes-cult-exploitation/
In this article, journalist Shelly Bradbury effectively exposes the exploitative business practices of the Twelve Tribes cult. Bradbury based her narrative on testimonies from ex-members. According to Bradbury, Twelve Tribes relies on food service, construction, farming, real estate, and other operations to make money. Bradbury states these businesses are used as a means of control, with members giving up possessions upon joining and working without pay. Bradbury states that Twelve Tribes recruits vulnerable people, and characterizes the culture as coercive. Bradbury notes allegations of child labor, abuse, corruption, and unpaid labor throughout the organization.
Heller, Zoe. “ What Makes a Cult a Cult?” The New Yorker, 5 July 2021. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/07/12/what-makes-a-cult-a-cult
Kaplan, Avery. “Pop Cult(Ure): Examining the Evolution of Cults as Entertainment.” The Gutter Review, 30 Aug. 2022, www.thegutterreview.com/pop-culture-examining-the-evolution-of-cults-as-entertainment/.
In this text, Comics Beat Features Editor Avery Kaplan discusses the prevalence of cults in American culture. Kaplan argues that content around cults shifted from cautionary tales to pure entertainment. Kaplan references TV shows, books, and historical cult events including The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, the Manson Family murders, and Fight Club to examine this shift. In her discussion, she focuses on the dangers of cult leaders, highlighting the blurred lines between celebrity and cult leaders, and the less off-putting portrayals of cult leaders. Kaplan ultimately argues that cult portrayals show how tragedy plus time equates to entertainment in American culture.
Lalich, Janja. “Introduction: Cults and True Believers.” Bounded Choice : True Believers and Charismatic Cults. University of California Press, 2004, pp 1-22.
In this text, cult expert Janja Lalich explores why people join and remain in cults. Lalich argues that theories of brainwashing, coercion, and insanity are simplistic and superficial, advocating her “bounded choice” theory. Her bounded choice theory centers on the idea that cult members are acting in the context of a social order and belief system that makes sense to them. In this chapter, she lays out her comparative research approach to exploring this theory, focusing on the definitions, primary sources, and other key elements of her work. Lalich precisely lays out her arguments and approach, providing a solid framework.
Laycock, Joseph. “Where Do They Get These Ideas? Changing Ideas of Cults in the Mirror of Popular Culture.” Journal of the American Academy of Religion, vol. 81, no. 1, 2013, pp. 80–106. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23357877. Accessed 13 Feb. 2024.
In this article, Laycock aims to examine how the news media and entertainment media collectively form a public narrative on new religious movements. Laycock argues that the general public is negatively biased against NRMs due to misinformation and negative portrayals of these groups in popular media. He alleges that medicalization, deviance amplification, and convergence are the main ways popular media has reinforced negative public opinion of NRMs. The article effectively uses relevant examples from pop culture to communicate complex concepts, including analysis of The Simpsons, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, King of the Hill, and South Park. However, the organization of the text is unclear at times and the flow of ideas is somewhat disjointed.
Lifton, Robert Jay. “On Cultism and the Larger Society.” Losing Reality : On Cults, Cultism, and the Mindset of Political and Religious Zealotry. The New Press, 2019, pp 94-103.
Li, Sara. “ What Is a Cult and Why Do People Join Them?” Teen Vogue, 30 March 2022. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/what-is-cult
Montell, Amanda. Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism. Harper Wave, an Imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2021.
Montell, Amanda. Interview by Kate Gale. Literary Hub, 14 June 2021, https://lithub.com/how-and-why-americans-become-susceptible-to-the-toxic-allure-of-cults/. Accessed 18 Feb. 2024.
This text is an interview between Dr. Kate Gale and Amanda Montell focusing on the themes of Montell’s book, Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism. The article highlights Montell’s exploration of cultish behavior with a focus on linguistics, analyzing case studies ranging from Jonestown to SoulCycle. Montell argues that cults exist on a spectrum, noting the difficulty of drawing a clear line between what is considered a cult and what is not. The interview also examines how societal conditioning influences people to trust charismatic cult leaders, with a focus on how the secret language of cults makes people feel special. Throughout the interview, Montell’s insights are bolstered by Dr.Gale’s personal cult experiences.
Morrison, Ewan. “12 Signs That Someone May Be Involved With a Cult.” Psychology Today, 29 March 2023. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/word-less/202303/has-a-loved-one-fallen-into-a-dangerous-cult
This article by writer Ewan Morrison explores the life cycle of cults and how to identify cult involvement. Morrison presents 12 common stages in the life cycle of a cult: The Big Idea, Love-Bombing, A New Life, Growth, Rites of Passage, Isolation, Hate Bonding, Traitors, Witch Hunts, Persecution Paranoia, Attack, and Final Conflict. Morrison references several cult specialists and historical cult events as evidence for this life cycle. In his discussion of each step, he notes observable signs to people outside the cult. He also notes that more time in a cult leads to more emotional manipulation by the cult. Accordingly, he argues that early identifications of cult behaviors in any group are key to getting someone out. While this article is informative, it fails to provide enough evidence on why early intervention is key.
Neal, Lynn S. “‘They’re Freaks!’: The Cult Stereotype in Fictional Television Shows, 1958–2008.” Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions, vol. 14, no. 3, 2011, pp. 81–107. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.1525/nr.2011.14.3.81. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.
This text focuses on the portrayal of cults in fictional television shows between 1995 and 2008. Neal argues that the portrayal of cults, or new religious movements, on television has influenced what generations of viewers think of cults. Neal analyzes episodes of different popular television shows, including but not limited to The Simpsons, Boy Meets World, Everybody Loves Raymond, Criminal Minds, and Law and Order: SVU. Neal argues that the portrayal of brainwashing, exploitative actions, etc by fictional cults reinforces negative stereotypes about real and fake religions, especially as many of the portrayals have vaguely Christian elements.
Nesci, Domenico Arturo. “Jim Jones: Psychobiography of a Cult Leader.” Revisiting Jonestown : An Interdisciplinary Study of Cults. Lexington Books, 2018, pp 1-24.
Olson, Hannah, director. Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God. HBO, 2023.
“Poulomi Saha on why we’re so obsessed with cults.” Berkeley Talks from Berkeley News, 3 Nov. 2023. https://news.berkeley.edu/2023/11/03/berkeley-talks-transcript-poulomi-saha
In this text, Berkeley student Chauncey Walker interviews Professor Poulomi Saha on the “cult culture boom.” Saha initially argues that cults spark interest because they foundationally challenge our norms. She presents a history of religion, arguing that America’s emergence from the Enlightenment movement led to a rational, secular cultural foundation. She connects this to the emergence of cults by arguing that conflict between rational conformity and individual impulses in the 19660s gave rise to cults and states that a similar cultural crisis is drawing Americans back to cults. While her narrative flows, the sheer amount of information she traverses may lead to gaps in understanding.
Pykes, Kurtis. “I Was In A Religious Cult; Here’s What It’s Like.” Pykes Notes, from Medium, 30 Dec. 2022. https://medium.com/pykes-notes/i-was-in-a-religious-cult-heres-what-it-s-like-120b65189aa7
In this text, writer Kurtis Pykes reflects on his personal cult involvement. Pykes initially highlights the conflict he faced before leaving, weighing his awareness of the unhealthy environment against his commitment to his congregation of 70+. Pykes utilizes the metaphor of an onion to describe the layers of involvement within a cult, arguing that those closest to the core are victimized and experience the most cognitive dissonance. Pykes also argues that people join cults for the certainty and answers advertised by the leader and community, but fall victim to isolation from the outside world. Throughout the text, he emphasizes the importance of using empathy and nonjudgemental approaches when attempting to help cult members leave.
Rodia, Tina. “Is it a cult, or a new religious movement?” Penn Today, 29 Aug. 2019. https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/it-cult-or-new-religious-movement
Rousselet, M., et al. “Cult membership: What factors contribute to joining or leaving?” Psychiatry Research, vol. 257, Nov. 2017, pp. 27–33, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2017.07.018. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.
This text is a scientific study aimed at understanding why people join and leave cults. The study interviewed 31 former cult members to evaluate their clinical profile, personal experiences, and general characteristics of their cult. Throughout the study, the authors highlight similarities between cult membership and addictive disorders. The study found that many who joined cults experienced vulnerability before joining which led them to develop a temporary dependent relationship on the cult for various social, emotional, spiritual, etc needs. The study also found that factors like strong familial support can improve reintegration outcomes. While the study is effective, the authors note that they were unable to use the preferred method of longitudinal studies to evaluate the vulnerability and protective factors associated with cult participation.
Turner, Guinevere. “My Childhood in a Cult.” The New Yorker, 29 April 2019. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/05/06/my-childhood-in-a-cult
In this text, writer Guinevere Turner chronicles her experiences growing up in The Lyman Family cult. Turner tells her story of growing up in a cult and her adjustment to the outside world after being forced to leave. Her careful curation of anecdotes and the high level of detail provided throughout the article effectively depict the nuance of Turner’s experience. Additionally, Turner discusses the reductive portrayal of cults in the media and her draw to tell these stories in a more nuanced way. Turner writes this article to share her experiences and provide a different perspective on cults in general.
Winter, Jessica. “The Upper West Side Cult That Hid In Plain Sight.” The New Yorker, 14 June 2023. https://www.newyorker.com/books/under-review/the-upper-west-side-cult-that-hid-in-plain-sight
Zimmerman, Amy. “What Pop Culture’s Obsession With Cults Says About Us.” The Daily Beast, 05 October 2017. https://www.thedailybeast.com/what-pop-cultures-obsession-with-cults-says-about-us
In this text from 2017, entertainment reporter Amy Zimmerman discusses the growing popularity of cult narratives in American popular culture. Zimmerman highlights the production of cult-focused media like the podcast Cults, the movie Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, and the TV show Waco. Zimmerman argues that this growth in cult content is a result of a turbulent socio-political climate, which she believes prompts the exploration of dark moments in search of understanding contemporary issues. Zimmerman discusses the psychology of both cult leaders and cult followers. Additionally, Zimmerman highlights the nuanced portrayal of the Manson Family in Cults and argues that podcasts are an effective medium for these narratives.
Part 2:
Cults have always fascinated me. Since my elementary school days, I remember coming home and watching VICE videos on Bulgarian witch cults or YouTube documentaries on polygamist enclaves in Colorado City, Arizona. Yet, I never really considered these narratives anything more than a salacious bit of entertainment. Even when reading an article about a tragedy like Jonestown, my engagement with the material extended no deeper than schadenfreude.
For this project, I chose cults not because of my superficial fascination but, in spite of it. I wanted to examine the why—from why people join to why people can’t escape to why pop culture constantly retells these stories. Exploring the idea of a charismatic cult leader did not deeply interest me. I don’t care about the crazy, power-hungry individual because their motive usually seems obvious. The most glaring why for me is why people join. I never understood how regular people get involved in these insane cults. How could a rational person become convinced that a random person is essentially God? In the show Love Has Won, people left everything they knew to follow Amy Carlson, a relatively unremarkable woman by cult standards.
As I looked back on the cult-focused shows I watched, the "why join" question stood out. While the research studies I read starkly differed from the personal testimonies in style, the core message held strong. Cults take advantage of vulnerable people, whether that be people struggling financially or people just not knowing their path. One study even compared joining a cult to a substance addiction. People join cults to answer their questions and solve their problems.
What shocked me most was the reported banality of being in a cult. According to Guinevere Turner, an ex-member of the Moonies, “To people who grew up in more ordinary circumstances, my childhood sounds exotic, scandalous, and fascinating. Cults are fascinating—but one thing the Manson Family and the Lyman Family have in common is the banality of daily life inside these worlds. If you live in a large group of people, there are always dishes to wash and heaps of laundry to hang up to dry. The travel plans for Venus took place against a backdrop of these everyday chores” (Turner). How can a group that believes they will travel to Venus have any sort of regular day-to-day existence? No cult show I have ever watched made cult life seem boring or normal in any way, yet that theme of banal cult life pervaded many of the testimonies.
I also explored the why behind people in cults making seemingly irrational decisions, with some going so far as sacrificing their lives for their cult. Cult specialist Janja Lalich’s bounded-choice theory provided the most convincing take. Once people are in, they adopt the cult’s customs, language, and worldview as their own. The decisions they make are no longer constrained by the norms of the outside world but are made within the framework of their cult (Lalich 1-3). Upon reading this, it clicked into place for me. When I look at the decisions made by someone in a cult, I evaluate them based on the norms I am used to.
After exploring the why of the behavior of cult followers, why cult narratives fascinate American culture is the most interesting question I touched on. Several of the articles that explored this issue tied this phenomenon to the socio-political climate, citing that current controversies pushed people to look to the past for answers or comfort. Professor Saha’s take provoked the most thought. Just like those who join a cult looking for an answer, people’s interest in cults may come from their desire for something new in their own lives.
While I won't delve into my personal unmet needs that sparked my interest in cults for this class, there are several other directions I may take my writing in. I may explore the connections between the consumption of cult media and the socio-political climate through an informative essay. This would explore some of the themes touched on in Zimmerman and Saha’s pieces. I also am interested in writing a comparative piece on several films or television shows on the same cult, potentially exploring the relationship between the differences in portrayal and the differences in audience reception. Or, I may write an Op-Ed on how film and TV portrayals of cults should better humanize their subjects. While this experience gave me a better understanding of the discourse around cults, I still have more questions than answers.