I know that the Manson cult particularly was based on the offering of love, drugs and fame from Charles himself. He was a cruel manipulator who convinced people to murder and become blind to their own actions. I’ve tried to understand the reasoning behind cults and their leaders, but things like this are intricate and scary. When you really analyze a gathering such as a cult, one thing stays in common- a charismatic yet manipulative leader. Anyone who begins a cult has something wrong with them, but the extent of their psychotic nature is covered by their friendly facade. This covers their real nature and expresses that they are an understanding and caring human; when in reality they are manipulative and ill-Intentioned.
-This is supposed to represent people following a leader I guess-
There was a documentary on Netflix that explained why cults grow and develop, but it was only like 20 minutes. However, it did cram a lot of interesting information that made me realize that cults aren’t just a spontaneous occurrence- they form because the people that fall into them are at a crossroads with themselves and feel like they have nowhere left to run. This hopelessness releases a feeling of loneliness that means whoever is experiencing it will do anything to reverse it, so they find comfort in cults- believing that they are actually a new and freeing religion of some sort. What would you do if you were in a position that held no hope? If an opportunity for redemption and ultimate freedom presented itself- would you take that chance? I’d like to believe I’m mentally stronger than those who give in- but when there’s nowhere left to run, I think people would grasp for any small opportunity for happiness.
Anyone would like to believe that they would know a cult when they see one, but when you look at Jonestown- Jim Jones has everyone completely convinced that they should kill them selves to ascended another plane or some crazy stuff. This was over 400 people. It’s hard to believe everyone would so willingly take their lives, but when involved in something like this, people become blind to the obvious symptoms of a cult. Of course, cults have a facade that gives the impression of a safe and homely environment, but when they are analyzed- they are seen for what they truly are. A complicated and manipulative charade that makes whoever believing in them blind to the fact that they are degrading and essentially evil.
There are ways to connect this with a theory, and I want to try and connect this idea with Mead’s ideas. If we look at the “me” side of Mead’s ideas, cult leaders are disconnected with what others think about them. I personally see them as a void of human emotion, only wanting to better themselves and their causes. Narcissistic. If (the majority of them) had any shred of empathy, they wouldn’t have had the power to demean their own fellow people. So in a sense, I don’t think leaders of cults have an idea of “me”. They don’t think that other people’s views matter and they will do whatever they can to advance themselves. From a Mead perspective, I’d say that their personality is strictly abiding to the “i”. Their ego is what drives them to be such emotionless people.
Once I talked to my grandfather about the cult world and he gave me an interesting point of view. Note that my grandfather majored in psychology during college, and had always had an affinity for the mind. We got to talking about the darker side of psychology and I mentioned people like Charles Manson and Jim Jones. I asked my grandfather what he thought of them and he countered with a deep question. “What makes them like that?”. I had no idea how to carry on the conversation. I offered the
idea that they had family troubles growing up, but lots of people on Earth have family problems and still carry on normal lives. What makes these people different? I think that only the future will tell us. We can estimate and make theories on why people make the choices they make, but ultimately, everyone is different. We can pry and question the people who create their fearsome cults, but it’s hard to determine what the motive is for these people.
To conclude, I want to talk about a book I read during highschool. “The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly” was a book about a girl raised in a cult. Although completely fictional, it taught me a strong lesson that humans are very naive and hopeless creatures when at a stalemate in their lives. Minnow was a girl who grew up in the forest with a cult. She was seen as guilty for opposing the marriage of the cult’s leader, and had her hands cut off as punishment. The story carried on with her being excommunicated from the cult and having to discover life on her own. The entire story was very moving and I’d definitely recommend reading it.
It’s difficult to decipher what exactly leads to a cult and why their leaders are so deceptive, but with time, I’m sure there is much more to learn and uncover. I hope we can further understand and possibly prevent these issues from occurring, and learn from the past as we further our knowledge.
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