Some people — not me — would say the above paragraph could be applied to certain religions. When Mitt Romney was running for US president, some unkind observers said that membership of the Mormon Church equated to cult behaviour, and disqualified him.
He was patently a well-qualified candidate. But what if the next Republican challenger to Donald Trump is a Scientologist? Is Scientology a cult — or a mainstream religion? The Church of Scientology claims it is the latter.
Cults tend to see themselves as being outside the mainstream, but ambitious to grow such a following that their views become accepted by a majority. Language is a big clue. Corporate cults typically create their own terminology to reinforce the sense of belonging. Rituals are another warning sign — not always problematic but sometimes so. At the U.
Although these rituals may seem a bit dated to American or European eyes, they remain a feature in many Asian companies. Yamaha Motors staff continue to sing its company song, which was written After this, the CEO, who had invited me, handed out the weekly service awards, and each recipient received a deafening applause.
I felt as if I were at some evangelical revival meeting. A barbecue followed the prize-giving and nearly everyone attended, all dressed like the CEO in black and gray. The enthusiasm of the people present was undeniably impressive, but over the course of the following week, as I interviewed a number of executives and employees, I began to wonder. Many were separated or divorced. Send us feedback. See more words from the same year. Accessed 14 Nov. Nglish: Translation of cult for Spanish Speakers.
Britannica English: Translation of cult for Arabic Speakers. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! Log in Sign Up. Save Word. Essential Meaning of cult. Full Definition of cult. Even our own government, steeped in the cult of patriotism, sanctify cruel and inhuman behaviour towards anyone they regard as possible threats — and feel right in doing so. The cruel way we treat people seeking sanctuary on our shores for example.
Righteousness always makes perpetrators feel good whilst doing shameful acts to others. Another important cult characteristic is projection, where we see in others a trait we don't want to see in ourselves and then attack them for it. This too is common in ordinary life. He's from down south, and all southerners are prejudiced! The above does not mean, of course, that one should not point out human folly, corruption or crazy, harmful ideas.
It is often helpful to do so. To remain within the strict mental and social confines of a cult for even a short time can have the following effects:. The best way to protect oneself from the more destructive aspects of the human tendency towards cultishness is to be informed about how these groups arise and be aware of why. We should observe them from a detached standpoint; question our own assumptions instead of simply accepting them; ensure we have adequate support systems in our lives so that our innate emotional needs are being met, including getting adequate sources of attention so that we are not swept off our feet by the lure of being given attention and being included and taken care of by a strange group.
As with all areas of study it is helpful to develop a willingness to accept the greys and uncertainties of life, instead of looking for black and white answers to difficult questions. Cult behaviour always employs emotional arousal to prevent objective thinking and put people into trance states where they are more open to suggestion. So learn about what emotional arousal does. Become aware of the mind control techniques used in cults and see how many of these are only one step away from normal behaviour.
Some cults only employ one or two of these techniques — but that can be enough. Cults can be so big they are rarely recognised as such. He's my leader right or wrong! Peer group pressure: Suppressing doubt and resistance to new ideas by exploiting the need to belong.
Love bombing: Exploiting the innate need for intimacy by creating a sense of family and belonging through hugging, kissing, touching and flattery. Hypnosis : Inducing a state of high suggestibility by using trance-inducing techniques such as relaxation, musical chanting, emotionally arousing music, rhythmic movements or techniques thinly disguised as meditation. Rejection of old values: Accelerating acceptance of new life style by constantly denouncing former values and beliefs.
Confusion: Encouraging blind acceptance and rejection of logic through interminable complex lectures on incomprehensible doctrines.
Metacommunication: Implanting subliminal messages by stressing certain key words or phrases in long harangues often called lectures. Removal of privacy: Achieving a loss of the ability to evaluate experience logically by preventing private contemplation.
Time sense deprivation: Destroying the ability to evaluate information, personal reactions, and body functions in relation to passage of time by removing all clocks and watches. Disinhibition: Encouraging child-like obedience by orchestrating child-like behaviour such as circle dancing, chanting.
Uncompromising rules: Inducing regression and disorientation by soliciting agreement to seemingly simple rules which regulate mealtimes, bathroom breaks and use of medications.
Verbal abuse: Desensitizing through bombardment with critical, foul and abusive language. Sleep deprivation and fatigue: Creating disorientation and vulnerability by prolonging mental and physical activity and withholding adequate rest and sleep — typical brainwashing process. Dress codes: Removing individuality by demanding conformity to the group dress code — sometimes by removing all clothes in ritual circumstances. Chanting and singing: Eliminating non-cult ideas through group repetition of mind-narrowing chants or phrases.
Confession: Encouraging the destruction of individual ego through confession of personal weaknesses and innermost feelings of doubt. Financial commitment: Achieving increased dependence on the group by 'burning bridges' to the past, through the donation of assets. Finger pointing: Creating a false sense of righteousness by pointing to the shortcomings of the outside world and other cults. Flaunting hierarchy: Promoting acceptance of cult authority by promising advancement, power and salvation.
Isolation: Inducing loss of reality by physical separation from family, friends, society and rational references. Controlled approval: Maintaining vulnerability and confusion by alternately rewarding and punishing similar actions. Games: Inducing dependence on the group by introducing games with obscure rules. No questions: Accomplishing automatic acceptance of beliefs by discouraging questions. Guilt: Reinforcing the need for 'salvation' by exaggerating the sins of the former lifestyles.
Fear: Maintaining loyalty and obedience to the group by threatening soul, life or limb for the slightest 'negative' thought, word or deed. Replacement of relationships: Destroying pre-cult families by arranging cult marriages and 'families'. Deikman has shown how the patterns that characterise cults are found in all kinds of human activities, including the military, politics, religious, sport, psychotherapy, academia, entertainment, education and training.
Below is just one of his examples: corporate business and administrative organisations. In any such organisation, the chief executive usually becomes the chief authoritarian. They tend to manipulate the truth about situations and abuse their power. Negative reinforcement is often used, and threat of punishment is linked with power.
Most companies automatically develop an authoritarian structure. The lives of employees are often regulated to some extent by the firm. There is 'sibling rivalry' in competition for advancement and the need for approval by 'parents' — one's managerial superiors.
Everyone hopes for promotion. Managers tend to feel that they personally should have more power and their subordinates should have less.
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