David and Cults: Karen's (short) addition
How is it that one single charismatic person can control the actions of an entire group of people and, with a word, convince them into doing the most horrific things that they would not do otherwise?
Most of the time, it isn't because the followers are in search of excitement or a mad adrenaline rush. It isn't because they want a piece of the attention given to their leader. Usually, their all-consuming involvement with the cult begins with something small - say, for example, volunteering an hour of their time for the cult's clerical duties, such as sending newsletters to people on their mailing list. Along the city streets, these respectable ladies and gents are recruited with a kind question of "will you spare 10 minutes of your time to help out our cause?".
And so it begins. Once the kind volunteers have done a simple little act for the cult, they are more willing to do tasks that require slightly more dedication. One 10-minute interval turns into two 30-minute segments of time devoted to helping the "good cause". And then the cult asks for perhaps $20 donations. Then more committed financial aid. And then for more of people's time. And so forth. The participation, the consumption, of people grows so gradually that before they know it, before they are conscious of it, they are fully reeled in to the cult's heavier activities. And by that time, a loyalty for the cult has already been rooted.
It sounds really simple. And mind you, out of 100 people who go for that first 10 minutes of volunteer time, only about 2 stay until it gets ugly. But it's still enough to run a cult, and it's this gradual exploitation that makes cults so disgustingly successful.
You can thank studies in social psychology for the discovery of this phenomenon, that which is called the "foot-in-the-door" phenomenon. Once the cult has gotten your foot in the door, it's only a matter of time before they've got your entire body through. Simple, but deviously effective.
Most of the time, it isn't because the followers are in search of excitement or a mad adrenaline rush. It isn't because they want a piece of the attention given to their leader. Usually, their all-consuming involvement with the cult begins with something small - say, for example, volunteering an hour of their time for the cult's clerical duties, such as sending newsletters to people on their mailing list. Along the city streets, these respectable ladies and gents are recruited with a kind question of "will you spare 10 minutes of your time to help out our cause?".
And so it begins. Once the kind volunteers have done a simple little act for the cult, they are more willing to do tasks that require slightly more dedication. One 10-minute interval turns into two 30-minute segments of time devoted to helping the "good cause". And then the cult asks for perhaps $20 donations. Then more committed financial aid. And then for more of people's time. And so forth. The participation, the consumption, of people grows so gradually that before they know it, before they are conscious of it, they are fully reeled in to the cult's heavier activities. And by that time, a loyalty for the cult has already been rooted.
It sounds really simple. And mind you, out of 100 people who go for that first 10 minutes of volunteer time, only about 2 stay until it gets ugly. But it's still enough to run a cult, and it's this gradual exploitation that makes cults so disgustingly successful.
You can thank studies in social psychology for the discovery of this phenomenon, that which is called the "foot-in-the-door" phenomenon. Once the cult has gotten your foot in the door, it's only a matter of time before they've got your entire body through. Simple, but deviously effective.
posted by MsKarenAu at 7:47 PM
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