But first you need the idea. I’d say leftwing based religious science compatible apocalyptics is an untapped market. So basically make a bunker commune for societal collapse based on climate change and say all the current right wing politicians are demons accelerating it to bring upon hell on earth, and that oil is the devil’s blood.
Attract people with the true promise of very cheap, simple, communal living, a shared belief system, and/or a common ideology.
Offer free workshops on useful skills like food storage and survival techniques, meditation, prayer, self-sufficiency, trauma counseling and drug and alcohol rehabilitation
Restrict calories by setting meal times and durations.
Make sure there is enough work so that everyone is busy all the time
Restrict movement by having mandatory meetings, meditation sessions, or chores at particular times throughout the day so nobody has time to go to town.
Erode individual identity with common dress, common food, common hairstyles etc.
Identify and keep track of individual weaknesses (Trauma, parental issues, weight insecurity, financial insecurity, fear of failure, fear of abandonment mental illness), key motivations (Financial stability, seeking to be apart from society, seeking happiness), basic desires (financial security, relationship security, being part of a community, sex)
Make extensive use of seed phrases and formal speech rules so that people censor their own speech. EG People cannot speak to children and vice versa without a parent present (very handy if you take in runaways that have no parents), unmarried men and women may not be alone together except when courting, new members must have a guide/buddy/chaperone/mentor/elder present with them at all times for the duration of their probation.
Maintain division by requiring individuals to report non-conformity by others, make non-reporting of non-conformity a punishable act, and make non-conformity a poorly defined and easily applied term, so that everyone is guilty, and you as the leader get to pick and choose who is punished.
Punishments are gentle tightening of above restrictions - more work, less food, less interpersonal contact, less free time, more proselytizing etc.
Reward extravagantly those who recruit others, using free time, more food, more freedom, sex with other members as a reward.
Reward extravagantly revenue-generating activities, manufacturing, labor, producing food, donating money or assets, or illicit income such as burglary and shoplifting .
People will have to give you all their belongings. They will have nothing if they ever want to leave. This can be done by making them pay for the workshops, with levels each more expensive then the other, making them not wanting to give up since they are already this far in and makes them give you everything they have to reach the next level. They must do so, otherwise they won’t have true devotion and they will risk punishment and have fear of being expelled. Look at Scientology, NXIVM.
They need to break ties with friends and relatives. Isolate them, so they have no one to return to if they ever want to leave. True isolation, with only you to lead them. They cannot trust anyone else, they cannot trust themselves. Only you. Again, Scientology.
Reward and punish them, but haphazardly, you don’t want to be predictable. This way they will do anything to get rewarded and are super scared to be punished. Break them down mentally, then build them up again according to your strict plan. Controlling their food and sleep helps (deprive them). They will follow you blindly and give up everything. See the documentary Stolen Youth on Hulu.
What many cults do wrong, is not having a business plan. You need income, so make them work for something you can sell. See the documentary Wild Wild Country on Netflix, they did this perfectly. You have basically free labor so you can compete in many markets.
And don’t forget you need good propaganda. You need new members, they need to think everything is super happy and they will learn new things about themselves (they will, after you break them first). Have a PR division, don’t be scared to pay someone properly to do this. Look at NXIVM, Scientology.
Thanks bud, I’ll check out those films. Love Kumaré, I watched it again just a little while ago.
I follow a podcast called Let’s Talk About Sects, by a nice Australian lady who talks about different cults each week and studies them, she’s very, very good.
amksenin@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
how
Lumiluz@slrpnk.net 3 weeks ago
Marketing.
But first you need the idea. I’d say leftwing based religious science compatible apocalyptics is an untapped market. So basically make a bunker commune for societal collapse based on climate change and say all the current right wing politicians are demons accelerating it to bring upon hell on earth, and that oil is the devil’s blood.
Just off the top of my head that’s an idea.
Agent641@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Attract people with the true promise of very cheap, simple, communal living, a shared belief system, and/or a common ideology.
Offer free workshops on useful skills like food storage and survival techniques, meditation, prayer, self-sufficiency, trauma counseling and drug and alcohol rehabilitation
Restrict calories by setting meal times and durations.
Make sure there is enough work so that everyone is busy all the time
Restrict movement by having mandatory meetings, meditation sessions, or chores at particular times throughout the day so nobody has time to go to town.
Erode individual identity with common dress, common food, common hairstyles etc.
Identify and keep track of individual weaknesses (Trauma, parental issues, weight insecurity, financial insecurity, fear of failure, fear of abandonment mental illness), key motivations (Financial stability, seeking to be apart from society, seeking happiness), basic desires (financial security, relationship security, being part of a community, sex)
Make extensive use of seed phrases and formal speech rules so that people censor their own speech. EG People cannot speak to children and vice versa without a parent present (very handy if you take in runaways that have no parents), unmarried men and women may not be alone together except when courting, new members must have a guide/buddy/chaperone/mentor/elder present with them at all times for the duration of their probation.
Maintain division by requiring individuals to report non-conformity by others, make non-reporting of non-conformity a punishable act, and make non-conformity a poorly defined and easily applied term, so that everyone is guilty, and you as the leader get to pick and choose who is punished.
Punishments are gentle tightening of above restrictions - more work, less food, less interpersonal contact, less free time, more proselytizing etc.
Reward extravagantly those who recruit others, using free time, more food, more freedom, sex with other members as a reward.
Reward extravagantly revenue-generating activities, manufacturing, labor, producing food, donating money or assets, or illicit income such as burglary and shoplifting .
Enjoy your cult.
answersplease77@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Are you at work? This is enough lemmy for the day
Agent641@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
You joining my cult or nah?
LordWiggle@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
You forgot some important aspects:
People will have to give you all their belongings. They will have nothing if they ever want to leave. This can be done by making them pay for the workshops, with levels each more expensive then the other, making them not wanting to give up since they are already this far in and makes them give you everything they have to reach the next level. They must do so, otherwise they won’t have true devotion and they will risk punishment and have fear of being expelled. Look at Scientology, NXIVM.
They need to break ties with friends and relatives. Isolate them, so they have no one to return to if they ever want to leave. True isolation, with only you to lead them. They cannot trust anyone else, they cannot trust themselves. Only you. Again, Scientology.
Reward and punish them, but haphazardly, you don’t want to be predictable. This way they will do anything to get rewarded and are super scared to be punished. Break them down mentally, then build them up again according to your strict plan. Controlling their food and sleep helps (deprive them). They will follow you blindly and give up everything. See the documentary Stolen Youth on Hulu.
What many cults do wrong, is not having a business plan. You need income, so make them work for something you can sell. See the documentary Wild Wild Country on Netflix, they did this perfectly. You have basically free labor so you can compete in many markets.
And don’t forget you need good propaganda. You need new members, they need to think everything is super happy and they will learn new things about themselves (they will, after you break them first). Have a PR division, don’t be scared to pay someone properly to do this. Look at NXIVM, Scientology.
There’s a documentary about NXIVM called:
Agent641@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Thanks bud, I’ll check out those films. Love Kumaré, I watched it again just a little while ago.
I follow a podcast called Let’s Talk About Sects, by a nice Australian lady who talks about different cults each week and studies them, she’s very, very good.
Hikermick@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
If I knew how I’d already have a cult of my own. I hear being charismatic is a prerequisite