10 Signs You’re Probably In A Cult
- The leader is the ultimate authority ✔️
The leader is always right, and their misdeeds are always justified.
- The group suppresses skepticism ✔️
(Yes-men are rewarded. Critical thinkers, questioners are painted as “negative.”) Cults view critical thinking as an infectious disease and every effort is made to suppress it.
- The group delegitimizes former members ✔️
Because the cult considers itself the ultimate authority, It has to perpetuate a false narrative that former members were deceptive, proud, immoral, or lazy.
- The group dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think and act✔️.
(You must now identify with whom you have relationships inside the cult…I mean the bank.). (You are not allowed to have investment accounts outside of Wells Fargo, depending on the type of investments.) (Wells tracking your keystrokes, your badge swipes, etc)
- The group relies on shame cycles ✔️
(Performance reviews, ratings, stack -ranking) . Cult leaders trap members in shame cycles by imposing strict codes, guilting members for their shortcomings. Cult members are made to believe they are insufficient or unworthy on their own. The leader then becomes the meditiator of worthiness. Leaders manipulate followers into doing anything, even if it’s against the follower’s own self-interest or better judgment.
- The leader is above the law ✔️
A prevalent idea among cult leaders is that they are above the law. This idea allows them to exploit their followers economically without repercussions.
- The group uses “thought reform” methods ✔️
(Performance reviews, Performance ratings, stack-ranking, repetitive meetings, job-security threats, increasing required compliance training for members when it’s leadership who keeps getting caught doing wrong). Indoctrination or “brainwashing” is the process through which a cult slowly breaks down a person’s sense of identity and ability to think rationally. You should be thankful you are in the cult.
- The cult leaders are elitist ✔️
(Can you say JPM???) If the cult leader views his group as the solution for all the world’s problems, you’re probably in a cult. A cult member’s identity is often manipulated by cult leaders who coerce members into certain behaviors, subservience and cheap/free manual labor to further the cult leader’s cause.
- There is no financial transparency ✔️
(How much does Charlie really make when you take stock options in to account? This is a majority of his compensation, and yet he manipulates that compensation by spending $billions on stock buybacks). Cult leaders tend to live opulently while their followers are required to make financial sacrifices.
- The group is preoccupied with making money ✔️
Yep.