Buzz
Cults are groups that passionately dedicate themselves to a particular idea, person, or object, elevating it above everything else. While cults can easily become manipulative when mishandled, they fundamentally serve as a means to organize and improve people's lives. If your goal is to build a dedicated organization around an idea, discover which concepts resonate well, how to structure your group, and how to nurture its growth in healthy, sustainable ways.
Key Insights
- Base your cult around an "obsession" that can ultimately bring positive change and benefit to others.
- Structure your cult by appointing a leader, setting up guidelines, selecting a meeting spot, and crafting a compelling slogan.
- Carefully spread the word about your cult and gradually increase its following.
- Stay focused on the central obsession of your cult and its potential to improve others' lives.
Phases
Choosing an Obsession
Select a topic or activity that enhances your life. While there are many things that could form the basis of a cult, they should be generally positive endeavors, ideas, or activities that you feel are worth dedicating time to and encouraging others to recognize as valuable. Choose something with the power to improve lives in a meaningful way.
- For example, a cult could be centered around French cheese, video game cheating, or string theory—if you truly believe the subject or idea can contribute positively to the world. It doesn’t have to be strange or complicated; in fact, it's better if it's fairly straightforward.
- Cults often have religious undertones, but they don’t have to be religious. Cult-like behavior simply involves an intense dedication to a particular person, concept, or thing. Groups can be built around virtually anything. You could create a canasta cult or even a World of Warcraft cult, as long as it’s positive, uplifting, and harmless.
Select something you're truly passionate about. You might claim to love Gordon Ramsay, but is he someone you’d want to venerate in a cult-like fashion? Cults are born from ideas or subjects that evoke real passion, things you can immerse yourself in deeply and connect with in various parts of your life.
- Cult films often have specific, offbeat qualities, offering unique perspectives that deeply resonate with a small, dedicated group, but leave others perplexed.
- Franchises like Star Wars, Star Trek, and other sci-fi genres create expansive, immersive universes that fans can engage with, which is why they often develop strong “cult-like” followings and boast more extensive Wikipedia entries than some world leaders. The Kardashians? Not so much.
Choose something that will have a positive impact on others. When forming a cult, the first question you should ask is: would the world be better or worse if everyone shared the same enthusiasm for this as I do? If you can honestly say that the world would improve, that people would lead better lives if they revered something like Tom Brady's Super Bowl throwing glove, then you’re on a positive and constructive path.
- Many cults turn into manipulative psychological schemes led by charismatic individuals. They often give the illusion that the group's well-being is the focus, when in reality, the activities are designed to benefit the leader. Tragic examples include Jonestown, Heaven's Gate, and the Manson Family.
Become deeply knowledgeable about your obsession. If you’re going to start a cult, you need to be well-informed about the subject you’re promoting, so you don’t come off as a fake guru or a snake-oil salesman.
- If you're forming the Cult of Star Trek, you should know more than just what color Spock's blood is. You need to understand which episode he first bleeds in, the significance of that color within the broader context of the series’ color scheme, and how that influences your interpretation of Star Trek's idealistic vision. Start reading those fan blogs!
Creating a Group
Select a leader. Most cults have a single leader, or they are often called collectives. If you're the one starting the cult, chances are, you're the leader. However, it's crucial to ensure that the group's organization serves a positive purpose, rather than for your own personal gain or thirst for power.
- While cult leaders are often charismatic and manipulative, if you opt for a collective approach, choose someone who genuinely has the group's well-being in mind. The individual eager to lead is typically the last person you should appoint.
Set the rules of your cult. What principles, ideas, and ethical standards will guide your cult? What is your cult's ultimate goal? How can you use something like Star Trek to improve your life—and possibly the lives of others? What message do you want to convey to the world?
- Pay particular attention to how your cult will positively impact your life. The key distinction between a Star Trek Cult and a Star Trek Fan Club isn't just the intensity of your admiration for Star Trek, but how that devotion can change lives.
- It might be useful to write these guidelines down, but avoid using the term "cult" on any documents. You don’t want to create any misunderstandings.
Develop a foundational text. All cults have foundational writings that tend to be mysteriously vague, pseudo-philosophical, and easy for a wide audience to read. If you want your cult to grow and appear legitimate, consider publishing your group's principles or life guidelines as a self-published work.
Identify a location for worship or gatherings. Fair warning: the idea of a cult can seem odd to many, and you may encounter hostility or backlash if you’re too open about your group. It’s a good idea to have a quiet, private space where you can carry out activities without interference.
- If you're establishing a Star Trek Cult, initially you might find yourself simply watching episodes, engaging in deep discussions, or acting out scenes, which can easily be done in someone's living room.
- If you’re feeling bold, consider meeting in public spaces, like parks, where you could attract attention—but not necessarily the kind you desire.
Create a catchy slogan. Every group, whether a club, organization, or cult, needs a powerful slogan. It’s an easy way to convey what you stand for, uniting your followers around one clear idea and keeping the focus on that central theme. Your slogan should be unforgettable, simple, and ideally contain layers of meaning, so it feels mysterious and open to interpretation.
- "All Things Fly In Space" could be a solid choice for your Star Trek cult. Alternatively, a memorable quote from the show like, "I was born in Iowa, I only work in outer space," might resonate. Keep it catchy, genuine, and natural.
Slowly introduce others to your vision. As you meet people in public, gradually introduce them to the core concepts and passions that you've decided to base your life around. This will help your group expand. Become an advocate for whatever you’ve chosen to adore.
- At first, you might face skepticism and resistance, so focus on promoting the less extreme elements of your philosophy. For instance, the utopian ideals of Star Trek are an easy sell. However, your ambitious plan to build a galaxy-class starship in a warehouse in Queens might be something to save for later.
Embracing the Cult Mentality
Ensure everyone’s actions align with the group's ideology. Cults thrive on singular focus. If you're diving into a Star Trek cult, for example, make sure your actions stay true to the universe's values. Don’t stray by indulging in other sci-fi or activities that contradict your devotion. Align your priorities and those of your group to fully embody the cult’s guiding principles.
- Communal living is often central to cult life. You might consider relocating to a shared space and giving it a symbolic name, such as “The Enterprise,” to foster unity and growth as a group.
Position your ideology as the only true answer. To truly immerse followers in your cult, present your belief system as the one and only solution to the world’s problems. This isn’t just about loving Star Trek; it’s about total devotion to the transcendent power of James Kirk and his crew. You must present it as the singular, irrefutable truth.
- This approach can sometimes be manipulative, so encourage healthy discussions and debates. Be skilled at advocating for your views, and if others favor a different perspective—like Star Wars—be ready to defend your position. Be well-versed in the nuances of the opposing worldviews and stay committed to your beliefs.
Embrace your passion. Continue pursuing what excites you. How you choose to let your passion impact both your life and the lives of others will depend heavily on the ideas you hold. When does your dedication shift from simply enjoying things like watching Star Trek reruns and snacking on Cheetos, to creating meaningful change? At what point does transformation begin?
- Perhaps you start advocating for your elected officials to take Star Trek's core principles seriously. You push for more resources and focus on science and exploration, you champion gender, race, species, and class equality, and you strive to leave behind outdated concepts like greed.
Engage in community outreach. Let your group initiate tangible, visible, and immediate improvements within your community. You could organize weekly free breakfasts alongside Star Trek watch parties, or hold workshops promoting equality, all while donning Federation Starfleet uniforms. Make your intentions clear to the world.
Plan for group expansion. What will be the criteria and process for welcoming new members? How will your group grow while staying true to its core beliefs? Consider what new members will bring and what the attention that comes with publicity might take away. What are your group's ultimate goals? It’s crucial to reach a consensus and approach these questions with care.
- Ensure you remain grounded both in the real world and in the values that matter to you. It’s essential to prevent your group from straying into dangerous or destructive paths. Are your actions aligned with the organization’s original principles? How can you reestablish those guiding ideals?
-
Starting small can lead to significant popularity.
-
Be upfront and transparent in your methods; honesty will attract people to your cause. Concealing your activities, particularly if they only involve insiders, may raise suspicions of illegal actions (which should always be avoided), making people hesitant to join.
-
Should you engage in rituals, ensure they are free from any illegal actions (such as violence or substance abuse).
This advice comes from the real-world experiences of Mytour readers like you. If you have any valuable tips you'd like to contribute to Mytour, feel free to submit them using the field below.
- A fun way to draw people into your group is to create a shared opposition to something, like a competing belief system. However, make sure to keep things friendly and harmless! You could engage in playful competitions with rival groups, such as dance-offs or rap battles, for example.
- Although cults are often led by one individual, it’s important to allow for elections. If the leader's decisions are deemed unsatisfactory, the members should have the opportunity to vote in a new one.
Important Considerations
- A religion should never resemble a gang. You cannot resort to violence or illegal activities, or you will face legal consequences.
- Always avoid illegal actions. No rituals involving harm or sacrifice. No physical or emotional punishments. Do no harm, to others or yourself.
