Changing The Way was once a big topic in TWI, among younger crowds. LCM screwed it up and we need to get back to Da Turd/VPW . . . Who a lot of us have no memory of. Making the Ministry better was well intentioned but misguided. . . Carrot
Also, this leader no-leader stuff is an interesting topic . . . . I can hear Vaknin now . . .
Christianity was once a cult of Jewishness, too. Jesus, however, never intended to start a new religion, but to turn people back to God. Some say that Christianity is a cult started by Paul/Saul.
Good post, T-Bone.
When the rules of the organisation itself become more important than the (real) rules of God, then there's a problem.
Christianity was once a cult of Jewishness, too. Jesus, however, never intended to start a new religion, but to turn people back to God. Some say that Christianity is a cult started by Paul/Saul.
That’s some great points, Twinky !
Depending on who you’re talking to, the word “cult” can have various shades of meaning: “In modern English, a cult is a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs, or by its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. This sense of the term is controversial, having divergent definitions both in popular culture and academia, and has also been an ongoing source of contention among scholars across several fields of study. The word "cult" is usually considered pejorative.
An older sense of the word cult involves a set of religious devotional practices that are conventional within their culture, are related to a particular figure, and are often associated with a particular place. References to the "cult" of a particular Catholic saint, or the imperial cult of ancient Rome, for example, use this sense of the word.
While the literal and original sense of the word remains in use in the English language, a derived sense of "excessive devotion" arose in the 19th century. Beginning in the 1930s, cults became the object of sociological study in the context of the study of religious behavior. Since the 1940s the Christian countercult movement has opposed some sects and new religious movements, labeling them "cults" because of their unorthodox beliefs.
Since the 1970s, the secular anti-cult movement has opposed certain groups, and in reaction to acts of violence which have been committed by some of their members, it has frequently charged them with practicing mind control. Scholars and the media have disputed some of the claims and actions of anti-cult movements, leading to further public controversy.
Sociological classifications of religious movements may identify a cult as a social group with socially deviant or novel beliefs and practices, although this is often unclear. Other researchers present a less-organized picture of cults, saying that they arise spontaneously around novel beliefs and practices. Groups labelled as "cults" range in size from local groups with a few followers to international organizations with millions of adherents.”
from: Wikipedia - cult
For purposes of distinction I usually tack on some descriptive adjectives like “a harmful and controlling cult”…I realize in even those adjectives there’s a big gray area because we have no metrics, surveys or sociological studies to provide an accurate threshold of when involvement in a group becomes harmful to the followers or how to describe and quantify the undue influence a group has over its followers…but I don’t let that stop me from voicing an opinion . I think there’s a lot of good anecdotal information online that provides the typical characteristics of a harmful and controlling cult…to cite a few:
When the rules of the organisation itself become more important than the (real) rules of God, then there's a problem.
I don’t have a beef against any organized religion. One thing I do have a problem with is when some megalomaniac supersedes the basic tenets of their faith…but that’s just my opinion. And that’s why I posted some open-ended questions in my first post – I anticipated…and I welcome other viewpoints – all this stuff is a matter on which differences of opinion are possible.
I hear narcissistic mortification can trigger change.
But that's just Vaknin talking.
Are you speaking about cult leadership or in followers - or both?
"Internal versus external
Narcissistic mortification can be:
Internal - occurs when an individual is overstimulated by their emotions. For example, while debating with classmates on the importance of stem cell research an outspoken student loses his temper causing an uproar. The student has just exhibited an overstimulation of his emotions and used this outburst to relieve internal tension.
External - occurs when something out of one's control influences a situation, for example, an individual who is held at gunpoint while having their wallet stolen. This individual does not hold any control over the scenario nor the actions of the gunman, but their reaction to being held at gunpoint influences the next scenario and what the gunman does next.
In cult leadership
To escape the narcissistic mortification of accepting their own dependency needs, cult leaders may resort to delusions of omnipotence. Their continuing shame and underlying guilt, and their repudiation of dependency, obliges such leaders to use seduction and manic defenses to externalize and locate dependency needs in others, thus making their followers controllable through a displaced sense of shame.”
Are you speaking about cult leadership or in followers - or both?
. . .
Probably both. You can't have one without the other. There can't be a here without a there.
Followers who leave often repeat the pattern in another group?
As I understood it's (mortification) the only time they (leader) come out of their cocoon . . . feel alive . . . change direction. It's an opportunity to grow past whatever development stage they got stuck on. . . . . They might get stuck again but that's still an improvement. (What I gather from Vaknin)
You could probably sort VPW's "teachings" into at least two buckets: those intended to gather narcissistic supply and defense mechanisms.
The Constitution of the United States is a living document. It is designed to change.
The bones in our bodies have osteoclasts and osteoblast. Even our bones are constantly being rebuilt.
Any good system has change over time in mind.
What mechanism is there for change in a cult? They're trying to capture the past (in twi). Only death and lawyers force change from the outside. Not from the inside.
Edited by Bolshevik The "Living Word" is bologna . . . or malarkey . . in the Aramaic
What mechanism is there for change in a cult? They're trying to capture the past (in twi). Only death and lawyers force change from the outside. Not from the inside.
Thanks Rocky – that looks interesting – I put that on my Amazon Wishlist – which already has on it The Language Instinct by cognitive psychologist and linguist Steven Pinker…I’ve read Pinker’s How the Mind Works and The Stuff of Thought ... btw, the jacket notes on The Stuff of Thought says it marries some of the ideas from Pinker’s other books The Language Instinct, How the Mind Works, and The Blank Slate ….guess I’m kind of working my way backwards through Pinker’s stuff ….but that’s how my mind works
….funny fact about my reading habits – when it comes to magazines – whether any we have at home or whatever I pick up in a doc’s waiting room – I usually start from the last page of the magazine and work my way backwards to the front …weird I know…now sometimes if the cover has some interesting article, I’ll go right to it - but otherwise I go straight to the last page…just to be clear – I don’t read backwards – some of the articles are only one page or there’s several short pieces on one page. If I back up to something interesting that’s several pages – I’ll go to the beginning of the article and start reading from there…I have no idea why I started doing this years ago…maybe in some paranoid-conspiracy-suspicious-manner I once figured magazine editors expected folks to read their periodicals from front to back – and I wasn’t going to fall for that old trick …hmmmm can a magazine subscriber transition into reading habits that are normal? Not sure…I’ll keep you posted
I see a parallel between cult language and personality disorders language. On the LCM thread I can only act it out . . . The attitude behind the vague communication. There's wayspeak and there's LCM speak.
If you're implying by changing the language you change the cult?
If you're implying by changing the language you change the cult?
I'm sorry, is that a question for me?
I did say I was interested in Cultish, the book Rocky mentioned...I did not mean to suggest in any way, the idea that "by changing the language you change the cult"
Now what I have been suggesting on this thread is that it's possible for a cult to transition into something less harmful and controlling IF they genuinely change the way they treat people...maybe changing the language might help some - but I take deeds over words, as proof of real change any day of the week
...and that's just my opinion...I wanted this thread to be like an open-ended question - there is no definitive answer to the question I put forth:
Can a cult make a transition into something less harmful and controlling?
Changing the language would change an individual's perception and in turn would change behavior . . . Changing the perception of others changes how they are treated.
Cults have cult speak to more easily communicate to the people desired behavior. Cult speak communicates to a person's baser instincts. A person begins to filter the world in that way. (The cult leader has a deeper motivation they are trying to relate. . . . And can produce this speqk as I understand Vaknin say)
A change of language limits the ability to be controlled. I assume the term "harm" is redundant here.
If leadership forgot the purpose of the words VPW used they might change them by mistake. The DNA begins to mutate from there?
Changing the language would change an individual's perception and in turn would change behavior . . . Changing the perception of others changes how they are treated.
Cults have cult speak to more easily communicate to the people desired behavior. Cult speak communicates to a person's baser instincts. A person begins to filter the world in that way. (The cult leader has a deeper motivation they are trying to relate. . . . And can produce this speqk as I understand Vaknin say)
A change of language limits the ability to be controlled. I assume the term "harm" is redundant here.
If leadership forgot the purpose of the words VPW used they might change them by mistake. The DNA begins to mutate from there?
Or contact those folks from Clockwork Orange.
Sorry – this is all too vague for my taste…need some clarification on WHAT, HOW, WHEN, and WHY changes are made…so here’s my offering:
WHAT:
Are you referring to modifying or substituting terms and phrases and turning them into cult jargon?
HOW and WHEN:
I think you have a valid point – IF from the get-go, you alter the meaning of a verbal expression – and IF it catches on within a certain group, studies have shown that language has the power to reshape perceptions, knowledge, expectations and behavior.
WHY:
The loaded language of harmful and controlling cults is multi-purposed. Used within the group, it helps solidify a tight social bond and provides a heightened sense of feeling special…different…better than outsiders. Cult language is almost like a script for how to act in certain situations and who to defer to if certain critical decisions are needed…overall, I think the harm and control in loaded language is that it puts the kibosh on critical and creative thinking, leaves people floundering in complex situations and isolates the cult-follower by keeping them from finding solutions in outside influences and options not approved by the group.
Edited by T-Bone delete delete delete - the language of editing !
*IF* ye continue in my word - LCM's WAP class. If . . . IF. .. IIFFF!!!
Yes that was triggered I can hear him tapping on the board with that stick!
And yes I have to reread what you wrote because now I am thinking about LCM. And LCM brings emotions I don't like. Which might alter my thoughts, and what I am reading.
IF I can stop associating IF with LCM, maybe I'll stay in the moment if IF happens. Bit iffy there.
If you can’t stop associating “If” with LCM, then try the old-cult-jargon-switcheroo…in other words "if" = LCM so for example used in a sentence
“LCM it starts raining and thundering, you better seek shelter fast.” Ah but that could be confusing… It could mean either there’s a big storm coming or you're giving Craig instructions if a storm comes...or ...Craig is about to unleash another tirade....well, anyway you look at it there's a big storm coming.
Or make a hybrid-jargon…for example,
To inculcate the certainty of eliminating LCM from memory, try chanting
“There’s no ifs, craigs or butts about it!” …if that doesn’t work, try “there’s no place like home”. If LCM is still hanging around, try watching A Beautiful Mind the biographical story of mathematician John Nash who endured paranoid schizophrenia and delusional episodes – sometimes visits by three imaginary people – it took some two decades for Nash to work on ignoring his hallucinations – but he eventually got back into teaching and in 1994 won the Nobel Prize for his revolutionary work on game theory. At the ceremony in Stockholm after he receives the prize and leaves the auditorium he sees the three imaginary characters – after a quick glance at them Nash departs with his wife and son…Great movie – I watched it just the other day as a matter of fact.
Or nix the word-play and try believing images of victory…for example,
If you can’t stop associating “If” with LCM, imagine every time he taps on the board with the pointer, you hold the mouse over his brow and repeatedly tap the “delete” key
Lol! Actually saw that Movie in Founder's Hall . . . That's old.
Yes the language needs to broken down further.
IF I want to communicate something say to family in TWI I need to talk a certain way. Not how I would talk to others outside TWI. I can remember pacifying arguments with other wayfers with wayspeak. It has utility. It's a double edged sword though, it damages you as you use it.
Problem is, wayspeak is a feeling . . I'm not using codified rules to apply it.
I was previously trying to communicate that the jargon could be diluted over time, like over generations. Meanings and purposes could be lost. As in the game of telephone.
*IF* ye continue in my word - LCM's WAP class. If . . . IF. .. IIFFF!!!
Yes that was triggered I can hear him tapping on the board with that stick!
And yes I have to reread what you wrote because now I am thinking about LCM. And LCM brings emotions I don't like. Which might alter my thoughts, and what I am reading.
IF I can stop associating IF with LCM, maybe I'll stay in the moment if IF happens. Bit iffy there.
Lol! Actually saw that Movie in Founder's Hall . . . That's old. Yes the language needs to broken down further. IF I want to communicate something say to family in TWI I need to talk a certain way. Not how I would talk to others outside TWI. I can remember pacifying arguments with other wayfers with wayspeak. It has utility. It's a double edged sword though, it damages you as you use it. Problem is, wayspeak is a feeling . . I'm not using codified rules to apply it.
I was previously trying to communicate that the jargon could be diluted over time, like over generations. Meanings and purposes could be lost. As in the game of telephone.
Holy what-ifs Bolshevik !!!!! I think I understand what you were getting at (you can correct me if I’m way off) – how over time cult jargon could be diluted – original meanings and purposes change – and that could weaken or diminish the harmful and controlling effect of the jargon.
Your idea resonates with me…I thought a lot about that this morning and how, in my humble opinion, it relates to one of the most highly specialized buzzwords in TWI – “The Word”. I’ll also mention what I had to do to break the spell of one of wierwille’s most captivating terms.
I can still remember the first time I took PFAL and was fascinated by wierwille’s enthusiasm about – of all things – The Bible…Only he didn’t say “The Bible”. He kept using the phrase “The Word”…
…you’re welcome to say I’m being picayune on this and maybe I am – but I don’t recall many places in The Bible where “The Word” is used all by itself, other than in John 1 - and it is interesting to note the transition in verse 14 it says " The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us " and thereafter it's all about Jesus Christ! Most of the occurrences I can think of, that refers to a message from God, Scripture, passage, the entire Old and New Testament, etc. there are more words involved, in order to emphasize more details. For example looking at the call of Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:
"The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. 2 The word of the Lord came to him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah, 3 and through the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, down to the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile.
4 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
It’s not just “The Word” that came to Jeremiah – it reads “the word of the Lord came to me…” What’s the difference? With the addition “of the Lord” a genitive of origin is noted – in other words, the word which came from or originated from the Lord. The Bible even has an expansive vocabulary for referring to Scripture in different ways in order to emphasize some quality or aspect. For example, in Ephesians 1
“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit”
“The message of truth” is the genitive of content – the message which contains the truth…”The gospel of your salvation” is the genitive of relation – the gospel pertaining to your salvation...I bet it would be an interesting Bible study to find all the ways that it refers to itself - and to note all the adjectives and genitive of relation, content, etc. that are associated with it....who knows maybe we'll discover some holy buzzwords
Now let’s step it up a notch in analyzing one of wierwille’s signature buzzwords. I still remember wierwille driving home the point of making a big deal of “The Word” in PFAL. Remember these classics:
“It’s The Word, The Word, The Word and nothing but The Word!”
“The Word takes the place of the absent Christ.”
“When it comes to The Word, I have no friends.”
If they have a cult-jargon dictionary or Buzzwords For Dummies book, I think they should have an entry for “coin a phrase” and next to it a picture of wierwille with a text bubble of him saying “The Word, The Word, The Word!” some pictures are worth a thousand words – but that picture is worth only three cents – just a penny for each “The Word”…I believe wierwille’s use of “The Word” had an insidious three-pronged effect:
1. wierwille (whether it was his intention I don’t know) co-opted a word from the Bible and while under the guise of sounding biblical, through the repeated abuse of twisting Scripture, ignoring context, proof-texting, mangling definitions in the original languages and logical fallacies, wierwille imbued “The Word” with all the authority of an Apostle-Paul-wannabe. But wierwille-followers don’t understand it that way. They believe wierwille always 'rightly-divided' “The Word” – whatever that means.
2. wierwille encouraged followers to be know-it-alls and to procrastinate…I recall a pretty cool slogan that was used in some Christian groups - WWJD – or what would Jesus do? I always thought it was very compelling – a moral imperative – a reminder to act in a way that demonstrated the love, compassion and kindness of Jesus Christ…You would never hear anyone in TWI use WWJD…Nope – “remember class, The Word takes the place of the absent Christ.” And so a moral imperative to follow Jesus Christ’s example - which should be compelling enough for Christians was eclipsed by wierwille's intellectual directive to study “The Word”…Maybe that’s what led me to have a cold…clinical…book-knowledge approach to Christianity rather than pursuing a deeper…personally immersive experience through Jesus Christ…wierwille-followers were duped into the idea that sitting on their duff studying “The Word”, thinking about “The Word”, pontificating all out of proportion from their knowledge of “The Word” was doing “The Word” – maybe something along the lines of WWWD = what would wierwille do? Why, nothing of course – he’d sit there on his duff, drink Drambuie, plagiarize ideas, brutalize Scripture, commercialize religion, cauterize the conscience, destabilize logic, patronize followers and militarize the wierwille-wannabes i.e. way corps for managing his little Nazi regime...I believe a lot of wierwille-followers were just kidding themselves (myself included when I was in) with this idea of " doing The Word" when all it really amounts to is mental assent...Assent is where you agree or approve of something...You don't really have to get involved and do something.... Hey, I heard you run a Way-fellowship in your home - would you and your fellowship be interested in helping our church run a food drive for the homeless and needy? "mmmmm...sounds tempting but...we're real busy moving The Word - we're running Bible classes and excellor sessions...you know how it is."
3. wierwille encouraged closed-mindedness besides the fact that bearhugging “The Word” was a boon to fundamentalism.... “I have no friends when it comes to The Word…I don’t want to hear your opinion of that verse. I know what The Word says. It says the world was created in literally six days. I don’t want to hear about your radiocarbon dating, evolutionary developmental biology, blah-dee blah blah…I get my information from The Word and nothing but The Word."
What I had to do to break the spell of one of wierwille’s most captivating terms “The Word” , was to get in the habit of referring to The Bible, or Scriptures…Not that using the term “The Word” is wrong. Nope. Probably “The Word” has about the same ‘weight’ as “The Bible” or “The Scriptures” to some unreligious person who is somewhat familiar with those terms and realizes you’re probably talking about that book you might find in the drawer of a nightstand in some hotels – placed there by The Gideons – those sneaky buggers…But for me – there’s too much mental baggage that comes with the phrase “The Word”…I’m not gonna get all anti-The Word on anyone here that uses the term – just saying if I hear it – you know I’m going to run it through my secret-buzzword-decoder ring I always carry in my shirt pocket – right behind my cluster-fvck-of-confusion medals I was awarded fair and square by TWI for staying awake some of the time – my Advanced Class nametag, my WOW pin and round WOW nametag, and my Way Corps nametag.
My silly method of avoiding use of “The Word” is merely something that works for me by avoiding the loaded language that was used to indoctrinate me…I’m no longer brainwashed…but my soul still bears the scar tissue from the harm and control of TWI…and folks, don’t try to guilt me into liking the term just because you like it…I don’t care – use it all you want…but I don’t see any reason why I should use “The Word” when there are plenty of other ways to refer to the book that is at the top of my favorite books list. Matter of fact, I'm gonna put all my cards on the table and admit I believe The Bible is The Word of God. And I believe The Word became flesh and as Jesus Christ he walked the earth - and now is seated at the right hand of God. Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and I cherish my relationship with him...so please don't get all judgmental and fundamental if people like me don't interpret The Bible...or "The Word"...exactly the same way as you do.
...and have a little courtesy...a little empathy for a cult survivor who doesn't think "The Word" is such a peachy keen phrase....Don't expect me to get excited about it like you do...That’s like expecting some woman who was molested or raped by a guy named Victor – and then a few years down the road, she has a child with her husband Fred and she wants to name the child Victor because of all the "fond memories" she has that are associated with that name…now don't get me wrong - I happen to think Victor is a cool name – but then again, I was never raped or molested by a guy named Victor.
Edited by T-Bone typos = the new buzzword for "I make a lot of mistakes"
The more I read about the book “Cultish” the more excited I get about reading it soon…I’m finishing up 3 books right now, but I should be able to get to it soon…in general the topic of buzzwords is quite interesting – there’s both pros and cons to it: “A buzzword is a word or phrase, new or already existing, that becomes very popular for a period of time. Buzzwords often derive from technical terms yet often have much of the original technical meaning removed through fashionable use, being simply used to impress others. Some "buzzwords" retain their true technical meaning when used in the correct contexts, for example artificial intelligence. Buzzwords often originate in jargon, acronyms, or neologisms. Examples of overworked business buzzwords include synergy, vertical, dynamic, cyber and strategy. A common buzzword phrase is "think outside the box".
It has been stated that businesses could not operate without buzzwords, as they are shorthands or internal shortcuts that make perfect sense to people informed of the context. However, a useful buzzword can become co-opted into general popular speech and lose its usefulness. According to management professor Robert Kreitner, "Buzzwords are the literary equivalent of Gresham's Law. They will drive out good ideas." Buzzwords, or buzzphrases such as "all on the same page", can also be seen in business as a way to make people feel like there is a mutual understanding.
As most workplaces use a specialized jargon, which could be argued is another form of buzzwords, it allows quicker communication. Indeed, many new hires feel more like "part of the team" the quicker they learn the buzzwords of their new workplace. Buzzwords permeate people's working lives so much that many don't realise that they are using them. The vice president of CSC Index, Rich DeVane, notes that buzzwords describe not only a trend, but also what can be considered a "ticket of entry" with regards to being considered as a successful organization – "What people find tiresome is each consulting firm's attempt to put a different spin on it. That's what gives bad information."
Buzzwords also feature prominently in politics, where they can result in a process which "privileges rhetoric over reality, producing policies that are 'operationalized' first and only 'conceptualized' at a later date". The resulting political speech is known for "eschewing reasoned debate (as characterized by the use of evidence and structured argument), instead employing language exclusively for the purposes of control and manipulation".
Definition
The Concise Oxford English Dictionary defines a buzzword (hyphenating the term as buzz-word) as a slogan, or as a fashionable piece of jargon: a chic, fashionable, voguish, trendy word a la mode.
It has been asserted that buzzwords do not simply appear, they are created by a group of people working within a business as a means to generate hype. Buzzwords are most closely associated with management and have become the vocabulary that is known as "management speak": Using a pompous or magisterial term, of or relating to a particular subject employed to impress those outside of the field of expertise.
It could also be called buzz phrase or loaded word.
What this means is that when a manager uses a said buzzword, most other people do not hear the meaning, and instead just see it as a buzzword. However, it has been said that buzzwords are almost a "necessary evil" of management, as a way to inspire their team, but also stroke their own egos. With that being said, a buzzword is not necessarily a bad thing, as many disciplines thrive with the introduction of new terms which can be called buzzwords. These can also cross over into pop culture and indeed even into everyday life. With media channels now operating through many media, such as television, radio, print and increasingly digital (especially with the rise of social media), a "buzzword" can catch on and rapidly be adapted through the world.”
In a June 14th 2021 article by “Cultish” author Amanda Montell - talks about as she finished the final draft, she shared some of her thoughts on buzzwords, the power of language and peoples’ desire to belong (if you're interested in reading the complete article - click on the link following these excerpts):
"In late 2020, a time of cultural high-highs and low-lows (Trump would soon be out of office, but the COVID pandemic was wreaking havoc), my Instagram algorithm could not have been more confused. Locked away in my bedroom like I’d been all year, looping a playlist of Mariah Carey Christmas music (an attempt at *joy*), I found myself going Jack-Nicholson-in-The-Shining-style mad, as I finished the final draft of Cultish, my new nonfiction book about the language of “cults,” from Scientology to SoulCycle.
Amid all the QAnoners, multi-level marketing recruiters, impassioned start-ups, and other fanatical fringe groups I’d been analyzing (read: social media stalking) over the past year, my Explore page couldn’t seem to tell whether I was genuinely interested in shopping for Flat Earth T-shirts while entertaining the theory that 5G cell phone towers were responsible for the coronavirus, or just anthropologically interested. Either way, I was eyeballs deep in the peculiar universe of shady social media gurus, when I thumbed past the perfect case study in contemporary cult language: an account called @activationvibration…
…Language change and cultural change have always gone hand-in-hand, and this is by no means the “dawn” of New Age vernacular in the United States. We saw something similar in the 1960s and ’70s, another era of American socio-political turbulence. At the time, Americans were craving community and spirituality more than ever, but were resisting traditional religious organizations, so, new “alternative” movements — everything from Christian offshoots like Jews for Jesus to pseudo-Buddhist groups like Shambhala to sci-fi-type fellowships like Scientology — arose to fill the void.
Like now, spiritual seekers of the time were mostly young, white, countercultural types who felt that mainstream church, government, and healthcare had failed them, so they began looking toward the East and the occult to inspire individualistic quests for enlightenment. Naturally accompanying the rise of New Age culture, talk of “vibrations” and “mind-body connections” surged….
…That said, this hazy metaphysical-meets-scientific-sounding speech does come with risks. We often take for granted the material power of language, largely because it’s invisible and seemingly harmless — sticks and stones may break your bones, but words can never hurt you, right? Well, not quite. Having spent the past two years researching the social science of cult influence, I’ve learned that more than physical violence or some vague concept of “brainwashing,” language is the key means by which all degrees of cult-like influence occur. With emotionally charged buzzwords and euphemisms, renamings, chants, mantras, and even hashtags, pernicious gurus are able to instill ideology, establish an “us” and a “them,” justify questionable behavior, inspire fear, gaslight followers into questioning their own reality… essentially everything a cult needs to do in order to gain and maintain power…
…“Some words are used not for their meaning, but for what the word says about the person who uses it,” wrote Lutheranism scholar Kendall Davis (@hispterlutheran) on his blog. Commenting on how millennial megachurches in particular exploit this New Age rhetoric as an unctuous marketing tactic, Davis writes: “The hipster church down the street isn’t calling itself an ‘intentional and authentic community of missional Christ followers’ because each of those words carry a specific meaning, but because each of those words/phrases identify this group of Christians as not like those other Christians, those Christians who are presumably part of an ‘accidental and inauthentic hermitage of anti-missional Christ deserters.’” The words’ precise definitions are not important — in fact, they don’t even exist. Instead, says David, it’s the social capital they carry. It’s their ability to instill a sense of unearned, us-versus-them elitism in followers who know how to use the language, while ostracizing or villainizing those who don’t.
At its very worst, New Age language conflates science and metaphysics in a way that misrepresents and delegitimizes data, ushering in a wave of hazardous anti-science thinking. Since the New Age boom in the ‘60s and ‘70s, so many notorious figures — from Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard to NXIVM’s Keith Rainere — have co-opted technical terms from scientific fields like psychology and astrophysics, infusing them with vague spiritual meanings as a way to convince their followers that they’re tapped into knowledge that transcends science.
Because New Age ideas and conspiracy theories have overlapped in such inauspicious ways over the past decade — giving us a whole new category of cultish belief termed “conspirituality” (think: anti-vaxx yogis, Pastel QAnoners, etc.) — this imprecise, mystical verbiage can serve as an on-ramp leading to much more destructive conspiratorial thinking. Many of QAnon’s central buzzwords fall into this very same category of New Age vernacular: “paradigm shift,” “5D consciousness,” “awakening.” This is no accident: The familiar, innocent-sounding words work to reel in and bond recruits without revealing too much. Akin to a horoscope, the generic rhetoric allows participants to project whatever they want to believe onto the language, all the while camouflaging the fact that much more ominous, fact-phobic, anti-Semitic ideas might await them deeper down the rabbit hole.
…Of course, New Age–speak is not inherently treacherous. But its sheer ubiquity says something profound about this uniquely cultish time in history. Keeping our ears attuned to deceptive buzzwords dressed up as the language of enlightenment can help us all make sure we don’t slip and fall into the wrong ideological whirlpool — whether we’re at church, work, spin class, or perusing our Explore page.”
And here’s some excerpts from an interview Maylin Tu had with Amanda Montell, August 13th 2021 (again, if you're interested in reading the complete article, click on the link following these excerpts): “… Montell knows a thing or two about the human thirst for belonging and the extremes it can drive us to. She grew up listening to her dad's stories about Synanon, a notorious Bay Area cult he was part of as a teenager.
But it wasn't just her dad's stories. Montell heard cultish language everywhere she went, sensing that it "imbues our everyday lives." So, she set out to figure out how cults and cultish groups use language to influence people. The result is Cultish, her latest book.”:
Maylin Tu:
There's been so much interest in your book and I think part of it is how nonchalant it is about the central premise: Cultishness is everywhere.
* * *
Amanda Montell: I'm inspired by the work of Mary Roach (the popular science writer) who takes this darkly funny, curious, enthusiastic, sometimes slightly irreverent approach to topics like death and war and digestion. I did try to do a lot of work towards the beginning of the book to establish this edgy idea that cults aren't just the Jonestowns and the Heaven's Gates. There is no objective, hard and fast, singular definition for what a cult is — and there never has been. Cultishness is a spectrum and none of us are totally absolved of it.
* * * Maylin Tu:
Was there a direction that your research went that you weren't expecting?
* * * Amanda Montell: The first major turn it took was finding out the phenomenon of brainwashing doesn't even exist. Brainwashing is just a metaphor, nothing more. It's not a scientific or testable phenomenon. I was like, "Okay, how does language work to brainwash us?" It's literally just a metaphor that's used to pass judgment: "You're brainwashed, no, you're brainwashed, they're brainwashed."
And I think the book also caused me to develop a real sense of empathy. I was concerned that by the end I would just become a cynical misanthrope and wouldn't ever want to get involved with any kind of group ever again. But really, throughout the process I learned that humans are spiritual, irrational and cultish by nature, and that that doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing. You just have to make sure that the groups that you're involved in aren't exploiting your power and your identity.
* * * Maylin Tu:
This idea that people are brainwashed is almost comforting. That people who believe harmful ideas want to believe them — something about that feels disturbing.
* * * Amanda Montell: That was the spooky thing. Nobody can convince someone to believe something wacky or dangerous that they don't on some level want to believe. You can't just blame a cultish leader for your beliefs. You can only really exploit the beliefs and proclivities that someone already has and push them into a more and more extreme version of that. And you get them into a position where their already existing human reasoning flaws start to kick in, like confirmation bias and sunk cost fallacy. But it is never too late to resist if you want to push back.
* * * Maylin Tu:
Did writing this book during a pandemic give you any special insight into the average person's need for community?
* * * Amanda Montell: Oh, definitely. I went into this book trying really hard to withhold judgment, but I'm only human. And then over the course of the pandemic, I realized exactly how much I too need community, connection, answers and closure during crisis ridden times. And when there are certain people on the internet who are speaking with a lot of confidence, claiming to have the answers, and using these buzzwords, hashtags and euphemisms, it can get really easy to just hand over your loyalty.
And this is happening not just during the pandemic, but during the Black Lives Matter movement. You want someone to tell you what to believe and what to say. And I completely found myself succumbing to the influence of the loudest, most confident, most charismatic person on my feed, when really what is needed is a lot of nuance and private, careful consideration. Well — during Black Lives Matter what was also needed was immediate action and voices. But it does also leave room for people who have ill intentions to slide in and exploit that.
* * * Maylin Tu:
What would you like to see groups do along the lines of consent that they're not doing?
* * * Amanda Montell: I think groups need to leave space for questioning and to have a dialogue where you're not immediately shut down or made to feel like if you speak up, you're going to be ostracized. Groups need to make their members feel like you can participate casually. You can have one foot in and one foot out the door. And they need to be upfront about what membership requires.
And if you're starting a group — and by starting a group, I don't mean, are you building a socialist commune in the woods somewhere? I'm saying everything from a company to a social media space. You need to be thinking about those things too. Because it's the ethical thing to do. It's the empathetic thing to do. But also, none of us are absolved of cultish influence. And if you have a certain lust for power, then you're not absolved of responsibility either.
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Bolshevik
Also, this leader no-leader stuff is an interesting topic . . . . I can hear Vaknin now . . .
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Twinky
Christianity was once a cult of Jewishness, too. Jesus, however, never intended to start a new religion, but to turn people back to God. Some say that Christianity is a cult started by Paul/Saul.
Good post, T-Bone.
When the rules of the organisation itself become more important than the (real) rules of God, then there's a problem.
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T-Bone
That’s some great points, Twinky !
Depending on who you’re talking to, the word “cult” can have various shades of meaning:
“In modern English, a cult is a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs, or by its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. This sense of the term is controversial, having divergent definitions both in popular culture and academia, and has also been an ongoing source of contention among scholars across several fields of study. The word "cult" is usually considered pejorative.
An older sense of the word cult involves a set of religious devotional practices that are conventional within their culture, are related to a particular figure, and are often associated with a particular place. References to the "cult" of a particular Catholic saint, or the imperial cult of ancient Rome, for example, use this sense of the word.
While the literal and original sense of the word remains in use in the English language, a derived sense of "excessive devotion" arose in the 19th century. Beginning in the 1930s, cults became the object of sociological study in the context of the study of religious behavior. Since the 1940s the Christian countercult movement has opposed some sects and new religious movements, labeling them "cults" because of their unorthodox beliefs.
Since the 1970s, the secular anti-cult movement has opposed certain groups, and in reaction to acts of violence which have been committed by some of their members, it has frequently charged them with practicing mind control. Scholars and the media have disputed some of the claims and actions of anti-cult movements, leading to further public controversy.
Sociological classifications of religious movements may identify a cult as a social group with socially deviant or novel beliefs and practices, although this is often unclear. Other researchers present a less-organized picture of cults, saying that they arise spontaneously around novel beliefs and practices. Groups labelled as "cults" range in size from local groups with a few followers to international organizations with millions of adherents.”
from: Wikipedia - cult
For purposes of distinction I usually tack on some descriptive adjectives like “a harmful and controlling cult”…I realize in even those adjectives there’s a big gray area because we have no metrics, surveys or sociological studies to provide an accurate threshold of when involvement in a group becomes harmful to the followers or how to describe and quantify the undue influence a group has over its followers…but I don’t let that stop me from voicing an opinion
. I think there’s a lot of good anecdotal information online that provides the typical characteristics of a harmful and controlling cult…to cite a few:
Cult Research.org – characteristics of cult
FECRIS.org – identifying characteristics of a cult
Psychology Today – cults: the mind/body connection
Psychology Today – clues to what makes a pathological cult leader
The Guardian - telltale signs of a cult
Cult Research.org - cults today a new social psychological perspective
I don’t have a beef against any organized religion. One thing I do have a problem with is when some megalomaniac supersedes the basic tenets of their faith…but that’s just my opinion. And that’s why I posted some open-ended questions in my first post – I anticipated…and I welcome other viewpoints – all this stuff is a matter on which differences of opinion are possible.
Edited by T-Bonetypos and formatting
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Bolshevik
I hear narcissistic mortification can trigger change.
But that's just Vaknin talking.
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T-Bone
Are you speaking about cult leadership or in followers - or both?
"Internal versus external
Narcissistic mortification can be:
Internal - occurs when an individual is overstimulated by their emotions. For example, while debating with classmates on the importance of stem cell research an outspoken student loses his temper causing an uproar. The student has just exhibited an overstimulation of his emotions and used this outburst to relieve internal tension.
External - occurs when something out of one's control influences a situation, for example, an individual who is held at gunpoint while having their wallet stolen. This individual does not hold any control over the scenario nor the actions of the gunman, but their reaction to being held at gunpoint influences the next scenario and what the gunman does next.
In cult leadership
To escape the narcissistic mortification of accepting their own dependency needs, cult leaders may resort to delusions of omnipotence. Their continuing shame and underlying guilt, and their repudiation of dependency, obliges such leaders to use seduction and manic defenses to externalize and locate dependency needs in others, thus making their followers controllable through a displaced sense of shame.”
from: Wikipedia – narcissistic mortification
Edited by T-Bonetypos and formatting
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Bolshevik
Probably both. You can't have one without the other. There can't be a here without a there.
Followers who leave often repeat the pattern in another group?
As I understood it's (mortification) the only time they (leader) come out of their cocoon . . . feel alive . . . change direction. It's an opportunity to grow past whatever development stage they got stuck on. . . . . They might get stuck again but that's still an improvement. (What I gather from Vaknin)
The art is to get past all the defenses.
Edited by Bolshevikclarity
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Bolshevik
You could probably sort VPW's "teachings" into at least two buckets: those intended to gather narcissistic supply and defense mechanisms.
The Constitution of the United States is a living document. It is designed to change.
The bones in our bodies have osteoclasts and osteoblast. Even our bones are constantly being rebuilt.
Any good system has change over time in mind.
What mechanism is there for change in a cult? They're trying to capture the past (in twi). Only death and lawyers force change from the outside. Not from the inside.
Edited by BolshevikThe "Living Word" is bologna . . . or malarkey . . in the Aramaic
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Rocky
Maybe there's some insight to answer that question in this recently released book.
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T-Bone
Thanks Rocky – that looks interesting – I put that on my Amazon Wishlist – which already has on it The Language Instinct by cognitive psychologist and linguist Steven Pinker…I’ve read Pinker’s How the Mind Works and The Stuff of Thought ... btw, the jacket notes on The Stuff of Thought says it marries some of the ideas from Pinker’s other books The Language Instinct, How the Mind Works, and The Blank Slate ….guess I’m kind of working my way backwards through Pinker’s stuff
….but that’s how my mind works 
….funny fact about my reading habits – when it comes to magazines – whether any we have at home or whatever I pick up in a doc’s waiting room – I usually start from the last page of the magazine and work my way backwards to the front
…weird I know…now sometimes if the cover has some interesting article, I’ll go right to it - but otherwise I go straight to the last page…just to be clear – I don’t read backwards – some of the articles are only one page or there’s several short pieces on one page. If I back up to something interesting that’s several pages – I’ll go to the beginning of the article and start reading from there…I have no idea why I started doing this years ago…maybe in some paranoid-conspiracy-suspicious-manner I once figured magazine editors expected folks to read their periodicals from front to back – and I wasn’t going to fall for that old trick 
…hmmmm can a magazine subscriber transition into reading habits that are normal? Not sure…I’ll keep you posted
Edited by T-Bonetypos and formatting
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Bolshevik
Pinker link
Vaknin Link
I see a parallel between cult language and personality disorders language. On the LCM thread I can only act it out . . . The attitude behind the vague communication. There's wayspeak and there's LCM speak.
If you're implying by changing the language you change the cult?
Edited by BolshevikMore better write stuff
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T-Bone
I'm sorry, is that a question for me?
I did say I was interested in Cultish, the book Rocky mentioned...I did not mean to suggest in any way, the idea that "by changing the language you change the cult"
Now what I have been suggesting on this thread is that it's possible for a cult to transition into something less harmful and controlling IF they genuinely change the way they treat people...maybe changing the language might help some - but I take deeds over words, as proof of real change any day of the week
...and that's just my opinion...I wanted this thread to be like an open-ended question - there is no definitive answer to the question I put forth:
Can a cult make a transition into something less harmful and controlling?
Edited by T-Bonerevised - write tight!
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Bolshevik
I am speaking to whatever medium this is
Changing the language would change an individual's perception and in turn would change behavior . . . Changing the perception of others changes how they are treated.
Cults have cult speak to more easily communicate to the people desired behavior. Cult speak communicates to a person's baser instincts. A person begins to filter the world in that way. (The cult leader has a deeper motivation they are trying to relate. . . . And can produce this speqk as I understand Vaknin say)
A change of language limits the ability to be controlled. I assume the term "harm" is redundant here.
If leadership forgot the purpose of the words VPW used they might change them by mistake. The DNA begins to mutate from there?
Or contact those folks from Clockwork Orange.
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T-Bone
Sorry – this is all too vague for my taste…need some clarification on WHAT, HOW, WHEN, and WHY changes are made…so here’s my offering:
WHAT:
Are you referring to modifying or substituting terms and phrases and turning them into cult jargon?
see Wikipedia – Scientology terminology
Decision Making Confidence website – cult tactics – loaded language
HOW and WHEN:
I think you have a valid point – IF from the get-go, you alter the meaning of a verbal expression – and IF it catches on within a certain group, studies have shown that language has the power to reshape perceptions, knowledge, expectations and behavior.
see Psychology Today - Language has the power to make the invisible appear real
WHY:
Edited by T-BoneThe loaded language of harmful and controlling cults is multi-purposed. Used within the group, it helps solidify a tight social bond and provides a heightened sense of feeling special…different…better than outsiders. Cult language is almost like a script for how to act in certain situations and who to defer to if certain critical decisions are needed…overall, I think the harm and control in loaded language is that it puts the kibosh on critical and creative thinking, leaves people floundering in complex situations and isolates the cult-follower by keeping them from finding solutions in outside influences and options not approved by the group.
delete delete delete - the language of editing !
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Bolshevik
*IF* ye continue in my word - LCM's WAP class. If . . . IF. .. IIFFF!!!
Yes that was triggered
I can hear him tapping on the board with that stick!
And yes I have to reread what you wrote because now I am thinking about LCM. And LCM brings emotions I don't like. Which might alter my thoughts, and what I am reading.
IF I can stop associating IF with LCM, maybe I'll stay in the moment if IF happens. Bit iffy there.
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T-Bone
You could change the conditional clause:
If you can’t stop associating “If” with LCM, then try the old-cult-jargon-switcheroo…in other words "if" = LCM so for example used in a sentence
“LCM it starts raining and thundering, you better seek shelter fast.” Ah but that could be confusing… It could mean either there’s a big storm coming or you're giving Craig instructions if a storm comes...or ...Craig is about to unleash another tirade....well, anyway you look at it there's a big storm coming.
Or make a hybrid-jargon…for example,
To inculcate the certainty of eliminating LCM from memory, try chanting
“There’s no ifs, craigs or butts about it!” …if that doesn’t work, try “there’s no place like home”. If LCM is still hanging around, try watching A Beautiful Mind the biographical story of mathematician John Nash who endured paranoid schizophrenia and delusional episodes – sometimes visits by three imaginary people – it took some two decades for Nash to work on ignoring his hallucinations – but he eventually got back into teaching and in 1994 won the Nobel Prize for his revolutionary work on game theory. At the ceremony in Stockholm after he receives the prize and leaves the auditorium he sees the three imaginary characters – after a quick glance at them Nash departs with his wife and son…Great movie – I watched it just the other day as a matter of fact.
Edited by T-BoneOr nix the word-play and try believing images of victory…for example,
If you can’t stop associating “If” with LCM, imagine every time he taps on the board with the pointer, you hold the mouse over his brow and repeatedly tap the “delete” key
typos from a beautiful mind
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Bolshevik
Lol! Actually saw that Movie in Founder's Hall . . . That's old.
Yes the language needs to broken down further.
IF I want to communicate something say to family in TWI I need to talk a certain way. Not how I would talk to others outside TWI. I can remember pacifying arguments with other wayfers with wayspeak. It has utility. It's a double edged sword though, it damages you as you use it.
Problem is, wayspeak is a feeling . . I'm not using codified rules to apply it.
I was previously trying to communicate that the jargon could be diluted over time, like over generations. Meanings and purposes could be lost. As in the game of telephone.
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Rocky
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T-Bone
Thanks Rocky - I’ve always liked that tune
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T-Bone
Holy what-ifs Bolshevik !!!!! I think I understand what you were getting at (you can correct me if I’m way off) – how over time cult jargon could be diluted – original meanings and purposes change – and that could weaken or diminish the harmful and controlling effect of the jargon.
Your idea resonates with me…I thought a lot about that this morning and how, in my humble opinion, it relates to one of the most highly specialized buzzwords in TWI – “The Word”. I’ll also mention what I had to do to break the spell of one of wierwille’s most captivating terms.
I can still remember the first time I took PFAL and was fascinated by wierwille’s enthusiasm about – of all things – The Bible…Only he didn’t say “The Bible”. He kept using the phrase “The Word”…
…you’re welcome to say I’m being picayune on this and maybe I am – but I don’t recall many places in The Bible where “The Word” is used all by itself, other than in John 1 - and it is interesting to note the transition in verse 14 it says " The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us " and thereafter it's all about Jesus Christ! Most of the occurrences I can think of, that refers to a message from God, Scripture, passage, the entire Old and New Testament, etc. there are more words involved, in order to emphasize more details. For example looking at the call of Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1 :
"The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. 2 The word of the Lord came to him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah, 3 and through the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, down to the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile.
4 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
It’s not just “The Word” that came to Jeremiah – it reads “the word of the Lord came to me…” What’s the difference? With the addition “of the Lord” a genitive of origin is noted – in other words, the word which came from or originated from the Lord. The Bible even has an expansive vocabulary for referring to Scripture in different ways in order to emphasize some quality or aspect. For example, in Ephesians 1
“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit”
“The message of truth” is the genitive of content – the message which contains the truth…”The gospel of your salvation” is the genitive of relation – the gospel pertaining to your salvation...I bet it would be an interesting Bible study to find all the ways that it refers to itself - and to note all the adjectives and genitive of relation, content, etc. that are associated with it....who knows maybe we'll discover some holy buzzwords
Now let’s step it up a notch in analyzing one of wierwille’s signature buzzwords. I still remember wierwille driving home the point of making a big deal of “The Word” in PFAL. Remember these classics:
“It’s The Word, The Word, The Word and nothing but The Word!”
“The Word takes the place of the absent Christ.”
“When it comes to The Word, I have no friends.”
If they have a cult-jargon dictionary or Buzzwords For Dummies book, I think they should have an entry for “coin a phrase” and next to it a picture of wierwille with a text bubble of him saying “The Word, The Word, The Word!” some pictures are worth a thousand words – but that picture is worth only three cents – just a penny for each “The Word”…I believe wierwille’s use of “The Word” had an insidious three-pronged effect:
1. wierwille (whether it was his intention I don’t know) co-opted a word from the Bible and while under the guise of sounding biblical, through the repeated abuse of twisting Scripture, ignoring context, proof-texting, mangling definitions in the original languages and logical fallacies, wierwille imbued “The Word” with all the authority of an Apostle-Paul-wannabe. But wierwille-followers don’t understand it that way. They believe wierwille always 'rightly-divided' “The Word” – whatever that means.
2. wierwille encouraged followers to be know-it-alls and to procrastinate…I recall a pretty cool slogan that was used in some Christian groups - WWJD – or what would Jesus do? I always thought it was very compelling – a moral imperative – a reminder to act in a way that demonstrated the love, compassion and kindness of Jesus Christ…You would never hear anyone in TWI use WWJD…Nope – “remember class, The Word takes the place of the absent Christ.” And so a moral imperative to follow Jesus Christ’s example - which should be compelling enough for Christians was eclipsed by wierwille's intellectual directive to study “The Word”…Maybe that’s what led me to have a cold…clinical…book-knowledge approach to Christianity rather than pursuing a deeper…personally immersive experience through Jesus Christ…wierwille-followers were duped into the idea that sitting on their duff studying “The Word”, thinking about “The Word”, pontificating all out of proportion from their knowledge of “The Word” was doing “The Word” – maybe something along the lines of WWWD = what would wierwille do? Why, nothing of course – he’d sit there on his duff, drink Drambuie, plagiarize ideas, brutalize Scripture, commercialize religion, cauterize the conscience, destabilize logic, patronize followers and militarize the wierwille-wannabes i.e. way corps for managing his little Nazi regime...I believe a lot of wierwille-followers were just kidding themselves (myself included when I was in) with this idea of " doing The Word" when all it really amounts to is mental assent...Assent is where you agree or approve of something...You don't really have to get involved and do something.... Hey, I heard you run a Way-fellowship in your home - would you and your fellowship be interested in helping our church run a food drive for the homeless and needy? "mmmmm...sounds tempting but...we're real busy moving The Word - we're running Bible classes and excellor sessions...you know how it is."
3. wierwille encouraged closed-mindedness besides the fact that bearhugging “The Word” was a boon to fundamentalism.... “I have no friends when it comes to The Word…I don’t want to hear your opinion of that verse. I know what The Word says. It says the world was created in literally six days. I don’t want to hear about your radiocarbon dating, evolutionary developmental biology, blah-dee blah blah…I get my information from The Word and nothing but The Word."
What I had to do to break the spell of one of wierwille’s most captivating terms “The Word” , was to get in the habit of referring to The Bible, or Scriptures…Not that using the term “The Word” is wrong. Nope. Probably “The Word” has about the same ‘weight’ as “The Bible” or “The Scriptures” to some unreligious person who is somewhat familiar with those terms and realizes you’re probably talking about that book you might find in the drawer of a nightstand in some hotels – placed there by The Gideons – those sneaky buggers…But for me – there’s too much mental baggage that comes with the phrase “The Word”…I’m not gonna get all anti-The Word on anyone here that uses the term – just saying if I hear it – you know I’m going to run it through my secret-buzzword-decoder ring I always carry in my shirt pocket – right behind my cluster-fvck-of-confusion medals I was awarded fair and square by TWI for staying awake some of the time – my Advanced Class nametag, my WOW pin and round WOW nametag, and my Way Corps nametag.
My silly method of avoiding use of “The Word” is merely something that works for me by avoiding the loaded language that was used to indoctrinate me…I’m no longer brainwashed…but my soul still bears the scar tissue from the harm and control of TWI…and folks, don’t try to guilt me into liking the term just because you like it…I don’t care – use it all you want…but I don’t see any reason why I should use “The Word” when there are plenty of other ways to refer to the book that is at the top of my favorite books list. Matter of fact, I'm gonna put all my cards on the table and admit I believe The Bible is The Word of God. And I believe The Word became flesh and as Jesus Christ he walked the earth - and now is seated at the right hand of God. Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and I cherish my relationship with him...so please don't get all judgmental and fundamental if people like me don't interpret The Bible...or "The Word"...exactly the same way as you do.
...and have a little courtesy...a little empathy for a cult survivor who doesn't think "The Word" is such a peachy keen phrase....Don't expect me to get excited about it like you do...That’s like expecting some woman who was molested or raped by a guy named Victor – and then a few years down the road, she has a child with her husband Fred and she wants to name the child Victor because of all the "fond memories" she has that are associated with that name…now don't get me wrong - I happen to think Victor is a cool name – but then again, I was never raped or molested by a guy named Victor.
Edited by T-Bonetypos = the new buzzword for "I make a lot of mistakes"
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T-Bone
A post about buzzwords.
The more I read about the book “Cultish” the more excited I get about reading it soon…I’m finishing up 3 books right now, but I should be able to get to it soon…in general the topic of buzzwords is quite interesting – there’s both pros and cons to it:
“A buzzword is a word or phrase, new or already existing, that becomes very popular for a period of time. Buzzwords often derive from technical terms yet often have much of the original technical meaning removed through fashionable use, being simply used to impress others. Some "buzzwords" retain their true technical meaning when used in the correct contexts, for example artificial intelligence. Buzzwords often originate in jargon, acronyms, or neologisms. Examples of overworked business buzzwords include synergy, vertical, dynamic, cyber and strategy. A common buzzword phrase is "think outside the box".
It has been stated that businesses could not operate without buzzwords, as they are shorthands or internal shortcuts that make perfect sense to people informed of the context. However, a useful buzzword can become co-opted into general popular speech and lose its usefulness. According to management professor Robert Kreitner, "Buzzwords are the literary equivalent of Gresham's Law. They will drive out good ideas." Buzzwords, or buzzphrases such as "all on the same page", can also be seen in business as a way to make people feel like there is a mutual understanding.
As most workplaces use a specialized jargon, which could be argued is another form of buzzwords, it allows quicker communication. Indeed, many new hires feel more like "part of the team" the quicker they learn the buzzwords of their new workplace. Buzzwords permeate people's working lives so much that many don't realise that they are using them. The vice president of CSC Index, Rich DeVane, notes that buzzwords describe not only a trend, but also what can be considered a "ticket of entry" with regards to being considered as a successful organization – "What people find tiresome is each consulting firm's attempt to put a different spin on it. That's what gives bad information."
Buzzwords also feature prominently in politics, where they can result in a process which "privileges rhetoric over reality, producing policies that are 'operationalized' first and only 'conceptualized' at a later date". The resulting political speech is known for "eschewing reasoned debate (as characterized by the use of evidence and structured argument), instead employing language exclusively for the purposes of control and manipulation".
Definition
The Concise Oxford English Dictionary defines a buzzword (hyphenating the term as buzz-word) as a slogan, or as a fashionable piece of jargon: a chic, fashionable, voguish, trendy word a la mode.
It has been asserted that buzzwords do not simply appear, they are created by a group of people working within a business as a means to generate hype. Buzzwords are most closely associated with management and have become the vocabulary that is known as "management speak": Using a pompous or magisterial term, of or relating to a particular subject employed to impress those outside of the field of expertise.
It could also be called buzz phrase or loaded word.
What this means is that when a manager uses a said buzzword, most other people do not hear the meaning, and instead just see it as a buzzword. However, it has been said that buzzwords are almost a "necessary evil" of management, as a way to inspire their team, but also stroke their own egos. With that being said, a buzzword is not necessarily a bad thing, as many disciplines thrive with the introduction of new terms which can be called buzzwords. These can also cross over into pop culture and indeed even into everyday life. With media channels now operating through many media, such as television, radio, print and increasingly digital (especially with the rise of social media), a "buzzword" can catch on and rapidly be adapted through the world.”
From: Wikipedia - buzzwords
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In a June 14th 2021 article by “Cultish” author Amanda Montell - talks about as she finished the final draft, she shared some of her thoughts on buzzwords, the power of language and peoples’ desire to belong (if you're interested in reading the complete article - click on the link following these excerpts):
"In late 2020, a time of cultural high-highs and low-lows (Trump would soon be out of office, but the COVID pandemic was wreaking havoc), my Instagram algorithm could not have been more confused. Locked away in my bedroom like I’d been all year, looping a playlist of Mariah Carey Christmas music (an attempt at *joy*), I found myself going Jack-Nicholson-in-The-Shining-style mad, as I finished the final draft of Cultish, my new nonfiction book about the language of “cults,” from Scientology to SoulCycle.
Amid all the QAnoners, multi-level marketing recruiters, impassioned start-ups, and other fanatical fringe groups I’d been analyzing (read: social media stalking) over the past year, my Explore page couldn’t seem to tell whether I was genuinely interested in shopping for Flat Earth T-shirts while entertaining the theory that 5G cell phone towers were responsible for the coronavirus, or just anthropologically interested. Either way, I was eyeballs deep in the peculiar universe of shady social media gurus, when I thumbed past the perfect case study in contemporary cult language: an account called @activationvibration…
…Language change and cultural change have always gone hand-in-hand, and this is by no means the “dawn” of New Age vernacular in the United States. We saw something similar in the 1960s and ’70s, another era of American socio-political turbulence. At the time, Americans were craving community and spirituality more than ever, but were resisting traditional religious organizations, so, new “alternative” movements — everything from Christian offshoots like Jews for Jesus to pseudo-Buddhist groups like Shambhala to sci-fi-type fellowships like Scientology — arose to fill the void.
Like now, spiritual seekers of the time were mostly young, white, countercultural types who felt that mainstream church, government, and healthcare had failed them, so they began looking toward the East and the occult to inspire individualistic quests for enlightenment. Naturally accompanying the rise of New Age culture, talk of “vibrations” and “mind-body connections” surged….
…That said, this hazy metaphysical-meets-scientific-sounding speech does come with risks. We often take for granted the material power of language, largely because it’s invisible and seemingly harmless — sticks and stones may break your bones, but words can never hurt you, right? Well, not quite. Having spent the past two years researching the social science of cult influence, I’ve learned that more than physical violence or some vague concept of “brainwashing,” language is the key means by which all degrees of cult-like influence occur. With emotionally charged buzzwords and euphemisms, renamings, chants, mantras, and even hashtags, pernicious gurus are able to instill ideology, establish an “us” and a “them,” justify questionable behavior, inspire fear, gaslight followers into questioning their own reality… essentially everything a cult needs to do in order to gain and maintain power…
…“Some words are used not for their meaning, but for what the word says about the person who uses it,” wrote Lutheranism scholar Kendall Davis (@hispterlutheran) on his blog. Commenting on how millennial megachurches in particular exploit this New Age rhetoric as an unctuous marketing tactic, Davis writes: “The hipster church down the street isn’t calling itself an ‘intentional and authentic community of missional Christ followers’ because each of those words carry a specific meaning, but because each of those words/phrases identify this group of Christians as not like those other Christians, those Christians who are presumably part of an ‘accidental and inauthentic hermitage of anti-missional Christ deserters.’” The words’ precise definitions are not important — in fact, they don’t even exist. Instead, says David, it’s the social capital they carry. It’s their ability to instill a sense of unearned, us-versus-them elitism in followers who know how to use the language, while ostracizing or villainizing those who don’t.
At its very worst, New Age language conflates science and metaphysics in a way that misrepresents and delegitimizes data, ushering in a wave of hazardous anti-science thinking. Since the New Age boom in the ‘60s and ‘70s, so many notorious figures — from Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard to NXIVM’s Keith Rainere — have co-opted technical terms from scientific fields like psychology and astrophysics, infusing them with vague spiritual meanings as a way to convince their followers that they’re tapped into knowledge that transcends science.
Because New Age ideas and conspiracy theories have overlapped in such inauspicious ways over the past decade — giving us a whole new category of cultish belief termed “conspirituality” (think: anti-vaxx yogis, Pastel QAnoners, etc.) — this imprecise, mystical verbiage can serve as an on-ramp leading to much more destructive conspiratorial thinking. Many of QAnon’s central buzzwords fall into this very same category of New Age vernacular: “paradigm shift,” “5D consciousness,” “awakening.” This is no accident: The familiar, innocent-sounding words work to reel in and bond recruits without revealing too much. Akin to a horoscope, the generic rhetoric allows participants to project whatever they want to believe onto the language, all the while camouflaging the fact that much more ominous, fact-phobic, anti-Semitic ideas might await them deeper down the rabbit hole.
…Of course, New Age–speak is not inherently treacherous. But its sheer ubiquity says something profound about this uniquely cultish time in history. Keeping our ears attuned to deceptive buzzwords dressed up as the language of enlightenment can help us all make sure we don’t slip and fall into the wrong ideological whirlpool — whether we’re at church, work, spin class, or perusing our Explore page.”
From: Refinery 29 website - Cult Language
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And here’s some excerpts from an interview Maylin Tu had with Amanda Montell, August 13th 2021 (again, if you're interested in reading the complete article, click on the link following these excerpts):
“… Montell knows a thing or two about the human thirst for belonging and the extremes it can drive us to. She grew up listening to her dad's stories about Synanon, a notorious Bay Area cult he was part of as a teenager.
But it wasn't just her dad's stories. Montell heard cultish language everywhere she went, sensing that it "imbues our everyday lives." So, she set out to figure out how cults and cultish groups use language to influence people. The result is Cultish, her latest book.”:
Maylin Tu:
There's been so much interest in your book and I think part of it is how nonchalant it is about the central premise: Cultishness is everywhere.
* * *
Amanda Montell:
I'm inspired by the work of Mary Roach (the popular science writer) who takes this darkly funny, curious, enthusiastic, sometimes slightly irreverent approach to topics like death and war and digestion. I did try to do a lot of work towards the beginning of the book to establish this edgy idea that cults aren't just the Jonestowns and the Heaven's Gates. There is no objective, hard and fast, singular definition for what a cult is — and there never has been. Cultishness is a spectrum and none of us are totally absolved of it.
* * *
Maylin Tu:
Was there a direction that your research went that you weren't expecting?
* * *
Amanda Montell:
The first major turn it took was finding out the phenomenon of brainwashing doesn't even exist. Brainwashing is just a metaphor, nothing more. It's not a scientific or testable phenomenon. I was like, "Okay, how does language work to brainwash us?" It's literally just a metaphor that's used to pass judgment: "You're brainwashed, no, you're brainwashed, they're brainwashed."
And I think the book also caused me to develop a real sense of empathy. I was concerned that by the end I would just become a cynical misanthrope and wouldn't ever want to get involved with any kind of group ever again. But really, throughout the process I learned that humans are spiritual, irrational and cultish by nature, and that that doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing. You just have to make sure that the groups that you're involved in aren't exploiting your power and your identity.
* * *
Maylin Tu:
This idea that people are brainwashed is almost comforting. That people who believe harmful ideas want to believe them — something about that feels disturbing.
* * *
Amanda Montell:
That was the spooky thing. Nobody can convince someone to believe something wacky or dangerous that they don't on some level want to believe. You can't just blame a cultish leader for your beliefs. You can only really exploit the beliefs and proclivities that someone already has and push them into a more and more extreme version of that. And you get them into a position where their already existing human reasoning flaws start to kick in, like confirmation bias and sunk cost fallacy. But it is never too late to resist if you want to push back.
* * *
Maylin Tu:
Did writing this book during a pandemic give you any special insight into the average person's need for community?
* * *
Amanda Montell:
Oh, definitely. I went into this book trying really hard to withhold judgment, but I'm only human. And then over the course of the pandemic, I realized exactly how much I too need community, connection, answers and closure during crisis ridden times. And when there are certain people on the internet who are speaking with a lot of confidence, claiming to have the answers, and using these buzzwords, hashtags and euphemisms, it can get really easy to just hand over your loyalty.
And this is happening not just during the pandemic, but during the Black Lives Matter movement. You want someone to tell you what to believe and what to say. And I completely found myself succumbing to the influence of the loudest, most confident, most charismatic person on my feed, when really what is needed is a lot of nuance and private, careful consideration. Well — during Black Lives Matter what was also needed was immediate action and voices. But it does also leave room for people who have ill intentions to slide in and exploit that.
* * *
Maylin Tu:
What would you like to see groups do along the lines of consent that they're not doing?
* * *
Amanda Montell:
I think groups need to leave space for questioning and to have a dialogue where you're not immediately shut down or made to feel like if you speak up, you're going to be ostracized. Groups need to make their members feel like you can participate casually. You can have one foot in and one foot out the door. And they need to be upfront about what membership requires.
And if you're starting a group — and by starting a group, I don't mean, are you building a socialist commune in the woods somewhere? I'm saying everything from a company to a social media space. You need to be thinking about those things too. Because it's the ethical thing to do. It's the empathetic thing to do. But also, none of us are absolved of cultish influence. And if you have a certain lust for power, then you're not absolved of responsibility either.
From: Rewire org – cultish language
Edited by T-BoneI'm surprised - I was able to add a post and edit ! whoopee !!!!
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