Regarding 1) The members speak a slightly different lingo -
we were just discussing this yesterday: cults will often appropriate
normal words and re-define them to their own purposes, but will also appropriate
scientific terms and misappropriate them to non-scientific and non-rational uses, while
benefitting from the "scientific" sound of them.
Regarding the point about a company being sort of like a cult, having
suffered through a few workshops having to do with various corporate employee
"bonding"techniques I think many companies are taking a page straight from what works
for cults.
A manager I know once came to a meeting with a drawing of a pig - she
had been at a management meeting where they were all supposed to draw pigs and the
way you drew one would tell you something about yourself. She looked miserable.
Of course everyone had to do it or face peer pressure...or worse!
--- In OliveStarlightOrchestra_at_yahoogroups.com, "tschibasch"
<tschibasch_at_y...> wrote:
> I think it's agreed that one man's cult is another man's salvation.
> So, just what is a "cult"? In my opinion, the following factors
> distinguish a "cult" from a "social club":
>
> 1) The members speak a slightly different lingo.
> 2) They have profoundly different views from the mainstream.
> 3) They have many restrictive rules.
> 4) They watch you closely.
> 5) They discourage contact with 'outsiders'.
> 6) They won't let you leave.
> 7) They keep repeating that it's the best thing going on.
> 8) Everyone is deprived of sleep and/or food.
> 9) After other members leave, they call it a sham.
> 10) Ex-members are always maligned.
>
> Based on these definitions, I can say with certainty that my last
job
> (SyVox Corporation) was in many ways like membership in a cult. I
was
> sleep-deprived and not allowed to leave when I wanted. The CEO kept
> telling us how great the firm was in spite of obvious shortcomings.
> And people who left the company were regularly bad-mouthed by
> management at every company meeting.
>
>
> John
>
>
>
> --- In OliveStarlightOrchestra_at_yahoogroups.com, "Michael Marinacci"
> <mikalm_at_i...> wrote:
> > > And of course my favorite, Zen Master Rama, aka
> > > Dr. Fredrick Lenz, who broke up a lot of families
> > > and actually stole my next girlfriend:
> > >
> > > http://www.rickross.com/groups/lenz.html
> > >
> >
> > Do tell. I was always amused by Rama's come-on for his pseudo-Zen
> > workshops: "Zen Gives You the COMPETITIVE EDGE!"
> >
> > He's also the only cult leader I can think of who offed himself
without
> > taking a bunch of followers with him. Details at:
> > http://www.rickross.com/reference/lenz/lenz4.html
Received on 2004-08-04 08:55:23