Philosophy Discussion Forums

I've decided I want to become a cult leader, are there any suggestions? Suggestions, such as location, which religion (or new religion?), how to attract followers, really any suggestions would be helpful.
I've just seen the first episode of a documentary called Wild Wild Country, and after hearing the leader Osho speak, I am convinced becoming a cult leader is easy. I mean he wanted to create a new man that was both materialistic and spiritual, as if there aren't already millions of people that act this way, or claim to be one but acts as the other.
After listening to him, I am sure I could do a better job, I just need something to hook people. He had a new form of meditation. Any ideas?

The US's Bible Belts are one place where people are keen to doubt "science" and receptive to alternative narratives, as long as you pick their "hot spots".

The idea is to find the things about the main religions that are bugging their flocks and then "campaign" based on them. You might claim that the mainstream is a corruption of the gospel (which is perhaps true anyway), and that yours is the true word of God (which of course won't be true).

You will need a good nose for those who are isolated, depressed, desperate and damaged - they will form the basis of your congregation. A background in selling used cars or politics can prime one's capacity to smell prey.

If you have enough imagination, you can skip orthodoxy altogether and write your own like L. Ron Hubbard or Joseph Smith. However that takes a fair bit of work and even more nerve. Good luck - and don't forget me if you hit the jackpot! (However, if you end up in trouble with the constabulary, please forget me ).

Maxcady10001 wrote: ↑June 26th, 2018, 8:52 pm I've decided I want to become a cult leader, are there any suggestions? Suggestions, such as location, which religion (or new religion?), how to attract followers, really any suggestions would be helpful.
I've just seen the first episode of a documentary called Wild Wild Country, and after hearing the leader Osho speak, I am convinced becoming a cult leader is easy. I mean he wanted to create a new man that was both materialistic and spiritual, as if there aren't already millions of people that act this way, or claim to be one but acts as the other.
After listening to him, I am sure I could do a better job, I just need something to hook people. He had a new form of meditation. Any ideas?

Well you need to be very charismatic and hang out with folks who are seeking to be led. I'll review your posts and give you my assessment of your (admittedly online) charisma quotient.

To my eye you have above average charisma, though I am not sure it is in the 74 Rolls Royce category.

Some great cynical/satirical advice here. Learning how to spot the vulnerable and alienated and targeting them sounds like particularly good advice.

There's an old saying (I forget who said it) that goes something like:

"The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you've got it made."

It seems to me to be true that a great help in your quest to become a cult leader would be if you can exude self-belief. Really, really look as though you absolutely believe in whatever the central tenets of your cult are. Ideally, you will look as though you believe in them because you really do believe in them. But failing that, try practising the body language. Practice keeping your eyes slightly wider open than is strictly natural. And, when you talk to people, look them directly in the eye for much longer than normal people do. Eventually they'll start to get the feeling that you can see into their soul.

Promise a great salvation, even in this life. Gullible people will flock. Never reveal this great salvation, only if you are willing to postpone its gratification in real time.

I.e. "Follow me and I will show you the way, the true way, the only way", and they ask, "way to what?"
and you give an evasive answer, "way to go in your life, way to do whatever you set out, way from here to there, the way, the true way, the only way."

Promise a search, and make sure without revealing it, that it's a search that will never find the object it seeks. "Follow me, and we shalt seek the truth, the truth, which will liberate us, and liberates everyone who joins us in the search."

In conclusion: promise them something that they don't have, and make sure you are entirely unclear on what this thing is, or how to attain it, and keep on leading them by the nose.

This is in addition to Steve3007's advice.

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When to ask for money or French benefits?

This depends on your charisma, and on how attractive or rich your followers are. Chances are, most will be suffering from borderline personality disorder, so they won't have any money, and on a scale of attractiveness from 1 to 10, they will be on the "dismal" end of the spectrum.

This is actually why most cult leaders give up on the idea to garner followers before they even start.

Jimmy Jones, David Koresh, the cult leaders of note in my time, had their followers all commit suicide. This just proves the point. Dave and Jimmy probably figured the best thing they could achieve with their endeavour is to yank these genetic traits out of the total population.

Systems researchers established a few system rules. One major one: it's easier to build a system as a part of another system, and then detach the new system from the original kangaroo system.

So, you may want to join a cult, and recruit your own members from theirs, then secede.

You may want to join a church, create a "meditation group" inside the congregation, then under-handedly proselytize them to your own cult.

You may want to start with a professional or social organization, such as a teacher's association, a Meetup club for Monopoly players, a ****-club, or hiking group, and convert them one-by-one or en mass to your cult, using practical applications based on the principles Steve3007 and I and others outlined above.

A couple key ideas:

1) Invest people with a philosophy that they're perfectly okay without any self-improvement and that it's the rest of the world that needs to be changed to meet their image.
2) Give them the opportunity to feel absolutely heroic for doing jack-all besides scolding people for not holding their worldview.
3) Absolute purity is a must, anyone who even slightly disagrees is part of the outgroup in disguise.
4) Future promises of free stuff, with enough converts, will get you really far.

Ugh, I've gotta not do that here. A 'few' ideas...

Move to Hollywood & cultivate insecure celebrities.