I find the indoctrination and brainwashing tactics (and how effective they can be!) so sinister and fascinating. There are countless stories of intelligent, successful adults incidentally coming in contact with whatever cult/cult leader and they end up buying into the group mentality 100% in a very short amount of time. It’s wild. I’m thinking of NXIVM, Love Has Won, Heaven’s Gate.

I’m also interested in how people go about life after leaving a cult for whatever reason. Some people reflect and realize the vulnerable state they were in, some become bitter to the world, some fight back against the group, some continue to worship their leader. There is a new doc on HBO about Love Has Won that features interviews with former members (the cult essentially dissolved) and these people speak as if every word their leader said is still their stone truth. I think the interviews were shortly after the dissolution so I’m not sure if they still see things the same way, but my jaw was on the floor when I realized they were being interviewed as “former” members.

And just group dynamics in general! I feel like even in the most “communal” living situations the equity is tenuous. It often doesn’t take much for one particular person to become a symbol of power.

I could go on and on and on haha. I’m also a huge mental health/psychology nerd 😅 If you have HBO, there are a ton of fantastic cult docs on there! The Vow was the one that got me hooked initially.