Understanding cults cannot go separately from trying to understand the societies and their fears that produced them. The phenomenon is far from new and there are many discussions regarding its definition and various categorizations. However, when it comes to leaders, the main character threats are usually the same: mostly male, narcissist, manipulating their female followers and luring them into open relationships and sexual slavery.
The books Cults by Max Culter with Kevin Conley, based on a popular podcasts with the same name, offers to the reader a diverse overview of various such movements, mostly created in the 1970s in the North American realm, many inspired by liberation hippie movements. Mostly focused on events and biographic information about the leaders, the book can be used as a reference for anyone interested in the psychology of cults.
Importantly, it takes into account also less known cults, such as the Narcosatanists, NXIVM or Heaven´s Gate, but definitely it does leave unaccounted many others. Clearly, there is a need of more research and classification work for offering an even better view over such phenomena.
A recommended read to anthropologists, historians and psychologists. Cults are offering insights about the intimate wishes at the society level, although in extreme form. Understanding them may only make the social reading in general much easier and predictable.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
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