Cults and the Culting of America

I never thought I knew it all about cults but I have been learning about them ever since leaving one in 1979. Daniella’s insights are remarkable and she consistently makes new observations - like the “skinny white woman” role in a cult. I like that she challenges us to think about the cult dynamics that come up in society more broadly.

This podcast is an excellent resource for anyone trying to understand cults. It does seem that episode 7 (on isolation) is missing, which is a shame. I was looking forward to hearing what they had to say on this topic.

This is not a trauma-🌽 cult podcast—Daniella’s unique perspective as a third-gen cult-kid offers much more than novelty. Where most post-cult entertainment content focuses heavily on the joiners—‘how could they ever?!’—Daniella’s work focuses on the cult-like patterns that *perpetrators* exhibit. Which is to say, the focus is directed in the correct direction. This, crucially, allows us a clear view of who these harmful leaders are and how we can arm ourselves against the tactics they and many other everyday people will seek to use against us. If you’re looking for something different than the standard “oops I realized it was a cult” podcast and are looking for something you can truly learn from, THIS IS IT.

The discussion here is substantial. Daniella and host Scot are both cult survivors. They generate fascinating discussion that forces us to confront the various human psychological weaknesses that lead to cult formation. Important as our nation is now under threat from a cult of tens of millions of believers in a man who tried to steal the 2020 election and will likely try again. Scary stuff for sure. Which explains the spooky intro music. Great work guys, thank you!