Is PE a cult?
Let’s explore! What is a cult?
The core elements that typically make up a cult can be understood from both a sociological and psychological perspective.
Here’s a breakdown:
- Charismatic Leader: Cults often revolve around a charismatic leader who is considered to be infallible and possesses exclusive knowledge, authority, or spiritual insight.
- Isolation: Members may be encouraged or forced to cut ties with the outside world, including friends, family, and societal norms, to create a controlled environment.
- Indoctrination: There’s a heavy emphasis on indoctrination, using psychological techniques to alter members’ thoughts and behaviors to align with the group’s beliefs and goals.
- Exclusive Beliefs: Cults usually claim a monopoly on truth, asserting that they alone have the answers to life’s big questions, often with an us-versus-them mentality toward those outside the group.
- Exploitation: Members can be exploited in various ways, including financially, emotionally, or physically, often under the guise of spiritual progress or communal living.
- High Control: Cults often have strict codes of conduct, with severe consequences for questioning authority or deviating from the group’s norms.
- Apocalyptic or Utopian Ideology: Many cults are centered around apocalyptic visions or the promise of a utopia, creating a sense of urgency and significance in members’ roles within the group.
- Fear and Intimidation: Fear tactics can be used to keep members in line, including the fear of external threats, spiritual repercussions, or being ostracized.
So, how do we fit the bill?
- Charismatic Leader: Cults often revolve around a charismatic leader who is considered to be infallible and possesses exclusive knowledge, authority, or spiritual insight.
- Derek loves making mistakes and talking about them. That’s his jam. He is fallible. And that’s why some people may find him charismatic. He possesses no exclusive knowledge (besides common sense), authority – or spiritual insight. And he’s very upfront about that. He is a helpful guide (with a lot of experience).
- Isolation: Members may be encouraged or forced to cut ties with the outside world, including friends, family, and societal norms, to create a controlled environment.
- We encourage people to do the opposite. Include your friends and family. Maybe don’t follow some of the silly societal normal norms).
- Indoctrination: There’s a heavy emphasis on indoctrination, using psychological techniques to alter members’ thoughts and behaviors to align with the group’s beliefs and goals.
- We might be doing this… (but that’s what people are coming here for)
- Exclusive Beliefs: Cults usually claim a monopoly on truth, asserting that they alone have the answers to life’s big questions, often with an us-versus-them mentality toward those outside the group.
- We thing HTML and CSS and knowing how the web works – matters. You caught us.
- Exploitation: Members can be exploited in various ways, including financially, emotionally, or physically, often under the guise of spiritual progress or communal living.
- If anything, we’re martyring ourselves. Do the math.
- High Control: Cults often have strict codes of conduct, with severe consequences for questioning authority or deviating from the group’s norms.
- We’re all in on questioning authority or deviating from the group’s norms. We do have a code of conduct. Would you like to see it? But we encourage questioning authority. And obviously, we’re deviating from the norm.
- Apocalyptic or Utopian Ideology: Many cults are centered around apocalyptic visions or the promise of a utopia, creating a sense of urgency and significance in members’ roles within the group.
- Maybe. If we don’t get some smart people, we might have some major problems
- Fear and Intimidation: Fear tactics can be used to keep members in line, including the fear of external threats, spiritual repercussions, or being ostracized.
- Nope!