Civilization: The Ultimate Cult

Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny. That is to say, the development of the individual is an abbreviated repetition of the development of the species. The attempt of this post is to show how the affect of domestication imposed on a mass of people, is the same as the indoctrination of an individual by a cult.

In more general terms, the idea that cults tend to promote an intense dependency is implicit in the unanimous definition reached by different specialists as to what is understood by “cult”: group or movement that exhibits a great or excessive dedication or devotion to some person, idea or thing and employing unethical manipulative techniques of persuasion and control designed to advance the goals of the group’s leaders, to the actual or possible detriment of members, their families, or the community” (Langone, 1985)

The following list describes the indoctrination of a cult on an individual:

1. isolation from former friends and family,

2. debilitation,

3. use of special methods to heighten suggestibility and subservience,

4. powerful group pressures,

5. information management,

6. suspension of individuality or critical judgement,

7. promotion of total dependency on the group and fear of leaving it., etc.

The above list represents the development of the individual which is an abbreviated repetition of the species development shown in the list below:

1. Indigenous peoples torn from nature, Indian Reservations, ‘civilization’

2. Disease, disconnect from ancestral traditions

3. Chemical dependency, poverty

4. Law enforcement, societal ‘norms’

5. Mass Media – political, social and spiritual

6. Cults use methods like chanting and repetitive activities to induce a state of suggestibility and to help the target shut off their ability to engage in critical thinking. In our civilization, this is achieved through Education, Religious indoctrination and Advertizing.

7. War, Debt

Russell Means is an Oglala Sioux activist for the rights of Native American people. He was the first national director of the American Indian Movement(AIM), and played a prominent role in the 1973 standoff at Wounded Knee. He is also an actor, appearing in numerous films including The Last of the Mohicans and Natural Born Killers. He states, “All policies of the United States government, both foreign and domestic, were bred and born on an Indian Reservation. That’s land policy, that’s health, that’s education, and of course economic.”

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