For all the men out there who have been through something traumatic or are going through something just know that many of us women do believe you, and are here to support you, you are important and your suffering should not be in silence ❤
I thought I was the only one not vibing with these guests. The first thing that rubbed me the wrong way was one the girl on the right said something about “people are looking for labels so they know it’s bad and leave” for story 1. But absolutely not. She was looking for validation that what she was feeling was real and that it was a cult. The way the guest switched when the OP said she was basically raised into that then the guest was like ohhh that makes sense. But no. Just because you weren’t born into a cult and go into it yourself as an adult doesn’t mean you’re free from the abuse. It’s giving victim shaming. Like “you should know better but you crave for it to be labeled as a cult first for you to leave”. This was one of the cringiest episodes and I’m disappointed
The guests realising the victim was a male and then immediately assuming he was lying... that is some intense bias that needs to be addressed.. Happy Morgan brought up the gender bias, she has grown a lot since the begining.
36:54 - Adding the time stamp bc agree that it was weird. ALSO both guests referred to OP with male pronouns, so I think they knew he was a male, but I think her opinion shifted when she realized op was not the husband and was actually one of the other victims. Huge “I don’t believe male victims” energy
It's also super weird that they commented on how females aren't often cult leaders when there are often women serving as figureheads in cults (i.e.: Ma Anand Sheela, Bonnie Nettles) and plenty of female cult leaders in the modern day (e.g.: Sherry Shriner, Sheryl Ruthven). I feel like if they're building their entire platform on cults, you would think that they would be a bit more understanding of cult-like social structures regardless of the gender of the victim.
"Pop off female cult leader" made me very uncomfortable. Saying that more details are needed is okay, but throwing around the phrase "don't believe men" isn't okay. I don't know if suggesting that OP in story 2 was just a butt-hurt lover was supposed to be a joke, but it was not a good one. People are already out there accusing feminists and women of not caring about men's problems, and this perpetuates that narrative and causes more tension and division. And adults can groom and manipulate other adults, it doesn't just happen to children.
Yeah I don’t even think they actually listened well to the story. He said he was significantly younger than the cult leader. There absolutely was a power imbalance and yet they twisted it as though he was older than her? It sounded like an older woman taking advantage of/manipulating men in their early 20s. They wouldn’t have told a man to “pop off” in that scenario if the roles were reversed… nor would they say he’s just “getting his bag”?
That comment made me extremely uncomfortable, too! How gross of them! 😡 Stopped episode after that. This episode is probably the worst she's ever had. How they called everything a cult... These guests were insufferable. 🙄
I feel like Morgan handled this whole episode with a great deal of grace and patience. However, the guests dismissing the male OP when finding out he was a man was…questionable and distasteful at best. Along with supporting the female “cult leader” just because she was a female. It was icky. Honestly, their entire dialogue was painful to sit through. I finished the episode, but it felt more like a chore and less like the episodes I typically enjoy listening to. I guess if discrediting male victims and labeling anything and everything a “cult” is your schtick and money maker then go off. I’ll personally be skipping on their podcast and the book.
I think their point was it's not only the big well known groups that are cults. There are many small cults that are unknown. It's not always a giant group of people. But I agree with most of your points 100%
I agree. Plus the constant interrupting while she was ready the post I was like “OMG LET HER FINISH!”. I love Morgan. Just wasn’t the biggest fan of the guests.
I grew up in an actual cult - JW. And hearing these women describe literally everything as a cult was infuriating. It was incredibly disrespectful and diminishes the experiences of those actually traumatized by cults. They also interrupted the whole time and gave the impression of someone who learned a word and now describes everything as it. The guests lately are really not it. I could barely get through this episode because they kept going on tangents and spoke about serious issues like they were high school mean girls.
I grew up JW too, and I can't finish the episode. I've done a lot of religious trauma work in therapy and I was even excited when I saw the episode title, but yeah... this is just insulting. I hope you're doing well now and healing also ♥️
I was thinking this exact same thing. It really did feel like a word they had learned and would overuse it at every possible moment they could. I find it really ignorant and disrespectful to call every aspect of life a cult or "culty", taking away from the very serious and real situations and groups that actually fall under that category. If weddings are a cult, then I guess every year when we celebrate our birthdays we are also coercing everyone around us into a cult group to celebrate us. Ridiculous. I loved the idea for this episode on a very real topic. But we didn't receive any insightful and meaningful talking points, the word was just tossed around so meaninglessly.
I actually tried to watch their content after this, because the "benefit of the doubt" I've grown up with, but I couldn't even finish the first one. In a sense it reminded me of why I don't like documentaries, because legally a documentary can present false information as truth (ex: water isn't wet) as long as it stays about the subject, or is relevant, of the documantary. Don't know how many of those I've watched and a quick search proved statements made as facts as not true. Thesr 2 really gave me that wibe.
I grew up as a Mormon and recently left in October. Growing up in a cult and deciding to leave said cult is the hardest thing I’ve ever done and likely what any other cult member has ever done. And to hear the word “cult” thrown around so lightly and with giggles was triggering.
Hearing “don’t believe men” and “she’s just getting her bag” was not it. My best friend (male) went through incredibly traumatic s*xual abuse, and to have people not believe him because he was a “man” and “could of stood up for himself” was the most disgusting and heartbreaking thing. I love this show but I didn’t appreciate hearing these comments during this episode. x
I was séxuálly ássáultéd years ago. Almost everybody I've told about it when I was trying to get help blamed me for not reporting it even though it took about a year for me to realize I had actually been a victim because I blamed myself and I had no idea how to report it because I didn't know the name and the description of the ássaílant was extremely vague. It was just about everybody in the neighborhood of that age. Or they said that men can't be victims or said I should've defended myself too. It's been hell since and I've been close to ending my life so many times because of not only what happened, but also because of how I've been treated any time I've tried to get help. Even my therapist made me feel worse. Men are treated like perpetrators no matter what we do and then made fun of or ignored when we need help. It really sucks.
@@syanprisco3795 Thanks. It's been difficult for sure, but I'm glad you aren't like that. Hopefully more people will start to really take male and female victims seriously and know that victim blaming is not okay.
@FromMyWindow118 I am so profoundly sorry that happened to you. Keep fighting - your life is worth it. Your pain is real, but if you continue on, in time you will still be able to experience love, joy, and peace. You might not believe it now, but one day you will be glad you are seeing a new sunrise. I'm a feminist and it's clear to me that men face even greater stigma than women when reporting sexual assualt or domestic violence. And if the perpetrator is a woman, so many people refuse to take it seriously. It's abhorrent. Anyone can be a victim and it is so, so important that we support and protect all survivors, regardless of gender. Again, I'm so sorry for how you've been treated. I've struggled with suicide and always found comfort in Emily Dickenson's poem 'Hope is the thing with feathers'. Maybe it can help you as well. Take care of yourself ❤
She isn't really wrong tho. It's not a cult because it has 1 person in it I guess, but there isn't 1 clear definition for cult. It's kinda funny because in this episode, they both said that there isn't one defenition for cult and that people tend to focus on their triggers, which seems to me is what you're doing right now. I could be wrong, I might be misunderstanding you but idk
I couldn’t finish this episode it’s so annoying how they call everything cult. It was driving me insane how they use that word to describe everything 🤦🏻♀️.
These guests are NOT great. Their attitudes, and how they treat male victims, as well as female abusers, and calling every weird behavior cultish isn’t okay. That’s like saying any time someone has stuck up behavior, they’re a narcissist. It’s two hot takes for a reason but the takes aren’t so hot whenever it’s sexist
@@vixen205Yeah. I was séxuálly àssàultéd pretty badly when I was 20. Everyone I told other than my family said it was my fault, nobody cares, or that it doesn't happen to men. I had told strangers online first because it was a lot easier and then i was afraid my family would also victim blame. And it's even more ridiculous to me that they act like everyone triggers them but couldn't care less about men having huge PTSD. Might as well call it "Two Misandrist Takes"
@@flatsamiscool I totally agree with you and I’m horribly sorry you had to go through that. More people need to believe men because it can happen to anyone. Your experiences are valid and you didn’t deserve that
I understand how many cultural things are irrational, marriage, christmas etc. but calling it cultish is not really true. You are talking about culture, following this logic everything is cultish because its influenced by culture. I think it is harmful, it takes away from a word. It is like people say that they are depressed because they are sad. It just does not sit right. But I understand that wasn't the intention, just sharing my opinion.
you must have missed the point where Amanda discusses that anything can be a cult because there really is such a vague description when it comes to the word cult, the only one who is bringing harm to these meanings is you and your viewpoint.
@@paytonobrien841 sorry but sociological and psychological definition of a cult is not that vouge and won't iclude things like wedding culture. By definition a cult is relatively small group of people. Because od that it can't include for example people who do new years resolution because it is a large group. And no not everything could be a cult it just does not make any sense.
Yeah I cringed so hard at that. I’ve noticed a few guests who clearly have been hurt by some men and are saying some sexist stuff. Morgan did a good job pointing out “what if the genders were swapped” but it’s sad seeing people unapologetically applying their bias as fact. You might have trust issues with some bad men but you might be sexist because of that and now you’re gonna treat men unfairly? I guess I just don’t think sexism is funny 🙃
Hey Morgan, I enjoy this podcast soo much so I just wanted to give my personal opinion: I loooved the original format of the podcast where you were the main host and you had regular friends and family join you. I found it really fun and comforting and a fresh concept. I personally preferred when the guest episodes where few and far between. Obviously this is just my opinion, but I wanted to express it in case other people felt the same way and you wanted some feedback
Honestly though, the older episodes with Morgan's friends and family are much more enjoyable to me. Some guests that have been on the podcast have been respectful and supportive to both sides of the female and male victims. These two very obviously do not like men and that's fine, do whatever you want, but don't undermine the things that people go through. And calling everything a cult doesn't help anyone, especially the people who have been in or are still in cults.
I completely agree, i tend to skip episodes where she invites other youtubers or whatever they are for 2 reasons. 1, Morgan always seems tense and doesn't act like herself (at least thats how i see it) 2. Guests who have their own content always seem to try too hard to get attention and they just dont shut up like theses girls. They are annoying. I even get excited when they upload a new episode with only Lauren, Alejandra or Justin
I think the difficulty in story 2 is he didn't say what the "rules" were. Without that it's a polyanderous relationship where the woman has boundaries.
I don’t think that’s true. Even if every girl on TH-cam calls everything a cult it wouldn’t ever diminish the actual abuse and dangers of true cults/cult like behaviors lead to.
@@wellhowthehellareyaif you have a cup with red dye, and you start to add more water, the color and /point/ of the red water dilutes, becoming something different entirely. Therefore affecting it, and the negative aspect of that is not being able to objectively observe and understand what's consist of /red/ dye water.
@@wellhowthehellareyanot to mention the reductionism of critical thinking that happens when you refuse to create new concepts, and instead continue to umbrella nonrelated issues together. Less words = Less thoughts
@@wellhowthehellareya Actually it does, because it becomes harder to notice the signs of actual cults because everyone thinks everything is a cult. It also kind of down plays what actual cults do to people. Especially with their weird rating system and one level being "live your life" as a "green flag".
So..I get what you're saying completely because that was my initial thought, but I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt for a second. I don't think they were necessarily calling everything a cult in seriousness. Some of them, yes, but it seemed to me like some of it was serious, some of it was them joking, and some of it was them poorly discussing the parallels of abusive friendships/relationships and cult mentality. Manipulation can be used as a cult tactic, but that doesn't mean every manipulation IS a cult tactic. For example, I don't believe in cult (romantic) relationships between only two people like they were saying. I believe that there are abusive relationships, whether it be mental, physical, etc. But some of the manipulation tactics that an abuser might use in a romantic relationship could be the same or similar to tactics used for cult recruitment. I.e.: love bombing, gaslighting, isolating the victim from their loved ones, power imbalances, etc. Another example is in regards to the wedding discussion. I don't believe that weddings themselves are cults, but weddings were originally religious ceremonies. Organized religions can fall under the category of being cults, and many of the rituals or ideals that envelop weddings are derived from different religious practices. I think it's in poor taste to refer to weddings as cults as a whole, but it's completely fair to highlight the parallels.
@Kaleigh M OH, I just didn't think the last 2 special guests were empathic people. All the main guests who come on are all empathic people. Justin and Laren just happen to be a bit more empathic than most people in my experience.
I don’t know if you’ve watched Bailey Sarian’s dark history about weddings but it really helps define the difference of industry and cult. Like I get what they’re saying about certain businesses and industries having “cult-like” aspects, but they’re not cults. There’s also a HUGE difference between being strategic and persuasive marketing like Peloton and the wedding industry and being a cult that reduces your freedoms, is extremely abusive, and uses fear and “otherness” to keep people from leaving. I get that cult can be used too narrowly sometimes but I feel like they’re using cult way too broadly.
OK GREAT! so it’s not just me I have literally not been able to get past the first five minutes of the last two episodes! I feel like she’s submitting to what she may think we want or social pressure ooooor I have nooo idea but it doesn’t feel like Morgan/ THT😢
Not loving talking about 12 step programs in a negative light. It literally saved my life and one the reasons why I’ve seen people go back out and die is saying “it’s a cult” when sure some can be but that umbrella statement is so unsafe
I’m in recovery too and work in a treatment center and the biggest reason I hear people being against NA/AA type programs is because they’re “a cult”. Earlier the one on the right was saying not to use the term cult too much cause people shut down but continues to call everything a cult even though people in addiction refusing to give other outlets a try such as twelve step program could be the difference in life or death. This has me enraged.
Hey Morgan, I realise that the last two episodes haven't garnered the best responses from the listeners. As much as I agree with some of the opinions, I just wanted to remind you : your podcast is wonderful. I have been religiously listening to you and your guests for two years now and I thank you for all of your hard work to bring us great content. I know how sometimes negative feedback can really get to us and make us question and doubt everything. You bring us such varied content, with different guests, so sometimes it's doesn't always work perfectly (and it does most of the time!!). That's just how the cookie crumbles. Remember, we appreciate you so much. ❤
Yes to this! I was kind of disappointed to see that all of the comments here are just criticizing the guests. No commentary on the stories at all? Some really interesting topics were brought up and I learned something and heard a unique perspective. I love the podcast and I appreciate that Morgan puts these collaborations together even when I don’t agree with everything. I hope she is able to see that she still has support 🧡
i never leave comments and i love you morgan, but i grew up in an actual cult and i couldn’t make it 20 minutes through this episode. these people were infuriating to listen to
They’re diminishing the meaning of “cult” Not everything with a large following is a cult. And saying so hurts those who have bravely managed to get out of one. These guest were not it
Love this podcast but the fact that those girls were calling everything a cult was annoying to me. I get it a cult episode and what not but every single thing in this world isn’t “culty”
That's a fair point. I'm only halfway through, so I'm starting to see this too. I also think that over using the word dilutes the severity of cults that have led to massacres and abuse. If it's a "live your life" situation why give it the same airtime as you would a dangerous group.
@@lajourdanne thank you for that that exactly what I’m saying we just can’t just keep throwing a word out there and not using it in the proper manner. But that the new generation for ya.
@@dionisaacevedo4973 definition of the world "cult" -noun 1. a system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object. "the cult of St Olaf" 2. a person or thing that is popular or fashionable among a particular group or section of society. "the series has become a bit of a cult in the UK"
@@dionisaacevedo4973 the "new generation" whatever the fuck that mean, use it in actual proper manner. Cult doesnt need to be abusive or cause massacres to be cult. You just have associated it trough media.
@@lucievavakova4608 I see what you're saying, but I think it depends on the context. In this context cult is used in a negative and disparaging way. That implied that they are using the more pejorative meaning not the dictionary meaning. In that sense, Dionisa's concerns are still valid.
ITS SO ANNOYING to keep calling everything a cult or a potential to be a cult. No. This completely undermines the complexity, severity and abuse in ACTUAL CULTS. The few people who courageously leave real cults do so with severe complex PTSD or trauma. It’s not like being an ex-Taylor swift fan or ex subscriber to pelaton😤
Yeahhhhh, as someone who grew up in a cult I do find it annoying when someone throws around the word cult about things that might be a little unhealthy or even like a fan base. No… that’s not the same thing as a cult. It’s similar to me to throwing around the word “trauma” to refer to inconvenience or embarrassment when people have real trauma that affects them everyday of their life. It’s a little insensitive
Yes! I feel like they're considering any group or situation that has rules a cult, it's completely diminishing the meaning of cult & the people who have actually survived in these horrific environments.
Absolutely! Love 2HT but this episode was hard to get through. As someone with MANY family members in an ACTUAL cult this was kind of insensitive and a little gross. It’s not a joke and it’s nothing like being a fan of T Swift or in a wedding
abuse is abuse. cult is the root word of culture (not actually etymology, i’m being hyperbolic with a goal in mind.) dismantling abuse and abusers would require you to utilize similar approaches with the same stepping stones across multiple categories. whether it is domestic violence in a cishet western marriage, or institutional, a toxic work environment with someone at the top calling all the shots, or in a structure that emulates cult science. the discussion of the slow dissent into an imbalanced power dynamic is not the sole defining factor for what makes a cult exactly that. i do think they could’ve used a bit more tact and i’m proud of morgan for approaching with nuance like she did, as the guests had (understandable) gender bias issues with some of the stories, but internet groups still fall victim to cult mentality. fandoms and communities online as well. you’re politically correct, but your argument lacks nuance. are you a woman or assigned female at birth? this might, in part, be an issue of internalized misogyny for you. i’ve been there, and seeing two women like these guests in the position they hold could definitely trip some “women stupid hate” wires in my own brain, especially if this were a few years ago for me personally. but those wires weren’t always there. maybe, regardless of who you are, ask yourself if there’s something bigger going on with your outrage? because the instinct to get riled up over women not behaving with the utmost control over every word they say can impact men and women, and to some extent always is.
I grew up in an actual cult. Some misogynistic guy in the 60s named William Branham recorded all his sermons and now there’s still many people who follow him as the prophet of the end times. One of the worst things he taught was that woman weren’t worth “a good bullet to shoot them with” I’ve got PTSD and have struggled with anxiety and depression, not in small part due to that. It makes me question my sanity sometimes because of all the tactics that were used to brainwash and control us. Thankfully I’ve gone through therapy and have a healthy relationship with God and healthy relationships with people. (Obviously mostly not the same people as back then!)
Oh bby, I’m so sorry you went through that. I wish you nothing but the best for the now and future. You are amazingly strong af. Sending you lots of love 💕
I was raised in that as well. My parents also grew up in it and they took us out of it when I was 12 years old. Crazy to see another person out in the wild that grew up in that. I wish you all the best.
@@hippyheart7411 it sure is! I’ve been able to connect with a bunch of other ex Branhamites online. Im very thankful for the internet for that because otherwise it’s really easy to feel alone in that experience
I have i question as someone who got out too, how did you maintain a relationship with God? I couldn't and i wish i did, but i just cant find a way too.
@@ghosty8193 I think a lot of this episode pissed me off lmao like not everything is a cult for real. The toxic relationship cult comments took it over the edge. Like it’s just a toxic relationship.
@@styledbygabi Yeh. I just got to the story where the girl signed her ex up to Scientology and good lord. They're so toxic. edit: I'm done. I can't watch anymore. 'we want 8 groomsmen and 8 bridesmaids' 'sounds like a cult'. How about we save that use of the word for actual dangerous, cult situations?
Saying almost anything is culty really diminishes the harm true cults have done and continue to do. Seems like something someone in a cult would say and do 🤔 (being completely sarcastic w/ that last sentence. I just thought it was ironic and funny). This episode just seemed a bit too light-hearted and upbeat imo. Also, if everything is a cult/cult-like, then nothing is culty because it'd just be the norm. Obviously, it's a vague term, but again, nothing is a cult if everything is a cult
@@byamba9835 same tbh-a bit too wishful thinking for me-but I truly do enjoy the originals including Jerry since Morgan doesn’t hesitate to give an honest opinion with him when she doesn’t agree
@@byamba9835 i'm neutral on jerry but i think his voice just gets on my nerves for no reason lol 😅 yk how some people just speak and you don't internalize any of what they say
As someone who as experienced being in an actual cult, this episode was very interesting. Some of it did seem to diminish the harm of cults. Morgan however did have a point about the hillsong cult….. I came out of something closely knit with chuches like it and it’s so scary when you realize you were in an occult and being abused.
Every Thursday I am constantly refreshing TH-cam just so I can listen to this while I work! No pressure to post weekly at all - I just figured you'd enjoy the fact that people look forward to hearing y'all! Thanks for the amazing content!
When I was in college, there was this overly zealous scientologist who followed me down the street trying to recruit me, he must have been new because he was giving me every line, really not giving up. I finally had enough and I turned to him and asked "if I join, can I still worship Satan?" And he turned sheet white, his face went blank. He turned on his heel and quickly walked away. It made me cackle and it was one of my proudest moments living in LA 😂
@Payton O'Brien Huh? So how did I know what was spoken about 🙄 There were things I could agree with and some things they were reaching. It's one thing to know and be able to identify a cult and another to shout cult for everything.
@@stacyr5134 Amanda discusses how the word cult is so vague, in the beginning of the podcast, that really anything can be listed as a cult, and it’s not an exact definition of what we recognize a stereotypical cult to be. Weddings can fall into that category. You must have missed THAT part lol
Stacy dont listen to Payton. They are most certainly confusing wedding traditions for a cult. Clearly Payton’s a part of their “must be a cult” cult so she can’t see it because what her leader has said is fact to her. I pray one day she will see the light and escape the mind fuckery of cultdom.
@@paytonobrien841I was in a cult and a victim of sa/physical/spiritual abuse. Weddings are not a freaking cult. Who's the leader of the cult? What's the cults values? Are those values regarding death? Afterlife? narrow path of life? No it's a social event that is nowadays less about Christianity, and more about government breaks/interpersonal promises. Nobody who goes to a wedding needs to seek therapy for CPTSD. But guess what, I do!!! Cuz I was in a real cult. And real cults are dangerous. And the fact that you allow yourself to convolute these ideas is a giveaway of your own lack of critical thinking.
Yeah this episode just isn’t it for me :( I don’t know I think nowadays people try to say a lot of things or most groups or beliefs are cults. I can understand some rules or whatever groups call them can be intense but not everything is lol That sucks I was so excited for this week :( I’ll see y’all next week though! 🫶
I agree, I was really put off by the way they just labeled everything a cult. I love this podcast but halfway through turned it off bc i hate the logic that anything with rules is a cult. It's like saying you have depression if you're really just feeling sad, it takes the meaning away & diminishes people's struggles with real depression.
Loved this episode, but I have to say every time Amanda or Morgan was going into a really good explanation/thought Isa was interrupting and the thought was never finished, and it was driving me nuts man.
@@balancingthedark annoyed me so much that they derail from the story so much then morgan tries to bring it back then 5 secs later derailed again omygod it was so cringey
My little brother accidentally called “The Devil’s Advocate” “the Devil’s Avocado” when he was little and reading it off the tv guide. It’s an inside joke in our family so it’s wild to hear it here. Anyways I subscribed to them 😂❤️
These guests call everything a cult “culty”….the comment on gender reveals is a bit culturally insensitive. Various cultures celebrate a new life in ways that may seem “extravagant” but it is something we’ve been doing for a very long time.
The wedding story: this is also a fatphobia issue. They wanted to set them up because they are both obese and who else could love them than another obese person. Now that she is skinny, they think she is rejecting him because of his weight, because that's what THEY would do. Projection!
This exactly lol! With this logic, we're all cult leaders coercing people to celebrate us every year I guess. They got insanely repetitive and infuriating.
When I left my church cult , I was desperately looking for answers and something else to “latch on to”. But THANKFULLY soon after I realized that would be putting me in ANOTHER cult. I now am not a part of any church/religious cult and I feel the BEST and most FREE I’ve ever felt in my life. Thank you for diving into this intriguing and relatable topic!!!!!!
same here! it’s hard to let go of that sense of community but i realized it wasn’t going to be good for me no matter what, and i feel the best and most free i have in my entire life!
The reason they need to define it as "a cult" is because we are stuck in extreme denial. Defining the word is validation for the survivor. Many abuse survivors don't realize they are being abused. We have hints that something is off, but being in the environment conditions you to stay and question the mistreatment. It's not just as easy as walking away once you realize it's abuse. Many cult survivors entire lives are intertwined with the cult and that takes a huge amount of courage, time, and resources to walk away. If you want to speak on cults and abuse, you should really educate yourself on why abuse victims stay instead of casting it like it's something so simple to leave. Morgan did a wonderful job of politely highlighting this.
I can remember being a poor pastors wife, eating beans everyday because we were paid so poorly. A pastors wife is supposed to do A LOT of free work such as free childcare, Bible studies, women’s dinners, etc, and I was too sick to to all that and work. So I didn’t. Well at a denomination dinner (assemblies of God) “they” bought the head dude a new Jaguar. Which means WE bought it for him through our tithes which we were forced to pay. Tithes are 10% of your gross pay. So glad I divorced because that was definitely a cult.
Exactly! this need isn't exclusive to victims of cults, but victims of abuse in general tend to want to feel validated as they start to recognize the abuse they faced/ are facing. Also when someone is in complete denial or feels like something is off, if someone were to come up to you and tell you that you're in a cult, it could make you feel stupid or small if you feel like they're right, but your not ready to confront that reality. Victims are so often conditioned to believe that this is the right way of life and everyone else is wrong. In a lot of religious groups they're told that questioning/leaving is god testing you, or some evil force. I remember a story (this might be kinda off) of a woman whos mother was in a religious cult. She confronted her mom, told her she was in a cult. The leader/leaders told the mother people would tell her that. On a very surface level look, you can compare it to an abusive relationship between partners. People don't wanna confront the reality that they're in that so they deny to themselves and to others. They cover up for their abuser and make excuses to themselves. They minimize the bad by elevating the "good" they do.
Morgan 😭 how you let these girls talk more than you 😩😩 dang 😭 two tough episodes back to back. I love you and the podcast so much, I guess we hit a rough patch 😢 edited to add: i recognize how much goes into creating a podcast, i've listened to every single episode all the way through and i truly love what you have created🥰🥰
I mean cult is the root word of CULTure. Jobs fall in that category too. You're expected to look a certain way, dress certain way, and use certain words and phrases when engaging the clientele. You have to be on your best behavior even when not on the clock. Failure to do so results in consequences. A lot of what we put up with is cult like.
Totally!!! I always get a culty-vibe when a company says: "we're like one big family here!" ... and then use it to manipulate you into doing extra work for no extra pay. like, um, I have my own family, I'm good thanks...
I think it's funny the other people claiming "nothing is a cult but what I think is a cult because it met my cutoff for abuse thresholds" is kind of funny because their argument is diminishing the abuse and trauma inflicted on people because of relativism
“OP…original poster. OH MY GOD CULT LANGUAGE!” yall no. It’s not. It an acronym. Is LOL cult language?? I just don’t understand why every single thing was “culty” or “giving cult” and when the one story had the female “priestess” and they’re like “omg girl boss, it’s giving priestess” just felt so inappropriate.
They think 'OP' is cultish. But JW instead of jehovah's witness is fine, and one of them even said 'unfamil' instead of unfamiliar. 😅 It sounds like Regina George from Mean Girls is a guest.
I am a Spotify listener, never looked the channel up on TH-cam. Now in the middle of this episode I became so irritated to see what has been going on for the last two episodes. Glad to see I'm not the only one irritated. If you want to know what a cult is: It's all over the news today. The good news international church caused more than 70 people starving themselves to death because their cult leader promised them to reach heaven after that. THAT'S a cult.
Okay, I love this podcast but this episode sadly wasn't what I'd hope based on the title ☹️ story one was the only good one/on topic and the rest isn't... relative. I recommend actually looking at Reddit forums from ex members discussing stories, rules, superstitions, etc.
i thought i would be one of few people who felt this way but i agree! there are Legendary well known posts from ex cult members who have shared their experiences and instead this ep focused on pettier topics :(
these people are incredibly annoying oml. them saying : 'this relationship is culty' or 'that sounds culty' every two seconds is driving me up the freaking wall. not everything is a cult! edit: the word 'cult' was said over 60 times in this episode i just cant be bothered to count anymore. 🤦🏾♀️
Just because someone disagrees with you on something,, doesn't equal hate ❤❤❤ There is a huge difference! We still love this podcast at the end of the day!
I am sorry.....I usually love all guests and love the different like themes but this one...I just didn't get it. I mean, I understood the stories which is what I understand as cults but what the guests were describing as "cult" either green,yellow or red flag...was like they consider any group of people, traditions, even like human interactions as cults...and then if everything is a cult....what's the point? I'm sorry, I am no familiarized with their podcast but they REALLY rubbed me the wrong way...specially with some of the comments they made which sounded kinda sexist and ignorant, never felt that way about any other guest...I am going to be completely honest, this sounded like an amazing theme and now I kinda hope these guests don't come back....😐
Glad im not the only one who had a hard time getting through this one. Saying everything is a cult was really getting to me and just makes me believe how much they don't know how hard it is on people who are/were in one.
Kinda disappointed in the equation of weddings with a cult - really diminishes the actual meaning of the word cult and so many people listen to these women as experts when it comes to these topics. I'm not personally pro or anti wedding but weddings aren't cult-like except in that they are both cultural practices with prescribed traditions, like everything else we do as humans.
The B.I.T.E. model is also a good way to review if something/Group is a cult or has cult like behavior. B = behavior, I = information, T = thought and E = emotional Steven Hassan has also wrote books and has covered this topic well.
I really understand not feeling comfortable contradicting people you just met, especially with an audience. Maybe you should have like a bonding session or something that includes a good discussion with your guests before you put them on the show so if they do fit well you know what to expect and can feel more comfortable disagreeing, and if they don't fit well don't waste an episode on them, just a suggestion
Morgan always puts her point forward when she differs in opinion. She says "really? Don't you think that..." watch more episodes and you'll see this. She can speak for herself. Also, if she really didn't like the contents, do you think she would have uploaded it? She's not helpless, you are projecting your thoughts and feelings.
I was in network marketing for 4 years and the first couple of companies it was just being a sales rep, but the third was insane. It got so bad, it affected my relationships, my husband and I almost broke up, we got over 10k in debt and it was so psychologically and emotionally damaging that I didn't recognize myself by the time I got out. They blasted you if you didn't commit 100% it was always something wrong with you and if you couldn't afford the 1k each events you would never be successful and you "don't really want it." Luckily for me and my husband I got out and we're doing wonderful, we've paid off the debt, I got therapy to get past the abuse, and I speak out regularly against MLM cults. I'm appreciative of the people in my life who were kind and understanding when I apologized afterwards. Stay safe out there people.
I understand that this episode was all about cults, however; not every large organization/system is a cult. It almost seemed like everything they discussed outside of the stories were also labeled as “cults.” Some things, not all of course, are just crappy systems with little care for the greater good. But overall, I really enjoyed the episode and always look forward to each one.
That’s kinda the schtick though. Are things cults or are things more fun clubs that have a lot of hype and a cult following. Cult by definition can also be “a person or thing that is popular or fashionable, especially among a particular section of society. ‘a cult film’” So maybe the issue is the dictionary and we need separate terms?
I've listened to most episodes of Sounds like a Cult and have read Amanda's book Cultish. Amanda studied linguistics, so she's done a deep dive into culty language and that includes the meaning of "cult" itself being a lot wider than what most people consider its definition. When they use the word "cult" they don't use it the way most people do to describe a negative/dangerous, all-encompassing, controlling group. The word "cult" is based in the same root word as "culture" and "cultivate" and didn't really even have a negative connotation until I believe the 70s/80s when media coverage of famous cults and satanic panic was all the rage.
@@TwoHotTakes in this case I think you should have made it more clear that this is the definition that you were running with because as it seems most of us in the comments thought you were literally comparing reddit, weddings and Taylor Swift to actual abusive and deadly cults 😅
Can confirm 100% that Scientology targets peoples egos. I know people raised in it and they speak very holier than thou and look down on anyone who isn’t in. They target people by confirming whatever suspicion about themselves they have that they are special.
The scary thing is that someone like the guy who already doesn't care about other people's boundaries and treats people poorly could be very successful in Scientology... He could be more of a monster and be accepted.
I JUST read Amanda's book and I was watching the beginning of the video thinking "oh I wonder if they've read Cultish" 😂😂😂 I fangirled when I realised that was Amanda Montell
@@gwenstacey8285 no it’s not just listen to some true crime cult cases here are some to start Ant Hill kids and British cult working for 30 years search both by Danielle Kirsty those are actual cults
@@mewcery "culty" meaning having characteristics of a cult. The pressure to wear the same color, do the same things (father giving away, tossing the bouquet, other tradions, etc) have certain decorations, invite certain people. The pressure to get married at all, to involve the church or the government in your relationship, seems a bit culty to me. Both share the shaming, the pressure, the creepy obsession with other people's choices. Not saying it's actually a cult, just shares some characteristics of one.
Not a fan of the guests. Intrigued by the stories but why is it when it comes to women "cult leader" they're like "yass girl get the bag" and all that. And saying everything is a cult really undermined actual cults? Idk. I dont really enjoy the guests you're having lately. You and your usual crew are still top notch though.
I grew up mormon and the reality checks came one by one, little by little. The more I started to interact outside of that bubble the more I started to question why non-mormons were so worried about me. While I was preparing for my mission I decided to take a semester of college at a mormon university. I kept getting the creeps the more I interacted with the other students, something just felt really off. Then I had a mormon history professor that encouraged us to really dive into the course and keep digging “even if what you find is upsetting and challenges your faith.” Hearing that was scary at the time, but I am so grateful he said it. I did what he suggested, and as I did my interactions with other mormons felt more and more unsettling. Finally I reached a point where I couldn’t justify staying anymore. I’ve been free for 7 years and couldn’t be happier
not every new age religious movement/church group/etc is a cult. i see the merits in describing aspects of it that can be cult-ISH, but having some requirements like not dyeing hair or painting nails isn't a cult thing. like in the 1st story they were already calling it a cult when that was only behavior control (bite model) and practically every group has some sort of behavior control aspect to it, even social groups. wedding traditions are not cults. also it was mentioned by others but the immediately not believing the victim anymore when they realized he was male... not it. hopefully morgan bringing it up made them think twice about what they said.
Ew, body-shaming TWO people (cause OP and Tim were both spoken of in a gross manner) and calling someone a bitch for saying no to a date that they don't want to go on in one story.
I thought these guests have a podcast about cults or whatnot, so expected some knowledge and nuance, but only got annoyed by the broad 'everything is a cult' mentality and Morgan doubling down on always changing herself. Life is change, but we need a strong center, and words need to keep meaning to be useful in communication.
As someone who is married to a man who falls asleep within seconds… it’s definitely infuriating to me 😂. Like, it’s 9pm, we are watching TV and finally having child-free alone time and he will lay down, swear he won’t fall asleep and then just start snoring like a congested bear drowning in a river and instead of just get up for bed, he will tell me “I’m not sleeping” and it repeats 3 or 4 times before I’m just livid that he won’t get ready for bed before he decides to lay down. Like I wouldn’t be so upset if he would just admit he’s tired and gets ready for bed.
For all the men out there who have been through something traumatic or are going through something just know that many of us women do believe you, and are here to support you, you are important and your suffering should not be in silence ❤
😊
I thought I was the only one not vibing with these guests. The first thing that rubbed me the wrong way was one the girl on the right said something about “people are looking for labels so they know it’s bad and leave” for story 1. But absolutely not. She was looking for validation that what she was feeling was real and that it was a cult. The way the guest switched when the OP said she was basically raised into that then the guest was like ohhh that makes sense. But no. Just because you weren’t born into a cult and go into it yourself as an adult doesn’t mean you’re free from the abuse. It’s giving victim shaming. Like “you should know better but you crave for it to be labeled as a cult first for you to leave”. This was one of the cringiest episodes and I’m disappointed
The guests realising the victim was a male and then immediately assuming he was lying... that is some intense bias that needs to be addressed..
Happy Morgan brought up the gender bias, she has grown a lot since the begining.
yeah it was weird how much they played this story down
@@pssam-sp6cc especially with how much they blew other things up like weddings
There were several comments on this one that didn't hit right
36:54 - Adding the time stamp bc agree that it was weird. ALSO both guests referred to OP with male pronouns, so I think they knew he was a male, but I think her opinion shifted when she realized op was not the husband and was actually one of the other victims. Huge “I don’t believe male victims” energy
It's also super weird that they commented on how females aren't often cult leaders when there are often women serving as figureheads in cults (i.e.: Ma Anand Sheela, Bonnie Nettles) and plenty of female cult leaders in the modern day (e.g.: Sherry Shriner, Sheryl Ruthven). I feel like if they're building their entire platform on cults, you would think that they would be a bit more understanding of cult-like social structures regardless of the gender of the victim.
Story 1: 8:20
Story 2: 24:22
Story 3: 41:00
Story 4: 1:04:38
Story 5: 1:23:07
Story 6: 1:36:57
Thank you
Bless
Not the hero we wanted but the hero we needed
@@Srabubulupa I’m glad you appreciate my sacrifice.
thank you ❤❤modern day hero
"Pop off female cult leader" made me very uncomfortable. Saying that more details are needed is okay, but throwing around the phrase "don't believe men" isn't okay. I don't know if suggesting that OP in story 2 was just a butt-hurt lover was supposed to be a joke, but it was not a good one. People are already out there accusing feminists and women of not caring about men's problems, and this perpetuates that narrative and causes more tension and division. And adults can groom and manipulate other adults, it doesn't just happen to children.
This girls seem like the kind of "feminist" who thinks female cult leaders are empowering for women 💀💀💀
Yeah I don’t even think they actually listened well to the story. He said he was significantly younger than the cult leader. There absolutely was a power imbalance and yet they twisted it as though he was older than her? It sounded like an older woman taking advantage of/manipulating men in their early 20s. They wouldn’t have told a man to “pop off” in that scenario if the roles were reversed… nor would they say he’s just “getting his bag”?
I agree, that rubbed me the wrong way.
Exactly! Just Imagine someone saying "Pop off male cult leader" 💀
That comment made me extremely uncomfortable, too! How gross of them! 😡 Stopped episode after that. This episode is probably the worst she's ever had. How they called everything a cult... These guests were insufferable. 🙄
I feel like Morgan handled this whole episode with a great deal of grace and patience. However, the guests dismissing the male OP when finding out he was a man was…questionable and distasteful at best. Along with supporting the female “cult leader” just because she was a female. It was icky.
Honestly, their entire dialogue was painful to sit through. I finished the episode, but it felt more like a chore and less like the episodes I typically enjoy listening to.
I guess if discrediting male victims and labeling anything and everything a “cult” is your schtick and money maker then go off. I’ll personally be skipping on their podcast and the book.
When did they 'support' the female cult leader?
all the guests who aren’t friends kinda suck
I think their point was it's not only the big well known groups that are cults. There are many small cults that are unknown. It's not always a giant group of people. But I agree with most of your points 100%
@@CinnamonBasic saying that "shes just getting her bag" is really disrespectfull
I agree. Plus the constant interrupting while she was ready the post I was like “OMG LET HER FINISH!”. I love Morgan. Just wasn’t the biggest fan of the guests.
These girls have made cult their whole personality…. they might even say they’re in a cult about cult
😂 they are 1000% in a cult about cults
*wakes up early* "omg that's so culty!" 🤦🏼♀️ if EVERYTHING is a cult, NOTHING is a cult! I just can't with this episode.
I grew up in an actual cult - JW. And hearing these women describe literally everything as a cult was infuriating. It was incredibly disrespectful and diminishes the experiences of those actually traumatized by cults.
They also interrupted the whole time and gave the impression of someone who learned a word and now describes everything as it. The guests lately are really not it. I could barely get through this episode because they kept going on tangents and spoke about serious issues like they were high school mean girls.
I grew up JW too, and I can't finish the episode. I've done a lot of religious trauma work in therapy and I was even excited when I saw the episode title, but yeah... this is just insulting.
I hope you're doing well now and healing also ♥️
I was thinking this exact same thing. It really did feel like a word they had learned and would overuse it at every possible moment they could. I find it really ignorant and disrespectful to call every aspect of life a cult or "culty", taking away from the very serious and real situations and groups that actually fall under that category. If weddings are a cult, then I guess every year when we celebrate our birthdays we are also coercing everyone around us into a cult group to celebrate us. Ridiculous. I loved the idea for this episode on a very real topic. But we didn't receive any insightful and meaningful talking points, the word was just tossed around so meaninglessly.
I actually tried to watch their content after this, because the "benefit of the doubt" I've grown up with, but I couldn't even finish the first one.
In a sense it reminded me of why I don't like documentaries, because legally a documentary can present false information as truth (ex: water isn't wet) as long as it stays about the subject, or is relevant, of the documantary.
Don't know how many of those I've watched and a quick search proved statements made as facts as not true. Thesr 2 really gave me that wibe.
I just want to know if the place where you were/are mattered for this cult experience of yours?
I grew up as a Mormon and recently left in October. Growing up in a cult and deciding to leave said cult is the hardest thing I’ve ever done and likely what any other cult member has ever done. And to hear the word “cult” thrown around so lightly and with giggles was triggering.
Hearing “don’t believe men” and “she’s just getting her bag” was not it. My best friend (male) went through incredibly traumatic s*xual abuse, and to have people not believe him because he was a “man” and “could of stood up for himself” was the most disgusting and heartbreaking thing. I love this show but I didn’t appreciate hearing these comments during this episode. x
I agree. In the story itself, he talks about how she was controlling so it's not getting the bag
I was séxuálly ássáultéd years ago. Almost everybody I've told about it when I was trying to get help blamed me for not reporting it even though it took about a year for me to realize I had actually been a victim because I blamed myself and I had no idea how to report it because I didn't know the name and the description of the ássaílant was extremely vague. It was just about everybody in the neighborhood of that age. Or they said that men can't be victims or said I should've defended myself too.
It's been hell since and I've been close to ending my life so many times because of not only what happened, but also because of how I've been treated any time I've tried to get help. Even my therapist made me feel worse. Men are treated like perpetrators no matter what we do and then made fun of or ignored when we need help. It really sucks.
@@flatsamiscool I am so so sorry to hear that. You are strong and amazing. F*ck everyone who said that to you and treated you that way.
@@syanprisco3795 Thanks. It's been difficult for sure, but I'm glad you aren't like that. Hopefully more people will start to really take male and female victims seriously and know that victim blaming is not okay.
@FromMyWindow118 I am so profoundly sorry that happened to you. Keep fighting - your life is worth it. Your pain is real, but if you continue on, in time you will still be able to experience love, joy, and peace. You might not believe it now, but one day you will be glad you are seeing a new sunrise.
I'm a feminist and it's clear to me that men face even greater stigma than women when reporting sexual assualt or domestic violence. And if the perpetrator is a woman, so many people refuse to take it seriously. It's abhorrent. Anyone can be a victim and it is so, so important that we support and protect all survivors, regardless of gender.
Again, I'm so sorry for how you've been treated. I've struggled with suicide and always found comfort in Emily Dickenson's poem 'Hope is the thing with feathers'. Maybe it can help you as well.
Take care of yourself ❤
Just because something is popular or has a large following doesn’t mean it’s a cult. This episode was very hard to get through.
Thank god I'm not the only one getting annoyed at this episode, seeing all the comments while halfway through the video
I agree. So many terms being misused these days.
me personally the way she was describing anything weird abt a relationship as culty was really annoyjng 😭😭😭
Yes👏 it's like people calling every unpleasant memory "trauma"
Same. Manipulation is part of cult behavior, but there’s so much more to a cult than that…
She isn't really wrong tho. It's not a cult because it has 1 person in it I guess, but there isn't 1 clear definition for cult. It's kinda funny because in this episode, they both said that there isn't one defenition for cult and that people tend to focus on their triggers, which seems to me is what you're doing right now. I could be wrong, I might be misunderstanding you but idk
Frr but the second story was not enough information to be consider a cult🙄
That got me sweating, tbh. So careless.
I couldn’t finish this episode it’s so annoying how they call everything cult. It was driving me insane how they use that word to describe everything 🤦🏻♀️.
Next step - “being alive is so culty”
Do a shot every time they call something a cult and you also won't make it through the episode 🤙
For me a cult is any religion
God, 100% REALLY annoying! I was waiting for, "Liking mustard on a turkey sandwich is a cult!"
I thought I was the only one, it was a very annoying episode
I look forward to these episodes weekly, this is the first one I couldn’t finish. 😭😅
Same!
This is my third, last week was hard for me and there was one more that I'm forgetting but it was also with a surprise guest(s), not the usuals.
me too
These guests are NOT great. Their attitudes, and how they treat male victims, as well as female abusers, and calling every weird behavior cultish isn’t okay. That’s like saying any time someone has stuck up behavior, they’re a narcissist. It’s two hot takes for a reason but the takes aren’t so hot whenever it’s sexist
Agree! And, calling everything a cult totally invalidates those who have experiences real trauma from being in/leaving REAL ACTUAL cuts
@@tesshagensieker1700 EXACTLY
@@vixen205Yeah. I was séxuálly àssàultéd pretty badly when I was 20. Everyone I told other than my family said it was my fault, nobody cares, or that it doesn't happen to men. I had told strangers online first because it was a lot easier and then i was afraid my family would also victim blame. And it's even more ridiculous to me that they act like everyone triggers them but couldn't care less about men having huge PTSD. Might as well call it "Two Misandrist Takes"
@@flatsamiscool I totally agree with you and I’m horribly sorry you had to go through that. More people need to believe men because it can happen to anyone. Your experiences are valid and you didn’t deserve that
I understand how many cultural things are irrational, marriage, christmas etc. but calling it cultish is not really true. You are talking about culture, following this logic everything is cultish because its influenced by culture. I think it is harmful, it takes away from a word. It is like people say that they are depressed because they are sad. It just does not sit right. But I understand that wasn't the intention, just sharing my opinion.
you must have missed the point where Amanda discusses that anything can be a cult because there really is such a vague description when it comes to the word cult, the only one who is bringing harm to these meanings is you and your viewpoint.
@@paytonobrien841 sorry but sociological and psychological definition of a cult is not that vouge and won't iclude things like wedding culture. By definition a cult is relatively small group of people. Because od that it can't include for example people who do new years resolution because it is a large group. And no not everything could be a cult it just does not make any sense.
This!! I was trying to think how to express how i felt about the episode and this was 100% it
fr! "the cult of new year's resolutions" be so fr rn they're just calling traditions cults and it's fucking weird
All religions are cults think about it. Christmas isn’t cultural it’s religious.
admitting to not believing men when they’re the victims was an interesting choice. kudos to Morgan for redirecting but wowzers
I'm pretty sure that was a joke/sarcasm
THIS!!
I think it was good to hear them admit their biases. We all have them, and it lets us know when to take their opinions with an extra grain of salt!
@@starsspaceships6114 I wasn’t so sure, especially because of the comments they made leading up to that statement
Yeah I cringed so hard at that. I’ve noticed a few guests who clearly have been hurt by some men and are saying some sexist stuff. Morgan did a good job pointing out “what if the genders were swapped” but it’s sad seeing people unapologetically applying their bias as fact. You might have trust issues with some bad men but you might be sexist because of that and now you’re gonna treat men unfairly? I guess I just don’t think sexism is funny 🙃
Hey Morgan, I enjoy this podcast soo much so I just wanted to give my personal opinion: I loooved the original format of the podcast where you were the main host and you had regular friends and family join you. I found it really fun and comforting and a fresh concept. I personally preferred when the guest episodes where few and far between.
Obviously this is just my opinion, but I wanted to express it in case other people felt the same way and you wanted some feedback
Honestly though, the older episodes with Morgan's friends and family are much more enjoyable to me. Some guests that have been on the podcast have been respectful and supportive to both sides of the female and male victims. These two very obviously do not like men and that's fine, do whatever you want, but don't undermine the things that people go through. And calling everything a cult doesn't help anyone, especially the people who have been in or are still in cults.
I completely agree, i tend to skip episodes where she invites other youtubers or whatever they are for 2 reasons. 1, Morgan always seems tense and doesn't act like herself (at least thats how i see it) 2. Guests who have their own content always seem to try too hard to get attention and they just dont shut up like theses girls. They are annoying. I even get excited when they upload a new episode with only Lauren, Alejandra or Justin
Mmmm these guests were not it. “Don’t believe men” is an insane thing to say even if you’re joking… Idk it was hard getting through this one
So disgusting, this girls were definitly not it
yep another jab at men every dam episode if a man said that you know they would be cancled 😐
My jaw literally dropped when I heard them say that. Misandry at it's finest
for people who are quick to jump the gun to call things “cults” you were also quick to dismiss story two as a “woman getting her bag”
I think the difficulty in story 2 is he didn't say what the "rules" were. Without that it's a polyanderous relationship where the woman has boundaries.
@@AMVactivists he didn't mention the rules because that's not what he was writing to ask about, doesn't take a genius to understand it
True
Calling everything a cult diminishes the actual groups that hurt people.
I don’t think that’s true. Even if every girl on TH-cam calls everything a cult it wouldn’t ever diminish the actual abuse and dangers of true cults/cult like behaviors lead to.
@@wellhowthehellareyaif you have a cup with red dye, and you start to add more water, the color and /point/ of the red water dilutes, becoming something different entirely. Therefore affecting it, and the negative aspect of that is not being able to objectively observe and understand what's consist of /red/ dye water.
@@wellhowthehellareyanot to mention the reductionism of critical thinking that happens when you refuse to create new concepts, and instead continue to umbrella nonrelated issues together. Less words = Less thoughts
@@wellhowthehellareya Actually it does, because it becomes harder to notice the signs of actual cults because everyone thinks everything is a cult. It also kind of down plays what actual cults do to people. Especially with their weird rating system and one level being "live your life" as a "green flag".
So..I get what you're saying completely because that was my initial thought, but I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt for a second. I don't think they were necessarily calling everything a cult in seriousness. Some of them, yes, but it seemed to me like some of it was serious, some of it was them joking, and some of it was them poorly discussing the parallels of abusive friendships/relationships and cult mentality.
Manipulation can be used as a cult tactic, but that doesn't mean every manipulation IS a cult tactic. For example, I don't believe in cult (romantic) relationships between only two people like they were saying. I believe that there are abusive relationships, whether it be mental, physical, etc. But some of the manipulation tactics that an abuser might use in a romantic relationship could be the same or similar to tactics used for cult recruitment. I.e.: love bombing, gaslighting, isolating the victim from their loved ones, power imbalances, etc.
Another example is in regards to the wedding discussion. I don't believe that weddings themselves are cults, but weddings were originally religious ceremonies. Organized religions can fall under the category of being cults, and many of the rituals or ideals that envelop weddings are derived from different religious practices. I think it's in poor taste to refer to weddings as cults as a whole, but it's completely fair to highlight the parallels.
Morgan, we need an episode with Lauren or Justin. Please.
😭😭😭
Yes please. The last two episodes have been so hard to finish 😭
Yes, someone with a little more empathy, please! 🙏
@@eliseweitzel6334 wait have i missed something? who wasn’t empathetic? i think all of the main guests are really good people
@Kaleigh M OH, I just didn't think the last 2 special guests were empathic people. All the main guests who come on are all empathic people. Justin and Laren just happen to be a bit more empathic than most people in my experience.
I don’t know if you’ve watched Bailey Sarian’s dark history about weddings but it really helps define the difference of industry and cult. Like I get what they’re saying about certain businesses and industries having “cult-like” aspects, but they’re not cults. There’s also a HUGE difference between being strategic and persuasive marketing like Peloton and the wedding industry and being a cult that reduces your freedoms, is extremely abusive, and uses fear and “otherness” to keep people from leaving. I get that cult can be used too narrowly sometimes but I feel like they’re using cult way too broadly.
If i had to take a shot for everytime I heard the word cult ,I'd suffer from alcohol poisoning at the end.
Story 3- Morgan has so much patience. Let her tell the story!!! Jeeze.
These guests today were borderline insufferable
Not even borderline I genuinely cannot finish this episode
they were awful and I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought so
for a while now some guest have been... a choice
@@nevadanicholson4775me either. 22 mins in and scrolling.
OK GREAT! so it’s not just me I have literally not been able to get past the first five minutes of the last two episodes! I feel like she’s submitting to what she may think we want or social pressure ooooor I have nooo idea but it doesn’t feel like Morgan/ THT😢
Not loving talking about 12 step programs in a negative light. It literally saved my life and one the reasons why I’ve seen people go back out and die is saying “it’s a cult” when sure some can be but that umbrella statement is so unsafe
I’m in recovery too and work in a treatment center and the biggest reason I hear people being against NA/AA type programs is because they’re “a cult”. Earlier the one on the right was saying not to use the term cult too much cause people shut down but continues to call everything a cult even though people in addiction refusing to give other outlets a try such as twelve step program could be the difference in life or death. This has me enraged.
Hey Morgan,
I realise that the last two episodes haven't garnered the best responses from the listeners. As much as I agree with some of the opinions, I just wanted to remind you : your podcast is wonderful. I have been religiously listening to you and your guests for two years now and I thank you for all of your hard work to bring us great content. I know how sometimes negative feedback can really get to us and make us question and doubt everything. You bring us such varied content, with different guests, so sometimes it's doesn't always work perfectly (and it does most of the time!!). That's just how the cookie crumbles. Remember, we appreciate you so much. ❤
Yes to this! I was kind of disappointed to see that all of the comments here are just criticizing the guests. No commentary on the stories at all? Some really interesting topics were brought up and I learned something and heard a unique perspective.
I love the podcast and I appreciate that Morgan puts these collaborations together even when I don’t agree with everything. I hope she is able to see that she still has support 🧡
i never leave comments and i love you morgan, but i grew up in an actual cult and i couldn’t make it 20 minutes through this episode. these people were infuriating to listen to
They’re diminishing the meaning of “cult” Not everything with a large following is a cult. And saying so hurts those who have bravely managed to get out of one. These guest were not it
Oh my goodness, thank you!! Repeating a word over and over and identifying everything as such completely removes all meaning from the word.
That’s the premises of their podcast they’re promoting…….
Love this podcast but the fact that those girls were calling everything a cult was annoying to me. I get it a cult episode and what not but every single thing in this world isn’t “culty”
That's a fair point. I'm only halfway through, so I'm starting to see this too.
I also think that over using the word dilutes the severity of cults that have led to massacres and abuse. If it's a "live your life" situation why give it the same airtime as you would a dangerous group.
@@lajourdanne thank you for that that exactly what I’m saying we just can’t just keep throwing a word out there and not using it in the proper manner. But that the new generation for ya.
@@dionisaacevedo4973 definition of the world "cult" -noun
1.
a system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object.
"the cult of St Olaf"
2.
a person or thing that is popular or fashionable among a particular group or section of society.
"the series has become a bit of a cult in the UK"
@@dionisaacevedo4973 the "new generation" whatever the fuck that mean, use it in actual proper manner. Cult doesnt need to be abusive or cause massacres to be cult. You just have associated it trough media.
@@lucievavakova4608 I see what you're saying, but I think it depends on the context. In this context cult is used in a negative and disparaging way. That implied that they are using the more pejorative meaning not the dictionary meaning. In that sense, Dionisa's concerns are still valid.
The “don’t believe men”… side eye…
Fr hope they dont come back 🙄
lowk i didnt really like them 😭
Yeah, I'm not a fan of the recent men hating comments.
@@eliseweitzel6334 i like how morgan handled it tho i know it’s hard to be confrontational but i hope her response made them think a little bit
@@snottiepippen same honestly I didn’t finish the episode after that story
I understand that calling everything a "cult" is their thing, but I felt like they said the word a little bit too much 😵💫
If people took a shot for every time they said cult or culty no one would’ve remembered the end of the video
@@alyssabelmares8734 honestly I think they’d go to a hospital
@@alyssabelmares8734 we would be better off not remembering this episode
ITS SO ANNOYING to keep calling everything a cult or a potential to be a cult. No. This completely undermines the complexity, severity and abuse in ACTUAL CULTS. The few people who courageously leave real cults do so with severe complex PTSD or trauma. It’s not like being an ex-Taylor swift fan or ex subscriber to pelaton😤
This! 💜
Yeahhhhh, as someone who grew up in a cult I do find it annoying when someone throws around the word cult about things that might be a little unhealthy or even like a fan base. No… that’s not the same thing as a cult. It’s similar to me to throwing around the word “trauma” to refer to inconvenience or embarrassment when people have real trauma that affects them everyday of their life. It’s a little insensitive
Yes! I feel like they're considering any group or situation that has rules a cult, it's completely diminishing the meaning of cult & the people who have actually survived in these horrific environments.
Absolutely! Love 2HT but this episode was hard to get through. As someone with MANY family members in an ACTUAL cult this was kind of insensitive and a little gross. It’s not a joke and it’s nothing like being a fan of T Swift or in a wedding
abuse is abuse. cult is the root word of culture (not actually etymology, i’m being hyperbolic with a goal in mind.) dismantling abuse and abusers would require you to utilize similar approaches with the same stepping stones across multiple categories. whether it is domestic violence in a cishet western marriage, or institutional, a toxic work environment with someone at the top calling all the shots, or in a structure that emulates cult science. the discussion of the slow dissent into an imbalanced power dynamic is not the sole defining factor for what makes a cult exactly that.
i do think they could’ve used a bit more tact and i’m proud of morgan for approaching with nuance like she did, as the guests had (understandable) gender bias issues with some of the stories, but internet groups still fall victim to cult mentality. fandoms and communities online as well. you’re politically correct, but your argument lacks nuance. are you a woman or assigned female at birth? this might, in part, be an issue of internalized misogyny for you. i’ve been there, and seeing two women like these guests in the position they hold could definitely trip some “women stupid hate” wires in my own brain, especially if this were a few years ago for me personally. but those wires weren’t always there. maybe, regardless of who you are, ask yourself if there’s something bigger going on with your outrage? because the instinct to get riled up over women not behaving with the utmost control over every word they say can impact men and women, and to some extent always is.
I grew up in an actual cult. Some misogynistic guy in the 60s named William Branham recorded all his sermons and now there’s still many people who follow him as the prophet of the end times. One of the worst things he taught was that woman weren’t worth “a good bullet to shoot them with” I’ve got PTSD and have struggled with anxiety and depression, not in small part due to that. It makes me question my sanity sometimes because of all the tactics that were used to brainwash and control us. Thankfully I’ve gone through therapy and have a healthy relationship with God and healthy relationships with people. (Obviously mostly not the same people as back then!)
That's so horrible, I'm sorry you've went through such experiences. At least you've gotten out and had the strength to get help, that takes a lot.
Oh bby, I’m so sorry you went through that. I wish you nothing but the best for the now and future. You are amazingly strong af. Sending you lots of love 💕
I was raised in that as well. My parents also grew up in it and they took us out of it when I was 12 years old. Crazy to see another person out in the wild that grew up in that. I wish you all the best.
@@hippyheart7411 it sure is! I’ve been able to connect with a bunch of other ex Branhamites online. Im very thankful for the internet for that because otherwise it’s really easy to feel alone in that experience
I have i question as someone who got out too, how did you maintain a relationship with God? I couldn't and i wish i did, but i just cant find a way too.
me throughout the episode: LET MORGAN FINISH
I was looking through the comments to see if I was the only one thinking this!! It drove me crazy.
This! It was frustrating. Way too much deviation. I do appreciate Morgan handling the ladies like this BUT I wish they would have let her talk.
i keep watching her face when they interrupt or just would not stop talking and you can just tell how over she is with them
Toxic/bad relationships ≠ cults/culty relationships 🤪
Please DO NOT BRING THEM BACK! Not everything is a cult!!!!
Please don’t bring them back. They’re opinions truly aren’t valid and make fun of the actual problem.
Weddings are literally just ceremonies….. like- people act differently good or bad and have certain traditions. Taking it too far
Oh that part pissed me off. It's a tradition that has been around since the beginning of time!!!! Of course people are going to adhere to it.
@@ghosty8193 I think a lot of this episode pissed me off lmao like not everything is a cult for real. The toxic relationship cult comments took it over the edge. Like it’s just a toxic relationship.
@@styledbygabi Yeh. I just got to the story where the girl signed her ex up to Scientology and good lord. They're so toxic.
edit: I'm done. I can't watch anymore. 'we want 8 groomsmen and 8 bridesmaids' 'sounds like a cult'. How about we save that use of the word for actual dangerous, cult situations?
@@ghosty8193 I stopped listening after they dissolved into mocking and making light of the op in the 2nd story. Made me feel too off
exactly. They took the word cult and just ran with it.
My job is a cult. They tell me what to do and i must follow or else i don't get paid.
Omg and they’ll “put you out” (fire you) if you don’t conform (do your job)
Omg, soooooo culty!
omg I just noticed thisssss so cultyyy!!!!
Accurate timestamps:
8:33 - Story 1
22:57 - Story 2
38:08 - Story 3
1:00:30 - Story 4
1:17:48 - Story 5
1:31:45 - Story 6
Saying almost anything is culty really diminishes the harm true cults have done and continue to do. Seems like something someone in a cult would say and do 🤔 (being completely sarcastic w/ that last sentence. I just thought it was ironic and funny). This episode just seemed a bit too light-hearted and upbeat imo. Also, if everything is a cult/cult-like, then nothing is culty because it'd just be the norm. Obviously, it's a vague term, but again, nothing is a cult if everything is a cult
Exactly! 💜
Just tried to like this twice 😂
The recent guests have been so.,,,..not great. I need a Lauren episode 🥲
!!!! yes
Lauren and Justin and Alejandra are my absolute favs. Controversial but I don’t agree with many of Jerrys takes
@@byamba9835 same tbh-a bit too wishful thinking for me-but I truly do enjoy the originals including Jerry since Morgan doesn’t hesitate to give an honest opinion with him when she doesn’t agree
@@byamba9835 i'm neutral on jerry but i think his voice just gets on my nerves for no reason lol 😅 yk how some people just speak and you don't internalize any of what they say
@@rats_in_a_PACK that’s unnecessarily mean to say. Many of us appreciate Jerry and his input.
If everything is a cult, then nothing is a cult
As someone who as experienced being in an actual cult, this episode was very interesting. Some of it did seem to diminish the harm of cults. Morgan however did have a point about the hillsong cult….. I came out of something closely knit with chuches like it and it’s so scary when you realize you were in an occult and being abused.
Every Thursday I am constantly refreshing TH-cam just so I can listen to this while I work! No pressure to post weekly at all - I just figured you'd enjoy the fact that people look forward to hearing y'all! Thanks for the amazing content!
It’s usually up earlier on audio only platforms! In case you don’t care about the video, I do the same at work :)
When I was in college, there was this overly zealous scientologist who followed me down the street trying to recruit me, he must have been new because he was giving me every line, really not giving up. I finally had enough and I turned to him and asked "if I join, can I still worship Satan?" And he turned sheet white, his face went blank. He turned on his heel and quickly walked away. It made me cackle and it was one of my proudest moments living in LA 😂
Another way is telling JW you are a mormon or vice versa. Apparently they have each other
@@hilla3353 usually it worked, but this one guy was persistent lol
I'm only 18:30 in and I think you ladies are really confusing cults and traditions. Weddings are not cults.
You must have not listened to the podcast.
@Payton O'Brien Huh? So how did I know what was spoken about 🙄 There were things I could agree with and some things they were reaching. It's one thing to know and be able to identify a cult and another to shout cult for everything.
@@stacyr5134 Amanda discusses how the word cult is so vague, in the beginning of the podcast, that really anything can be listed as a cult, and it’s not an exact definition of what we recognize a stereotypical cult to be. Weddings can fall into that category. You must have missed THAT part lol
Stacy dont listen to Payton. They are most certainly confusing wedding traditions for a cult. Clearly Payton’s a part of their “must be a cult” cult so she can’t see it because what her leader has said is fact to her. I pray one day she will see the light and escape the mind fuckery of cultdom.
@@paytonobrien841I was in a cult and a victim of sa/physical/spiritual abuse. Weddings are not a freaking cult. Who's the leader of the cult? What's the cults values? Are those values regarding death? Afterlife? narrow path of life? No it's a social event that is nowadays less about Christianity, and more about government breaks/interpersonal promises. Nobody who goes to a wedding needs to seek therapy for CPTSD. But guess what, I do!!! Cuz I was in a real cult. And real cults are dangerous. And the fact that you allow yourself to convolute these ideas is a giveaway of your own lack of critical thinking.
Yeah this episode just isn’t it for me :(
I don’t know I think nowadays people try to say a lot of things or most groups or beliefs are cults. I can understand some rules or whatever groups call them can be intense but not everything is lol
That sucks I was so excited for this week :(
I’ll see y’all next week though! 🫶
I agree. Not all communities with rules are cults.
I agree, I was really put off by the way they just labeled everything a cult. I love this podcast but halfway through turned it off bc i hate the logic that anything with rules is a cult. It's like saying you have depression if you're really just feeling sad, it takes the meaning away & diminishes people's struggles with real depression.
Agreed! I look forward to the next episode though
@@savannahmcilrath9658 same as someone who studied cult psychology and sociology when I went to university extensively this was annoying to listen to
Loved this episode, but I have to say every time Amanda or Morgan was going into a really good explanation/thought Isa was interrupting and the thought was never finished, and it was driving me nuts man.
Omg yes!!!!! thank you
this is why i could never do a podcast because i talk so much i think i would just interrupt to try to get my thought in 😭
@@Rockinashy Same LOL
Dude, I came to the comments specifically to see if anyone else was annoyed
@@balancingthedark annoyed me so much that they derail from the story so much then morgan tries to bring it back then 5 secs later derailed again omygod it was so cringey
My little brother accidentally called “The Devil’s Advocate” “the Devil’s Avocado” when he was little and reading it off the tv guide. It’s an inside joke in our family so it’s wild to hear it here. Anyways I subscribed to them 😂❤️
These guests call everything a cult “culty”….the comment on gender reveals is a bit culturally insensitive. Various cultures celebrate a new life in ways that may seem “extravagant” but it is something we’ve been doing for a very long time.
This girls say "culty" as if it was a quirky word, so disrespectful 🙄
The wedding story: this is also a fatphobia issue. They wanted to set them up because they are both obese and who else could love them than another obese person. Now that she is skinny, they think she is rejecting him because of his weight, because that's what THEY would do. Projection!
Two episodes in a row I literally couldn’t stand the guest. I love the THT family can we please just get Justin, Alejandra, Jerry or Lauren 😭😭😭
Frrr
same i only got 10 mins in and it’s a no for me
Next thing you know they're gonna start calling birthdays cult like 💀
This exactly lol! With this logic, we're all cult leaders coercing people to celebrate us every year I guess. They got insanely repetitive and infuriating.
just in time for my 4/20 date with myself✨
Same 🍃 happy 4/20🫶🏻
🫶 same 🫶
I'm still at work so I can't rn 😭 but I did just grab a few grams so I'm all ready. Enjoy the high! Happy 4/20! 🍃
Yesss haha just sat down with my dab rig 🫶🏻 I hope everyone has a good 4/20 💚💚💚
Love that for you! Happy 4/20 fellow stoney friend 😮💨🫶🚬
When I left my church cult , I was desperately looking for answers and something else to “latch on to”. But THANKFULLY soon after I realized that would be putting me in ANOTHER cult. I now am not a part of any church/religious cult and I feel the BEST and most FREE I’ve ever felt in my life. Thank you for diving into this intriguing and relatable topic!!!!!!
same here! it’s hard to let go of that sense of community but i realized it wasn’t going to be good for me no matter what, and i feel the best and most free i have in my entire life!
@@Rockinashy that’s so great to hear you’ve also had a positive experience with leaving!☺️
Morgan, your patience is held with so much grace. I don’t know how you handled them so well, I had to jump out.
What I got from today’s episode: everything is a cult 😂
The reason they need to define it as "a cult" is because we are stuck in extreme denial. Defining the word is validation for the survivor. Many abuse survivors don't realize they are being abused. We have hints that something is off, but being in the environment conditions you to stay and question the mistreatment. It's not just as easy as walking away once you realize it's abuse. Many cult survivors entire lives are intertwined with the cult and that takes a huge amount of courage, time, and resources to walk away.
If you want to speak on cults and abuse, you should really educate yourself on why abuse victims stay instead of casting it like it's something so simple to leave. Morgan did a wonderful job of politely highlighting this.
I can remember being a poor pastors wife, eating beans everyday because we were paid so poorly. A pastors wife is supposed to do A LOT of free work such as free childcare, Bible studies, women’s dinners, etc, and I was too sick to to all that and work. So I didn’t. Well at a denomination dinner (assemblies of God) “they” bought the head dude a new Jaguar. Which means WE bought it for him through our tithes which we were forced to pay. Tithes are 10% of your gross pay. So glad I divorced because that was definitely a cult.
Exactly! this need isn't exclusive to victims of cults, but victims of abuse in general tend to want to feel validated as they start to recognize the abuse they faced/ are facing. Also when someone is in complete denial or feels like something is off, if someone were to come up to you and tell you that you're in a cult, it could make you feel stupid or small if you feel like they're right, but your not ready to confront that reality.
Victims are so often conditioned to believe that this is the right way of life and everyone else is wrong. In a lot of religious groups they're told that questioning/leaving is god testing you, or some evil force. I remember a story (this might be kinda off) of a woman whos mother was in a religious cult. She confronted her mom, told her she was in a cult. The leader/leaders told the mother people would tell her that.
On a very surface level look, you can compare it to an abusive relationship between partners. People don't wanna confront the reality that they're in that so they deny to themselves and to others. They cover up for their abuser and make excuses to themselves. They minimize the bad by elevating the "good" they do.
normally i’m a fan of this podcast… but this episode was an excruciating watch
Oh god..the amount of times these women said cult..could be a drinking game at this point
Morgan 😭 how you let these girls talk more than you 😩😩 dang 😭 two tough episodes back to back. I love you and the podcast so much, I guess we hit a rough patch 😢
edited to add: i recognize how much goes into creating a podcast, i've listened to every single episode all the way through and i truly love what you have created🥰🥰
I mean cult is the root word of CULTure. Jobs fall in that category too. You're expected to look a certain way, dress certain way, and use certain words and phrases when engaging the clientele. You have to be on your best behavior even when not on the clock. Failure to do so results in consequences. A lot of what we put up with is cult like.
Omg just noticed that
That's a really good point! We're forced into it.
Totally!!! I always get a culty-vibe when a company says: "we're like one big family here!" ... and then use it to manipulate you into doing extra work for no extra pay. like, um, I have my own family, I'm good thanks...
I think it's funny the other people claiming "nothing is a cult but what I think is a cult because it met my cutoff for abuse thresholds" is kind of funny because their argument is diminishing the abuse and trauma inflicted on people because of relativism
the psychological effects an office job has on a person are NOT the same as an *actual cult*
Idk. These guests weren’t it imo. I personally like the regulars much better.
“OP…original poster. OH MY GOD CULT LANGUAGE!” yall no. It’s not. It an acronym. Is LOL cult language?? I just don’t understand why every single thing was “culty” or “giving cult” and when the one story had the female “priestess” and they’re like “omg girl boss, it’s giving priestess” just felt so inappropriate.
They think 'OP' is cultish. But JW instead of jehovah's witness is fine, and one of them even said 'unfamil' instead of unfamiliar. 😅 It sounds like Regina George from Mean Girls is a guest.
Can’t wait to see Lauren and Alejandra again ❤
I am a Spotify listener, never looked the channel up on TH-cam. Now in the middle of this episode I became so irritated to see what has been going on for the last two episodes. Glad to see I'm not the only one irritated.
If you want to know what a cult is: It's all over the news today. The good news international church caused more than 70 people starving themselves to death because their cult leader promised them to reach heaven after that.
THAT'S a cult.
lmao same
morgan is this “cute laugh” in the room with us 💀
Okay, I love this podcast but this episode sadly wasn't what I'd hope based on the title ☹️ story one was the only good one/on topic and the rest isn't... relative. I recommend actually looking at Reddit forums from ex members discussing stories, rules, superstitions, etc.
i thought i would be one of few people who felt this way but i agree! there are Legendary well known posts from ex cult members who have shared their experiences and instead this ep focused on pettier topics :(
Not them throwing the word "cult" around like it's nothing.
If everything is a cult then nothing is a cult and, like many others said, it diminishes the harm of real cults.
Morgan: “I just have weak teeth.” Morgan seconds later in an ad: “My favorite fluoride free toothpaste!” 🤦🏻♀️🤣
these people are incredibly annoying oml. them saying : 'this relationship is culty' or 'that sounds culty' every two seconds is driving me up the freaking wall. not everything is a cult!
edit: the word 'cult' was said over 60 times in this episode i just cant be bothered to count anymore. 🤦🏾♀️
Just because someone disagrees with you on something,, doesn't equal hate ❤❤❤ There is a huge difference! We still love this podcast at the end of the day!
I am sorry.....I usually love all guests and love the different like themes but this one...I just didn't get it. I mean, I understood the stories which is what I understand as cults but what the guests were describing as "cult" either green,yellow or red flag...was like they consider any group of people, traditions, even like human interactions as cults...and then if everything is a cult....what's the point? I'm sorry, I am no familiarized with their podcast but they REALLY rubbed me the wrong way...specially with some of the comments they made which sounded kinda sexist and ignorant, never felt that way about any other guest...I am going to be completely honest, this sounded like an amazing theme and now I kinda hope these guests don't come back....😐
school is a cult
Glad im not the only one who had a hard time getting through this one. Saying everything is a cult was really getting to me and just makes me believe how much they don't know how hard it is on people who are/were in one.
Kinda disappointed in the equation of weddings with a cult - really diminishes the actual meaning of the word cult and so many people listen to these women as experts when it comes to these topics. I'm not personally pro or anti wedding but weddings aren't cult-like except in that they are both cultural practices with prescribed traditions, like everything else we do as humans.
cult isn’t the right word about florida’s new laws regarding trans kids, it’s fascism
The B.I.T.E. model is also a good way to review if something/Group is a cult or has cult like behavior.
B = behavior, I = information, T = thought and E = emotional
Steven Hassan has also wrote books and has covered this topic well.
I am annoyed that they did a cult episode without actually going into that with any detail.
“Stonewalling!? One of the 4 horseman of the apocalypse!?!” 🤣🤣🤣🤣 dead! Love it!
I can’t finish this. These women are infuriating, you shouldn’t have indulged them in their delusions
I really understand not feeling comfortable contradicting people you just met, especially with an audience. Maybe you should have like a bonding session or something that includes a good discussion with your guests before you put them on the show so if they do fit well you know what to expect and can feel more comfortable disagreeing, and if they don't fit well don't waste an episode on them, just a suggestion
Morgan always puts her point forward when she differs in opinion. She says "really? Don't you think that..." watch more episodes and you'll see this. She can speak for herself. Also, if she really didn't like the contents, do you think she would have uploaded it? She's not helpless, you are projecting your thoughts and feelings.
I was in network marketing for 4 years and the first couple of companies it was just being a sales rep, but the third was insane. It got so bad, it affected my relationships, my husband and I almost broke up, we got over 10k in debt and it was so psychologically and emotionally damaging that I didn't recognize myself by the time I got out. They blasted you if you didn't commit 100% it was always something wrong with you and if you couldn't afford the 1k each events you would never be successful and you "don't really want it."
Luckily for me and my husband I got out and we're doing wonderful, we've paid off the debt, I got therapy to get past the abuse, and I speak out regularly against MLM cults. I'm appreciative of the people in my life who were kind and understanding when I apologized afterwards. Stay safe out there people.
I feel like the idea of losing weight because somebody called you fat in a derogatory way shouldn’t be encouraged..
Solid point. Deff should be happy with your body
@@TwoHotTakes thanks for the response love you Morgan!❤️
i already forgot how the two guests were called but - OH MY GOD, LET MORGAN TALK, YOU TWO.
I understand that this episode was all about cults, however; not every large organization/system is a cult. It almost seemed like everything they discussed outside of the stories were also labeled as “cults.” Some things, not all of course, are just crappy systems with little care for the greater good. But overall, I really enjoyed the episode and always look forward to each one.
agreed. like how being a fan of Taylor Swift is not a cult… it’s called being a fan
That’s kinda the schtick though. Are things cults or are things more fun clubs that have a lot of hype and a cult following. Cult by definition can also be “a person or thing that is popular or fashionable, especially among a particular section of society. ‘a cult film’” So maybe the issue is the dictionary and we need separate terms?
@@TwoHotTakes that is the definition of cultURE, not cults.
I've listened to most episodes of Sounds like a Cult and have read Amanda's book Cultish. Amanda studied linguistics, so she's done a deep dive into culty language and that includes the meaning of "cult" itself being a lot wider than what most people consider its definition. When they use the word "cult" they don't use it the way most people do to describe a negative/dangerous, all-encompassing, controlling group. The word "cult" is based in the same root word as "culture" and "cultivate" and didn't really even have a negative connotation until I believe the 70s/80s when media coverage of famous cults and satanic panic was all the rage.
@@TwoHotTakes in this case I think you should have made it more clear that this is the definition that you were running with because as it seems most of us in the comments thought you were literally comparing reddit, weddings and Taylor Swift to actual abusive and deadly cults 😅
Not the forced laughter (from them) at the beginning after Morgan mentioned a funny laugh
Can confirm 100% that Scientology targets peoples egos. I know people raised in it and they speak very holier than thou and look down on anyone who isn’t in. They target people by confirming whatever suspicion about themselves they have that they are special.
The scary thing is that someone like the guy who already doesn't care about other people's boundaries and treats people poorly could be very successful in Scientology... He could be more of a monster and be accepted.
I JUST read Amanda's book and I was watching the beginning of the video thinking "oh I wonder if they've read Cultish" 😂😂😂 I fangirled when I realised that was Amanda Montell
Had to check to make sure I was listening to a THT episode because I literally didn’t hear morgan talk like at all
Getting married isn’t a cult 🤣 lol y’all are too much
Not getting married, specifically wedding culture. The pressure to conform and do everything just right it's culty, but not a cult
@@gwenstacey8285 tradition and cult are two different things, the process of marriage is not 'culty'.
@@gwenstacey8285 no it’s not just listen to some true crime cult cases here are some to start Ant Hill kids and British cult working for 30 years search both by Danielle Kirsty those are actual cults
@@mewcery "culty" meaning having characteristics of a cult. The pressure to wear the same color, do the same things (father giving away, tossing the bouquet, other tradions, etc) have certain decorations, invite certain people. The pressure to get married at all, to involve the church or the government in your relationship, seems a bit culty to me. Both share the shaming, the pressure, the creepy obsession with other people's choices. Not saying it's actually a cult, just shares some characteristics of one.
@@gwenstacey8285 so school is culty? Work is culty? Morning routines are culty?
Not a fan of the guests. Intrigued by the stories but why is it when it comes to women "cult leader" they're like "yass girl get the bag" and all that. And saying everything is a cult really undermined actual cults? Idk. I dont really enjoy the guests you're having lately. You and your usual crew are still top notch though.
agreed 🌀
I grew up mormon and the reality checks came one by one, little by little. The more I started to interact outside of that bubble the more I started to question why non-mormons were so worried about me. While I was preparing for my mission I decided to take a semester of college at a mormon university. I kept getting the creeps the more I interacted with the other students, something just felt really off. Then I had a mormon history professor that encouraged us to really dive into the course and keep digging “even if what you find is upsetting and challenges your faith.”
Hearing that was scary at the time, but I am so grateful he said it. I did what he suggested, and as I did my interactions with other mormons felt more and more unsettling. Finally I reached a point where I couldn’t justify staying anymore. I’ve been free for 7 years and couldn’t be happier
not every new age religious movement/church group/etc is a cult. i see the merits in describing aspects of it that can be cult-ISH, but having some requirements like not dyeing hair or painting nails isn't a cult thing. like in the 1st story they were already calling it a cult when that was only behavior control (bite model) and practically every group has some sort of behavior control aspect to it, even social groups. wedding traditions are not cults. also it was mentioned by others but the immediately not believing the victim anymore when they realized he was male... not it. hopefully morgan bringing it up made them think twice about what they said.
Ew, body-shaming TWO people (cause OP and Tim were both spoken of in a gross manner) and calling someone a bitch for saying no to a date that they don't want to go on in one story.
@@snottiepippen the bride said it, not the hosts
@@faceofvision oh shi i misunderstood jj anon’s comment, my fault. yeah the bride really sucked, that was awful of her to say..
I thought these guests have a podcast about cults or whatnot, so expected some knowledge and nuance, but only got annoyed by the broad 'everything is a cult' mentality and Morgan doubling down on always changing herself. Life is change, but we need a strong center, and words need to keep meaning to be useful in communication.
As someone who is married to a man who falls asleep within seconds… it’s definitely infuriating to me 😂. Like, it’s 9pm, we are watching TV and finally having child-free alone time and he will lay down, swear he won’t fall asleep and then just start snoring like a congested bear drowning in a river and instead of just get up for bed, he will tell me “I’m not sleeping” and it repeats 3 or 4 times before I’m just livid that he won’t get ready for bed before he decides to lay down. Like I wouldn’t be so upset if he would just admit he’s tired and gets ready for bed.
After seeing the comments from the last episode I'm actually scared to listen to this one 😅