A few months ago I lost a friend to one of those so called "religious communities" very rare and rightly feared a few years ago but now surprisingly common and apparently harmless in Italy.
They claim the end is nigh and that only a few adepts will be saved from armageddon.
It is extremely difficult to be amongst the saved souls BUT if you give us all your money we'll try and see what we can do.
Sounds so ridiculous that no one will ever buy it surely? Wrong!
In a world reduced to its knees by 2 global financial crisis, natural disasters, negative feelings deriving from a few doomtalkers and a future that has nothing to be expected from, the victims of these sects are scaringly high in numbers.
They like to recruit among the hopeless, the ones that lost everything or almost everything, the ones that have been treated harshly by life. You're divorced? Lost your job, your home, your family, your friends, you've got a drug problem, money problem, girlfriend problems? We're there for you! Sure you're a loser but we don't mind, as a matter of fact we think you're a special loser and we'd like to help you find your own special way to wipe off your own will and obey blindly to our leader.
Don't get me wrong, the package doesn't scream "scam" as loudly as this, there would be far less people interested if it did.... or at least I like to think so.
The thing is that after so many years of "self-improvement" techniques, "trust-yourself" seminars, "learn how to make a profitable business" speeches and "how to be a thin, blonde, rich and healthy stud" retreats, it's stupidly easy to find a "new" recipe for a charismatic new religion.
It is so well known that there's actually books on how to set it all up with a limited budget! I kid you not, it's a sort of "DIY sect".
According to these books, people on the edge of despair are already looking for someone to get ahold of their unstable lives and start telling them what to do.
All you have to do is milk them before they run out of money, or alternatively concede loans that can only be repaid by working for you at predictably low wages.
It only takes 4 days to hook them completely!
Have them pay a considerable not-refundable sum at time of booking so that they won't back out.
Invite them for a workshop of 4 days completely secluded from the rest of the world in a far off location where they won't have access to any kind of social network, media or news.
And then the brainwash begins!
On day 1 make them feel as if they can trust you, you're their friend, you're way better than them, no one is denying that, but you don't mind sharing your meals with stinking losers like them, get to know them, be charming and beautiful as much as possible so that they will accept that whatever comes from your mouth must be true 'cause you're so shiny and sure of yourself!
On day 2 first you make them wake up at an unreasonably early hour, you force them to exhaust themselves physically in a way that can only be seen in an army movie, then you take away any nutrition by forbidding them to eat anything more energetic than tofu, then when they're drained out of any energy you start asking them to relive a number of very depressing experiences and share them with the others.
Promote high levels of emotionality by encouraging them to cry their eyes out and have absolutely no shame in front of the others, 'cause you know, they're all losers anyway...
On day 3 before they start collapsing by fatigue and emotional distress you show them how successful YOU are. They can't even lift their arm to take a sip from their water bottle? You do a short hip hop dance on the stage with the music at full blast, you look tanned, thin, healthy, you wear designer clothes and have expensive accessories like 600$ fountain pens or 3000 $ laptops, you look professional and always in charge.
You tell them that you're a god, no one is better than you and that it's impossible to be like you 'cause you're oh so cool!
At this point if they still have any trust left in their own resources you wipe it off using their own emotions, telling them that it's their fault their wives left them, it's their fault they have nothing, it's their fault they're such complete losers because they're useless and their lives are pointless.
This is the right moment to offer them a magic solution that no one ever thought about before and that if they really apply themselves and follow all the seminars and courses until the end they MIGHT, and I repeat, the might just save their souls, maybe, but there's no guarantee!
At this point they will beg you to tell them, to show them the way.
On day 4 you apply "the technique", you can call it the method, the way, the truth, whatever.
It's mostly an extremely vague exercise during which you"cure" them from a "disorder" you conveniently told them they have, most of the time it's a phobia, 9 out of 10 it's arachnophobia (fear of spiders), why? "cause it's so common to be at least grossed out by a chubby hairy spider that everyone is likely to relate to the results of the exercise.
You pick the weakest and most emotional person in the group, almost always a woman, who is more likely to admit she is afraid of spiders than a man.
You single her out by having her sit on a chair in the middle of the stage with lights pointed on her.
At this point you tell her she has nothing to fear 'cause the exercise is going to work, you have no doubt about that 'cause she has been listening to what you said in the past 3 days and you know that she wants to change her life forever and be happy, right? This way you put her under such a huge pressure that she's willing to do anything for you.
Then you created the "ambience", a trance-like atmosphere that will help the group form a sort of a collective bond and you apply the "technique". Now, this is supposed to vary from group to group and it's normally fished out from well known cognitive-behavioural therapies with some interactions with oriental philosophy and high tech special effects.
It doesn't really matter what you do, if you want to be original be original, be simple, be elaborated, the important thing is that it needs to be something only you can do properly and no one is to try and do that at home cause it can very dangerous when done by someone who's not passed the 7th level course (and paid 200.000 dollars for it).
At the end... oh it's a miracle!!! The subject is not scared of spiders anymore!!! Your look of approval is also very important, you have to show them that it CAN be done, it's just very very difficult and they really need to stick to you for a while.
When they're all relieved and hooked you tell them there's nothing to laugh about cause there's been some very bad experiences with people who did not believe enough! But surely it's not their case is it?
Now, you would love to show them something else but time is running out and they have to go back home to their sad and bleak lives, where there's no hip hop dances, no loud music, no hugs when they cry, no love, no understanding.... or would they want to sign up for another course maybe? Yes? That would be 15000 $ thank you!
Trust me, I'm not making this ridiculous on purpose, this is exactly what happened to another friend of mines recently.
Yep, another victim! I sat there listening to her blabber about how she felt cured and full of energy and how she always made mistakes in her life and that's why she had so many bad things happening to her but the power of the mind is limitless and now she has found someone who is teaching her how to use it.
She just had to pay 14000 dollars for it. And she hasn't finished yet, she can't wait to go to another course and learn something new!
What was I supposed to tell her?
That she was being brainwashed?
I tried to do that with my other friend, the one I lost a few months ago and the result was that she cut me off of her life. Because you see, the trick is that during these seminars they warn you against skeptical people like me! And they instruct you to cut them off in order not to be distracted from your ultimate task which is hand over all your money.... ehm... no sorry, CURE yourself and achieve happiness!
So I just sat there listening.
After all who am I to say that these things don't work? Maybe on a subconscious level she knows it's all b.s. but she needs it to pick herself up.
I just hope she will do so before she will owe them too much to be able to back off.
They claim the end is nigh and that only a few adepts will be saved from armageddon.
It is extremely difficult to be amongst the saved souls BUT if you give us all your money we'll try and see what we can do.
Sounds so ridiculous that no one will ever buy it surely? Wrong!
In a world reduced to its knees by 2 global financial crisis, natural disasters, negative feelings deriving from a few doomtalkers and a future that has nothing to be expected from, the victims of these sects are scaringly high in numbers.
They like to recruit among the hopeless, the ones that lost everything or almost everything, the ones that have been treated harshly by life. You're divorced? Lost your job, your home, your family, your friends, you've got a drug problem, money problem, girlfriend problems? We're there for you! Sure you're a loser but we don't mind, as a matter of fact we think you're a special loser and we'd like to help you find your own special way to wipe off your own will and obey blindly to our leader.
Don't get me wrong, the package doesn't scream "scam" as loudly as this, there would be far less people interested if it did.... or at least I like to think so.
The thing is that after so many years of "self-improvement" techniques, "trust-yourself" seminars, "learn how to make a profitable business" speeches and "how to be a thin, blonde, rich and healthy stud" retreats, it's stupidly easy to find a "new" recipe for a charismatic new religion.
It is so well known that there's actually books on how to set it all up with a limited budget! I kid you not, it's a sort of "DIY sect".
According to these books, people on the edge of despair are already looking for someone to get ahold of their unstable lives and start telling them what to do.
All you have to do is milk them before they run out of money, or alternatively concede loans that can only be repaid by working for you at predictably low wages.
It only takes 4 days to hook them completely!
Have them pay a considerable not-refundable sum at time of booking so that they won't back out.
Invite them for a workshop of 4 days completely secluded from the rest of the world in a far off location where they won't have access to any kind of social network, media or news.
And then the brainwash begins!
On day 1 make them feel as if they can trust you, you're their friend, you're way better than them, no one is denying that, but you don't mind sharing your meals with stinking losers like them, get to know them, be charming and beautiful as much as possible so that they will accept that whatever comes from your mouth must be true 'cause you're so shiny and sure of yourself!
On day 2 first you make them wake up at an unreasonably early hour, you force them to exhaust themselves physically in a way that can only be seen in an army movie, then you take away any nutrition by forbidding them to eat anything more energetic than tofu, then when they're drained out of any energy you start asking them to relive a number of very depressing experiences and share them with the others.
Promote high levels of emotionality by encouraging them to cry their eyes out and have absolutely no shame in front of the others, 'cause you know, they're all losers anyway...
On day 3 before they start collapsing by fatigue and emotional distress you show them how successful YOU are. They can't even lift their arm to take a sip from their water bottle? You do a short hip hop dance on the stage with the music at full blast, you look tanned, thin, healthy, you wear designer clothes and have expensive accessories like 600$ fountain pens or 3000 $ laptops, you look professional and always in charge.
You tell them that you're a god, no one is better than you and that it's impossible to be like you 'cause you're oh so cool!
At this point if they still have any trust left in their own resources you wipe it off using their own emotions, telling them that it's their fault their wives left them, it's their fault they have nothing, it's their fault they're such complete losers because they're useless and their lives are pointless.
This is the right moment to offer them a magic solution that no one ever thought about before and that if they really apply themselves and follow all the seminars and courses until the end they MIGHT, and I repeat, the might just save their souls, maybe, but there's no guarantee!
At this point they will beg you to tell them, to show them the way.
On day 4 you apply "the technique", you can call it the method, the way, the truth, whatever.
It's mostly an extremely vague exercise during which you"cure" them from a "disorder" you conveniently told them they have, most of the time it's a phobia, 9 out of 10 it's arachnophobia (fear of spiders), why? "cause it's so common to be at least grossed out by a chubby hairy spider that everyone is likely to relate to the results of the exercise.
You pick the weakest and most emotional person in the group, almost always a woman, who is more likely to admit she is afraid of spiders than a man.
You single her out by having her sit on a chair in the middle of the stage with lights pointed on her.
At this point you tell her she has nothing to fear 'cause the exercise is going to work, you have no doubt about that 'cause she has been listening to what you said in the past 3 days and you know that she wants to change her life forever and be happy, right? This way you put her under such a huge pressure that she's willing to do anything for you.
Then you created the "ambience", a trance-like atmosphere that will help the group form a sort of a collective bond and you apply the "technique". Now, this is supposed to vary from group to group and it's normally fished out from well known cognitive-behavioural therapies with some interactions with oriental philosophy and high tech special effects.
It doesn't really matter what you do, if you want to be original be original, be simple, be elaborated, the important thing is that it needs to be something only you can do properly and no one is to try and do that at home cause it can very dangerous when done by someone who's not passed the 7th level course (and paid 200.000 dollars for it).
At the end... oh it's a miracle!!! The subject is not scared of spiders anymore!!! Your look of approval is also very important, you have to show them that it CAN be done, it's just very very difficult and they really need to stick to you for a while.
When they're all relieved and hooked you tell them there's nothing to laugh about cause there's been some very bad experiences with people who did not believe enough! But surely it's not their case is it?
Now, you would love to show them something else but time is running out and they have to go back home to their sad and bleak lives, where there's no hip hop dances, no loud music, no hugs when they cry, no love, no understanding.... or would they want to sign up for another course maybe? Yes? That would be 15000 $ thank you!
Trust me, I'm not making this ridiculous on purpose, this is exactly what happened to another friend of mines recently.
Yep, another victim! I sat there listening to her blabber about how she felt cured and full of energy and how she always made mistakes in her life and that's why she had so many bad things happening to her but the power of the mind is limitless and now she has found someone who is teaching her how to use it.
She just had to pay 14000 dollars for it. And she hasn't finished yet, she can't wait to go to another course and learn something new!
What was I supposed to tell her?
That she was being brainwashed?
I tried to do that with my other friend, the one I lost a few months ago and the result was that she cut me off of her life. Because you see, the trick is that during these seminars they warn you against skeptical people like me! And they instruct you to cut them off in order not to be distracted from your ultimate task which is hand over all your money.... ehm... no sorry, CURE yourself and achieve happiness!
So I just sat there listening.
After all who am I to say that these things don't work? Maybe on a subconscious level she knows it's all b.s. but she needs it to pick herself up.
I just hope she will do so before she will owe them too much to be able to back off.
