Cult Membership Is at Home in the U.S.A. Mention the word "cult" and images of surrender, violence, sex, and power come discomfortably to mind. Yet cultism is a normal way of life for most American people. Psychologist Arthur Diekman makes this provocative statement to alert us that most of us adopt cult-like behaviors to fulfill a desire to fit in mainstream society. Our cult behavior may not be as obvious as the unusual social structures we attribute to "hard-core" cult groups, but our perceptions, beliefs, and critical judgments are affected by associations with informal cults to which everyone belongs. In his book, The Wrong Way Home: Uncovering the Patterns of Cult Behavior in American Society (Beacon Press), Diekman argues that our cult-ure operates on the same principles of authoritarianism as the obvious cults. Despite our democratic principles based upon an "eye-level world," Diekman says, "we look up at those who must be obeyed or down upon those who must obey us." This authoritarian tendency has its roots in the family structure. But where the authoritarian character of the family is both functional and appropriate, it becomes dysfunctional when used by leaders to suppress truth and conscience. Subordinates remain in the position of children, while the leader assumes the role as omnipotent parent. The prevailing state of mind within cults is the dependency upon someone higher up who satisfies perceived needs for protection and support. From a sociobiological point of view, human evolutionary survival depended upon tribal consensus. This primitive attitude continues through to today’s world where the strength of a group’s influence depends upon its ability to control self-esteem, financial support, and emotional closeness among its members. Compliance with the group increases with one’s psychological and economic dependence on it. This relationship can be seen in many social institutions, including the corporations that dominate modern economic life. Managers who choose family needs over corporate needs, for example, fail the test of corporate commitment and risk career impairment. Allegiance to a leader implies an association of common interests for the welfare of the special group. But, if the leader’s aims are sublimely more important, the welfare of each individual member is significantly lessened. The overriding importance for the welfare of a corporation parallels a cult’s belief in its divine mission. Former CEO for General Motors Charles Wilson summarizes it succinctly by declaring,"What’s good for General Motors is good for the United States." Dependency upon authority figures can obscure personal judgment where people set aside any doubts by assuming that "they" must know what "they" are doing. Wanting to believe is a powerful dynamic initiating and sustaining cult-like behavior. This type of submission to one who protects, rewards, and punishes provides an illusion of invulnerability. Under the auspices of this loyalty, followers legitimize behavior that would otherwise be morally unacceptable, even to the point of sanctioning cruel and vicious actions. To illustrate, Diekman cites American support of the "national interest" that justified the internment of "blameless American citizens of Japanese descent" following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He warns that this episode should teach us to be aware of special interests of those with the power to influence and execute an elitist agenda. Cult-like behavior can be diminished, Diekman concludes, when social institutions encourage multiple individual viewpoints and when members—regardless of their position on the hierarchy—communicate as equals. (Digest by Clayton O. Montez, Atlantic University.) |