Doing research into online cults has been a bit difficult, with 764 and children of the waning star being the biggest examples that overshadow smaller accounts (the former not being religious at all), as well as spawnism. So, people of Lemmy, what are your experiences with online cults?
Edit for clarification: I am looking for cults in the traditional sense of the word: a closed off community with a distinct power structure and leader that is revered, with some sort of ideology (preferably spiritual but am open to all stories.)

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[–] 14 points 5 months ago (3 children)

No first-hand experience, and arguably not really a cult, but I have a friend who's a recovering alcoholic, and according to him a few of the local AA groups around us have a few members who are in the weird fringes of the rationalist community, maybe sort of tangentially connected to the "zizians"

For those not familiar with the zizians, behind the bastards had a pretty decent series on them

There's also a decent amount of weird overlap between self help type groups like AA (not that AA isn't without plenty of valid criticism) and abusive cult-like organizations. I think the elan.school (Joe vs Elan School) webcomic touched on that, and I also recommend that as an interesting look into the troubled teen industry (trigger warnings for child abuse and such on that)

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  • [–] 5 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    AA is a Christian recruit center that preys on people who are in a very vulnerable position in life.

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