shminux comments on New study on choice blindness in moral positions - Less Wrong

73 Post author: nerfhammer 20 September 2012 06:14PM

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Comment author: shminux 24 September 2012 11:27:22PM 1 point [-]

Note that the term cult is a worst argument in the world (guilt by association). The neutral term is NRM. Thus to classify something as a cult one should first tick off the "religious" check mark, which requires spirituality, a rather nebulous concept:

Spirituality is the concept of an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the "deepest values and meanings by which people live.

If you define cult as an NRM with negative connotations, then you have to agree on what those negatives are, not an easy task.

Comment author: fubarobfusco 25 September 2012 12:13:23AM 1 point [-]

"NRM" is a term in the sociology of religion. There are many groups that are often thought of as "cultish" in the ordinary-language sense that are not particularly spiritual. Multi-level marketing groups and large group awareness training come to mind.