RobinHanson comments on Two Cult Koans - Less Wrong

54 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 21 December 2007 05:45AM

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Comment author: RobinHanson 21 December 2007 10:58:37AM 9 points [-]

I think I'll side with the novices against Ougi here. The novices deserve a clearer answer than "think of ways to resolve your doubts" and "all will be clear when you try to use this stuff." Cults usually tell people many things that are actually useful, and confronting leaders seems a reasonable way to resolve doubts. As I said before, the word "cult" is a bit too easy a word to throw around - I'd prefer a clearer description of what it means exactly and how to recognize one.

Comment author: stcredzero 23 June 2012 12:45:08AM 6 points [-]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult

A few things to look for, gleaned from the Wikipedia article:

In Cults, coercive Mind Control is said to take these forms:

- People are put in physically or emotionally distressing situations;
- Their problems are reduced to one simple explanation, which is repeatedly emphasized;
- They receive what seems to be unconditional love, acceptance, and attention from a charismatic leader or group;
- They get a new identity based on the group;
- They are subject to entrapment (isolation from friends, relatives and the mainstream culture)

Cults also seem to involve the adulation of charismatic leaders, who become corrupted by the power the situation brings them. The most common complaints against cults involve sexual abuse of members. Cults have also been known to cause harm through getting members to forego medical care.

I think this is ok for a place to start.

Comment author: dxu 07 February 2015 01:59:37AM 4 points [-]

Okay, so taking a look at this checklist for LessWrong, we get...

People are put in physically or emotionally distressing situations;

Nope. (Well, not intentionally, anyway... does the basilisk count? People did have nightmares from that...)

Their problems are reduced to one simple explanation, which is repeatedly emphasized;

...Sort of? I mean, "rationality" is trumpeted as the Winning Way, but I'd say that's justified in that it is the Winning Way. Besides, the category of "rationality" is rather broad, which might mean it doesn't satisfy the definition of "one simple explanation"... eh. Tentatively going with "yes" for now.

They receive what seems to be unconditional love, acceptance, and attention from a charismatic leader or group;

Uh, yeah, not even close.

They get a new identity based on the group;

Pretty clear that this one gets a "yes". People self-identify as "LWers" all the time.

They are subject to entrapment (isolation from friends, relatives and the mainstream culture)

Nope.

So, LessWrong meets two of the five criteria, and does not satisfy the remaining three. Does that make it a cult, or not?

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