From Waco to Charles Manson: what TV gets wrong about cults

There have been a slew of big-budget shows about the world of cult leaders, but many have fallen flat and missed the point of what makes a God complex tick

Underground film-maker Carey Burtt had satirical intentions in mind when he released his absurdist short film Mind Control Made Easy, or: How I Became a Cult Leader in 2006. Its opening narration still makes for a persuasive sales pitch: “Don’t you want devoted followers who will leave their families for you? … And will kill for you? Don’t you want to become a cult leader?”

Little annoyances such as moral imperatives pale in comparison to cash, power and a panoply of sexual partners. The followers don’t have it so bad either, as far as they can tell. Vulnerable, wayward types find the solace of purpose, or at least reorienting their messy lives in a single direction under strict rules.

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from The Guardian http://ift.tt/2nu51n5