For any high-control group or compelling company to attract followers, its teachings must contain a core of significant wisdom or value. This makes it difficult for members to leave, as they would also be abandoning something that genuinely helped them, blending the good with the bad.
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The most motivated employees ("freedom fighters") offer unparalleled commitment, but only if the company's mission is authentic. Unlike mercenaries (paid) or conscripts (obligated), they demand integrity and will quickly expose any disconnect between the stated mission and reality, making them a high-reward but high-maintenance talent segment.
Identifying a company's stated values is insufficient. WCM's research evolved to analyze the social mechanisms that reinforce desired behaviors, turning values into a "cult." They found that many companies espouse the same behaviors, but only the best have the rituals and systems to make them stick.
A startup's 'cult' is its unique set of beliefs about the world, its market, and its people. This shared, differentiated worldview is essential for unity and focus. However, to be a successful company rather than just a cult, this unique set of beliefs must be correct.
In high-control groups like OneTaste, the philosophy that you are 100% responsible for your experience was used to manipulate members. It framed any exploitation they suffered as their own fault, making it psychologically difficult for them to recognize or name the abuse.
A key psychological parallel between cults and fervent belief systems like the pursuit of AGI is the feeling they provide. Members feel a sense of awe and wonder, believing they are among a select few who have discovered a profound, world-altering secret that others have not yet grasped.
A successful startup often resembles a cult, requiring a leader who communicates their vision with unwavering, first-person conviction. Hiding the founder behind polished PR spokespeople is a mistake; it neuters the contagious belief required to recruit talent and build a movement against impossible odds.
People surrounding a so-called genius, like Picasso's friends or employees at cult-like startups, often tolerate terrible behavior. They rationalize the unpleasantness by telling themselves they are part of an extraordinary, history-making experience, which creates a toxic enabling environment.
OneTaste mirrored the tech world by holding corporate-style conferences with lanyards, positioning its founder as a visionary akin to a tech CEO, and promoting a world-changing mission. This familiar structure made its fringe practices seem more legitimate and appealing to a tech-savvy audience.
Unlike previous eras focused on broad, mass-market appeal, today's winning marketing strategy builds and mobilizes deep, committed tribes of followers. This 'cult and tribe' approach, exemplified by Elon Musk, secures capital, customers, and talent by fostering a phalanx of true believers.
Adherents to the belief that AI will soon destroy humanity exhibit classic cult-like behaviors. They reorient their entire lives—careers and relationships—around this belief and socially isolate themselves from non-believers, creating an insular, high-stakes community.