On: Ask HN: What to avoid in life?

[zzzeek]

Cults. Learn to see what they are early on, learn what groups are considered to be cults, read Lifton's "Thought Reform and the Ideology of Totalism" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thought_Reform_and_the_Psychol...), stay away.

[michelpp → zzzeek]

Agreed, another good work on the subject is The True Believer (https://www.harpercollins.com/9780060505912/the-true-believe...).

[titanomachy → zzzeek]

Is it still a cult if they pay me above market?

[Balgair → titanomachy]

That's one of the worst ones. You get used to the paychecks.

[threatofrain → zzzeek]

Anyone who is vulnerable to cults is likely vulnerable for reasons other than lacking a warning.

[zzzeek → threatofrain]

knowing about cults is therefore essential to those times when someone is vulnerable (which includes virtually everyone at some point), so that they have context for what is actually happening and retain enough wisdom to stay away.