A podcast about cult hacking! Cracking the cult code to understand what they are, how they work, how people leave and how to make sense of the world after leaving. Father and daughter team, media graduate Celine, and former cult member now organizational psychologist Stephen, explore how cults work, why they are so dangerous and the experience of leaving and making sense of the world. They speak to cult hackers from all over the world, from ex members to academics, from writers to filmmakers, and from therapists to activists. https://pod.link/1540824671 https://www.patreon.com/culthackers https://culthackers.com/ Music is Snap by Purple Planet Music Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
Episodes
Monday Feb 15, 2021
Monday Feb 15, 2021
This week Celine and Stephen review the Netflix short series 'The Queen's Gambit'. One of the most surprising hits of the year it tells the story of orphan Beth as she learns chess from the janitor and then goes on to take on the world. It's a great personal story about a talented and troubled young woman and even makes chess seem cool. This episode contains spoilers so if you haven't seen it, watch 'The Queen's Gambit' first and then listen to the podcast.
Monday Feb 08, 2021
Monday Feb 08, 2021
Celine looks at the controversy around a male contraceptive trial and Stephen explores religious views towards the subject by evangelicals, Christian fundamentalists and the Catholic Church.
Monday Feb 01, 2021
Monday Feb 01, 2021
This week, dad talks about his feelings of frustration and loss about not getting his career off the ground. He also talks about his research into ex JW's search for identity through education and career.
Monday Jan 25, 2021
Monday Jan 25, 2021
Part 2 of a 3 part story. Dad (Stephen) is now baptised and serving as a ministerial servant and is a member of a quick-build team. He leaves a job he enjoys and buys a window cleaning round so that he can regular pioneer. Marriage and fatherhood follow and becomes a catalyst for finally confronting his serious doubts once and for all.
Monday Jan 18, 2021
Monday Jan 18, 2021
We review cult expert Steven Hassan's latest book 'The Cult of Trump'. Should we think of Trumpism as a cult? What evidenced is presented and is it convincing? We look at the psychology behind the claim and the argument presented.
Monday Jan 11, 2021
Monday Jan 11, 2021
Part 1 of a 3 part personal story. Dad (Stephen) describes his childhood as a Jehovah’s Witness, from his early experiences of being the only Witness at school and confidence that he had an angelic protector, his training in the preaching work and taking part in meetings, through to leaving school and getting baptised. Dad remembers his dominant emotions of fear and anxiety and the concept of bloodguilt, as well as a belief that he would have to endure persecution. This against a background of growing doubts about what he’d been taught and his gradual realisation of his own beliefs.
Monday Jan 04, 2021
Monday Jan 04, 2021
Celine and Stephen look at what it means to be resilient and how to strengthen your resilience. It's not just about taking the blows!
References
Coutu, D. L. (2002). How resilience works. Harvard business review, 80(5), 46-56.
Yarker, J., Lewis, R., McDowall, A. & Teoh, K. (2020). Managing our wellbeing in the context of the Covid-19 Pandemic
Stephens, J. P., Heaphy, E. D., Carmeli, A., Spreitzer, G. M., & Dutton, J. E. (2013). Relationship quality and virtuousness: Emotional carrying capacity as a source of individual and team resilience. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 49(1), 13-41.
Tuesday Dec 29, 2020
Tuesday Dec 29, 2020
Celine and Stephen explore Cartesian Dualism - the idea that the mind and body are separate from the perspectives of psychology and media. Plus Stephen is surprised by Celine's lack of an inner voice. Surely everyone talks to themselves?
Tuesday Dec 22, 2020
Tuesday Dec 22, 2020
Father and daughter Stephen and Celine talk piercings, tattoos, hair dye, cosmetic surgery and body augmentation. There's no shortage of ways we can change how we look, but the social rules around body modification are complicated and the way we feel about them confusing. An episode that includes references to Kevin Keegan, hair dye, colostomy bags and face tattoos. #BodyModification #Podcast #FatherDaughter
Tuesday Dec 15, 2020
Tuesday Dec 15, 2020
How does an apocalyptic group survive after multiple failed prophecies about the end of the world? This week, Stephen and Celine look at a paper that provides some possible answers by taking Jehovah’s Witnesses as a case study. Of particular interest to Stephen as an Ex Jehovah’s Witness but with possible lessons for thinking about new apocalyptic movements.
References
Zygmunt, J. F. (1970). Prophetic failure and chiliastic identity: The case of Jehovah's Witnesses. American Journal of Sociology, 75(6), 926-948.