Posted by: purpleslog | May 1, 2008

Stray 1AM Thought: Would a 5GW Organization Resemble a Cult?

So, would a 5GW organization resemble a non-religious Cult with secrecy, cohesion, strange practices and goals?

Would looking like a cult be away for the 5GW org to hide its true intentions?

[Cross-posted to Dreaming 5GW]

Posted in 5GW

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Responses

Are you familiar with Kerry Thornley and the Discordians? L. Ron Hubbard was cruising around in International Waters and declaring war on the world at the end of his life — he definitely had no illusions about his intentions or methodology.

Consider Aum Shinrikyo, a non-state terrorist actor that…happened to be a cult. Interesting that they’ve since re-branded themselves for an international audience with the new, even more occult name “Aleph.”

Even today, you can read a remarkable article about how the polygamist cult in west Texas that recently got busted made their money — through Pentagon defense contracts.

Intel has understood for over a century at least, on an operational level, that hiding out with weirdos is generally a good policy. Digging back further in history, you wind up with political power players who were also occult theorists like John Dee, Benjamin Franklin, or Tycho Brahe.

In closing, hell yeah: the best example I’d point to is the Church of the SubGenius, too often under-estimated as a harmless “art” joke.

By: Justin Boland on May 1, 2008
at 12:03 pm

Oh yeah, a link on the Polygamist story:

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/33519.html

By: Justin Boland on May 1, 2008
at 12:04 pm

You saw last night’s episode of “Law & Order,” didn’t you? (Featuring a faux-Scientology, among other things… ;)

By: Jayson on May 1, 2008
at 6:15 pm

Yes I did! :-)

By: purpleslog on May 1, 2008
at 7:03 pm

Well, it figures…

Don’t know why this is only ocurring to you now–it had always seemed “obvious” to me–y’know, “secrecy, cohesion, strange practices and goals” and all that.

By: Jayson on May 2, 2008
at 12:24 am

Sadly, other things fill up valuable space in my brain. :-(

http://www.tvsquad.com/2008/04/23/six-greatest-love-boat-mysteries/#c11771052

By: purpleslog on May 2, 2008
at 1:27 am

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