From the Rocking Chair...

[GordonJ]

Originally Posted by Dien Rice

Hi Gordon,
I've been recently thinking about "cults"...
Not only "real" cults... Like NXIVM and Scientology... but also the "business" kind...
By the "business" kind of "cult" I mean... those businesses with "raving" fans, who are so passionate they could be called a "cult"...
Sports teams are an obvious choice... But outside of those special cases...
Some others are...
Apple - especially in the Steve Jobs days...
I'd say Disney is another... Disney "cult" members even have a name - "Disney adults"...
I dunno... Chick-Fil-A? They seem to have some passionate fans...
It's interesting to think about... what do these businesses have in common?

- Dien

Thanks Dien. I love Cialdini. Huberman. Neuroscience. Cialdini and Huberman are great researchers, and Cialdini an observer of human behavior.

Huberman tells us the brain activity for the Cialdini principles, albeit, neither are GOSPEL, as in being the end to how it works, there is still a lot to know.

As you know, I've been at it since 1960 SPIDERS, SNAKES AND MICE, OH MICE and "magic words".

One of my favorites; FORBIDDEN KEYS TO PERSUASION, the Blair Warren course, which by the way...

My opinion is those who got the course dripped originally, are better off than those with just the book or pdf. One week at a time, it gave us TIME to study, dive into the bibliography and digest. I reckon most readers just blast through it, maybe take notes, some even highlight and go from there.

So, as to learning, and this applies to NXIVM, as well as other "courses", they spread it out, after an intensive.

We've read Glenn Osborn's posts about how Disney uses hidden persuaders in their marketing and at the parks. Glenn probably uses his research as much anyone out there.

I try to.

One way is when we find something, either by rabbit hole diving as you and I did on the POD request or actually just stumble over it in the course of our day, is to put it up against BUSINESS. You noted the JOBS Apple cult, or the rabid, raving, dollar spending fans.

We discussed Nxivm when it first appeared on the scene, well, not here but me elsewhere. Anyhow, Blair Warren's FORBIDDEN KEYS came about because of a cult, and Blair gives a great introduction into WHY he studied them as intensely as he did...to look at the secrets of PERSUASION.

So, we can easily ascertain the commonality of these "cult like" businesses, but I like to take it from the Knowing to the EXPERIENCE.

Remember Gary Halbert and Ben Suarez on his speedboat? Ben KNEW it was fast, Gary said, "NO you don't." Then opened it up skipping like a rock across the ocean. Then, turning to White Knuckled Ben, "NOW you know its fast."

Look at Nxivm as an IM funnel, a front end piece, ESP, Executive SUCCESS Program...and what Rainere did was quickly create a many pathed way, so instead of having one size fits all (AMWAY), at the first resistance point, there was another, better suited (custom tailored) offer. One of the reasons why so many kept with it for several years. A brilliant business model.

So how do we apply all this in an ethical, morally responsible manner? First adopt the DO NO HARM from old time doctors, I don't think modern docs really follow that these days.

But if that is a foundation, and most biz are built on it, then we look to human behavior, see where the crowd with money is going, and get in front of them and let them stampede us to the bank.

APPLICATION has always been my question, HOW can I use it, sure, awareness and careful thought is important but get to the hearts and minds, because guys like Jay, Rich (Amway) and Keith Rainere and Walt Disney did.

Gordon