"No one ever joins a 'cult'. People join interesting groups that promise to fulfill their pressing needs. They become cults when they are seen as deceptive, defective, dangerous or opposing basic values of their society" (Zimbardo, 1997).

In Science there's no definition of what a cult actually is. And there's no consensus between the differences in frequency/intensity/duration of normal group behavior and cultic behavior. But there are however a few guidelines. In this post, i intend to show that if Red Pill is not a cult (after all, there's no official definition and we can never say for sure) then there's really too fucking much of a paralellism between it and other infamous cults like Scientology, Heaven's Gate and other delusional groups.

As quoted above, nobody really joins a cult. When i joined the Red Pill in 2010 i never thought that i was joining one. I was joining a cool fucking group of cool fucking guys who were going to teach me how to do cool fucking things like getting laid. And becoming a cool fucking guy myself in the process. Yay! It's only when you start seeing weird irrational shit everywhere like the idea that half of the world population are anti-social humans who only want you for your money (and this is supposed to be a big dark secret and all!), and that women actually want to be raped, and that you should date rape your "targets" because that's "alfa" and, most important of all, you stand behind your computer reading this stuff as you nod your head in agreement, knowing deep down that normal people would read this and be automatically disgusted, that you know you went way too far in this bullshit.

Back then i was an highschool kid, in my senior year and about to graduate. I had always felt socially awkward and i wanted to get laid. Indeed Dr. Philip Zimbardo (1997), one of the most important social psychologists alive, warns us that, like some people are more prone to have a certain disease, some people are more likely to join cults, namely people in transitional phases of life: moving to a new city, a break up, a divorce, parents just divorced, lost a job or dropped out of school. Add to the recipe people who find their job trivial, family dysfunctional or absent social life and you find the profile of people who are more likely to join cults.

It doesn't take a fucking genius to understand that those who are likely to join Red Pill are part of this risk group. I lost count to the amount of guys that showed up saying that they just broke up with their girlfriend or got fucked over in a divorce. An absent social life is virtually common to all TRPers. And a dysfunctional family is quite common too.

The following is a list of characteristics of cults (Langone, 2015):

  • The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law. - In TRP there are 3 guys, namely Roosh V, Heartiste and Rational Male who act as the informal leaders of Red Pill. Everything that is passed on in TRP was started by them, and indeed it is seen as some sort of truth or law, wether it's hypergamy, dread game, alpha cock carrousel and so on. This trend is howver more observable in PUA, where guys like Mystery and so on are treated like Gods or Rockstars and their methods to pick up chicks is unquestionable. At this point some of you may be saying that PUA is not the same as Red Pill. Although i aknowldge that fact it doesnt particulary mean i give a fuck.

  • The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society. - This one is obvious. If you're not in TRP or don't agree with them then you're a blue pill, a beta, a mangina, a feminist and you were clearly brainwashed by the anti-male society. In short, it's almost like the whole fucking world is against the TRPer, specially women. According to TRP, those are just fucking cunts who deserve to be exploited. They even want it.

This is typical of cults. Creating a Us vs Them mentality to shut down all criticism. "If you're against my religious cult it's because you're an infidel testing my faith". "If you're against red pill you're a beta who can't take the truth."

  • The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s), and its members (for example, the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity). - If you're into TRP you're supposedly special. You have access to Dark Secrets only some people have access and even less people accept. Congratu-fucking-lations! You cracked life biggest secret. You're part of a group of men who know the truth, unlike those blue pill men. You're like Neo in the matrix. And this truth is dark, but hey, at least you know it now and you're going to become alfa because you're in the TRP, who promised you "salvation". Besides, you're really one stoic motherfucker who accepts this cold hearted truth. Unlike those softed hearted men who are in denial. You're special!

  • The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt in order to influence and/or control members. Often, this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion. - "Not into TRP?! PFFFFF! Youre a beta/blue pill/feminazi"

  • Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and to radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before they joined the group. - I lost account to the amount of guys who don't talk to their old friends anymore because they are beta. I've met some guys who stopped being productive at work because all they think about is "game". I even know guys who divorced their wifes because "i felt i was a beta in the relationship".

Regardless of TRP being right or wrong in their ideas of hypergamy, AF/BB and so on (i have made other posts refuting or at least bring some large doubt to these claims) i hope to bring some self-awareness and food for thought to how much TRP is a cult, and how their ideas can be particulary persuading to it's members based on brainwashing tactics rather than actual logical reasoning.

-------------------------------------Scientific References------------------

Zimbardo, P. (1997) What messages are behind today's cults? APA Monitor, p. 14;

Langone, M. (2015) Characteristics associated with cultic groups - revised, ICSA today (6) 3