This podcast is intended for mature audiences.

Listener discretion is advised.

It's no secret that human beings are social animals. Even the most introverted among us naturally seeks out the company of others,

to form communities and thrive based on the benefits of being a member of a collective, the powerful need to bond with others and seek out the camaraderie and protection of like-minded people is what binds us together.

While the expression, finding your tribe has only recently entered the pop culture vernacular, the underlying principle is the same.

Thanks to technology, it's easier now more

than ever to find communities that foster a sense of belonging. But what happens when that

community starts to shift toward the more radical side of things? What happens when leaders are

so charismatic they're able to influence their followers to accept delusion as reality.

Leaders who would use mind-control techniques to manipulate people into making life-altering decisions.

That's when a community becomes a cult.

Unfortunately, this is not a new phenomenon by any means.

These controversial movements have been responsible for thousands of people losing their

lives at the impulse of one person.

Often they claim to be religious in nature, but whose teachings are plainly fueled by

paranoia and apocalyptic conspiracy theories.

These groups, however, are not always easy to spot.

Many former members have stated that they never realized they were in a cult until it was almost too late.

Cult leaders often prey on the vulnerable and disenfranchised, people who are themselves disillusioned

with the world and are looking for answers

and guidance. But it's not always the marginalized that are attracted to these groups.

Professionals of all walks of life are just as likely to find themselves drawn to what looks

...