How to spot a cult | Sarah Edmondson

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4.1 • 11.9K Ratings

🗓️ 3 April 2024

⏱️ 19 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Nobody joins a cult on purpose, says Sarah Edmondson, a former member of the infamous NXIVM cult and one of the three whistleblowers that led to its downfall. She explains how she got ensnared in this highly manipulative group — and then escaped it — and shares red flags to help you distinguish between a cult and a safe community.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Ted Audio Collective.
0:02.0	Audio Collective.
0:04.0	I'm Elise Hugh, you're listening to Ted Talks Daily.
0:12.0	A wake-up call today about how our very human need for belonging, meaning, and purpose can be co-opted
0:18.3	by sinister motives. In her 2023 talk at TEDX Portland,
0:23.0	former member of the cult Nexium
0:25.0	and one of the three whistleblowers that led to its downfall,
0:28.0	Sarah Edmondson shares the story of how she wound up
0:32.0	in this dangerous cult as a warning for the rest of us after the break.
0:37.0	Support for TED Talks Daily comes from Talking Transitions, a new podcast series brought to you by the EY
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1:05.0	Download today from wherever you get your podcasts or visit talking transitions.
1:09.0	To find out more.
1:12.0	I have always been drawn. to find out more.
1:17.0	I have always been drawn to community. Being in community, building communities that I believe in.
1:21.0	I've been a lifelong learner, seeker, total joiner, brownies, drama club, summer camp.
1:30.0	I was raised by fantastic hippie parents who taught me the importance of making the world better.
1:37.0	Also bring snacks, be ready for sing-alongs.
1:41.0	I'm incredibly organized, I'm a big connector. I've been told I have big
	...

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