Mindf*ck 102: MK Ultra, Crypto Cults & Modern Brainwashing with Rebecca Lemov (Part 2)

A Little Bit Culty

Sarah Edmondson & Anthony “Nippy” Ames

True Crime, Society & Culture, Education

4.6 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 26 June 2025

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This week, we’re back with Harvard professor and author Rebecca Lemov to finish what we started: unraveling the tangled web of brainwashing…past, present, and disturbingly future-facing.

In Part 2, we go deeper into the CIA’s infamous MK Ultra program and its many (many) spin-offs, asking what really went down with Charles Manson, Jack Ruby, and cult “consultant” Louis Jolyon West. From LSD to hypnosis to rebranding your science after burning the files, the government’s experiments in mind control were both extreme and incredibly hush-hush.

We also explore how classic brainwashing tactics, like Milieu Control and loaded language, haven’t gone away; they’ve just been re-skinned for the algorithm era. Think social media rabbit holes, crypto trading cults, and belief systems that sound more like start-up pitches than spiritual awakenings.

Plus, we talk trauma: how it’s misunderstood, under-acknowledged, and all too often the gateway drug into high-control groups.

If you thought last week was unsettling, buckle up.

Find more about Rebecca Lemov and The Instability of Truth at rebeccalemov.com.

Also… let it be known that:

The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.

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CREDITS:

Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames

Production Partner: Amphibian.Media

Co-Creator: Jess Tardy

Associate producers: Amanda Zaremba and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media

Audio production: Red Caiman Studios

Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin

Transcript

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0:00.0	This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, medical,
0:03.9	or mental health advice. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the
0:07.9	official policy or position of the podcast and are not intended to malign any religion group,
0:12.1	club, organization, business, individual, anyone, or anything.
0:25.8	I know. I'm Sarah Edmondson.
0:27.6	And I'm Anthony Nippy Ames.
0:30.3	And this is A Little Bit Calty.
0:31.8	Cults are commonplace now.
0:34.2	From fandums to fads, we're examining them all.
0:38.9	We look at what happens when things that seem like a great thing at first go bad. Every week we chat with survivors, experts, and whistleblowers for real culty stories
0:43.3	told directly by the people who lived through them, because we want you to learn a few
0:47.3	things that we've had to learn the hard way.
0:50.0	For example, if you think you're too smart to get sucked into something culty, you might
0:53.8	be prime recruitment material, and who knows, you could already be in a cult.
0:58.3	If you're not aware of your programming, you're probably being programmed.
1:01.6	So keep listening to find out.
1:03.3	We'll talk about all sorts of topics on the show, but be aware.
1:06.8	This podcast might contain stories that could be alarming to some of our listeners.
1:10.6	So please check our show notes for more detailed descriptions and take care of yourself.
1:15.2	Subscribe to our Patreon for Thursday bonus episodes, Q&A, and all sorts of exclusive content.
1:19.8	That's patreon.com slash A Little Bit Culte.
1:22.7	Welcome to Season 7 of A Little Bit Calti.
	...

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