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Sounds Like A Cult

The Cult of Self-Help

Sounds Like A Cult

Studio71

Comedy, Education, Religion & Spirituality, Society & Culture

43.8K Ratings

🗓️ 14 February 2023

⏱️ 58 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In 2005, this week's guest Sarah Edmondson joined what she thought was a personal development program devoted to helping her overcome her "limiting beliefs." Little did she know it'd turn out to be one of the most notorious and scrutinized groups of all time, NXIVM. "Self-Help" is a distinctly optimistic American pursuit and a majorly profitable industry. Sooo many culty groups start out with the innocent promise of helping their members become their best self. This gray area between positive self-improvement program and dangerous sect is exactly what hosts Isa and Amanda discuss on this week's can't-miss episode with Sarah, host of the podcast A Little Bit Culty and star of The Vow on HBO (Season 2 streaming now!).

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

Thank you to our sponsors!

Get 10% off your first OSEA order sitewide with code CULT at OSEAMalibu.com

Visit ritual.com/CULT to start Ritual or add Synbiotic+ to your subscription today.

Sounds like a Cult is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/CULT today to get 10% off your first month.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

We talk about a lot of really fun subjects on this podcast, but I do think something we always do is kind of slip into a British accent when we feel uncomfortable.

0:07.3

That's so true, babes.

0:09.8

And that's what we're gonna do all week when we're in London town.

0:15.0

Dude, I am so fucking excited. We're doing our first ever London show on Friday, May 26th at 6.30pm, at the Lester Square Theatre in London.

0:26.4

It's going to be fucking lit.

0:28.2

Which by the way, why is Lester Square Theatre spelled like that? That was like like Heistr.

0:32.9

We are so excited for the stamp show. We're gonna have games.

0:37.5

We're gonna have audience participation.

0:39.4

And of course, we're gonna have our juicy analysis while diving into a much requested and never before discussed top secret cult.

0:48.5

You cannot hear this cult subject matter on any episode because it's what we do for our live show,

0:54.0

so you really have to be there and then meet us after the show by some merch.

0:58.9

We're there to chat with you, babes.

1:00.6

Tickets are on sale now at SoundsLikeAkult.com and at the link in our IG bio.

1:06.3

Again, that's Friday, May 26th, 2023, aka this year at 6.30pm, we will see you there at Lester Square Theatre in London.

1:15.2

See you there, babes.

1:16.4

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1:21.6

Right now we have a special discount just for our listeners.

1:24.6

Get 10% off your first order site wide with code cult at oceamaliboo.com.

1:30.6

That's oceamaliboo.com. Use code cult for 10% off.

1:36.4

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1:44.4

Ritual is offering our listeners 10% off during your first three months.

1:48.1

Visit ritual.com slash cult to start ritual or add synbiotic plus to your subscription today.

...

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