Curious About Cult-ure

[€uroMeinke]

Here's my take on LoT:

1) Internal Control: Admins, Moderators, founding members, yeah we're pretty much a benevolent dictatorship here.

2) External Control: Eh, I don't think we care much about this - except when it comes to filling a carousel at Disneyland, or sinking a boat.

3) Wisdom/Knowledge Claimed by leader(s): I think we're pretty smart, but we still screw up from time to time - why there was this one April Fool's Day...

4) Wisdom/Knowledge Credited to leader(s) by members: See above, I think the members are pretty smart too and can tell when we're blowing smoke.

5) Dogma: Hahahahahaha - Anarchy Now!

6) Recruiting: While we do try to bring in certain folks now and then that strike our fancy, I think we mostly snobby and exclusive in this regard. There are plenty folk we'd just rather not have.

7) Front Groups: Our secret societies shall remain secret, otherwise it wouldn't be much fun having them.

8) Wealth: We've got enough cash to keep things running for a 2 years I think - that's probably enough to buy us all a round of drinks if we decided to take the money and run.

9) Sexual Manipulation of members by leader(s) of non-tantric groups: While having our sex manipulated might be desired by some of us, I think there are sites better suited for that kind of activity

10) Sexual Favoritism: Sorry, I'm heterosexual and tend to prefer women, perhaps other members of our inner circle balance things out, but I'm afraid you're all stuck with my bias in that regard.

11) Censorship: I'd rather not do it, but to keep things accessible to certain workplaces we do filter naughty words and our ground rules would rather you not discuss illegal activities or child pornography

12) Isolation: Eh, we don't care

13) Dropout Control: We have checked in with people that haven't posted in awhile, but for the most part we're fine if you think we suck.

14) Violence: We have no desire to produce or obtain weapons of mass destruction

15) Paranoia: I do think we take some pleasure in feeding the paranoia of others

16) Grimness: I suppose if all your posts we critiques of the boards, we'd eventually have the "perhaps this isn't the place for you" conversation. But then we'd probably be making lots of jokes about you behind your back - so matter of perspective there.

17) Surrender of Will: I don't think any of us want to be responsible for anyone else - sorry, make your own decisions and deal.

18) Hypocrisy: Well, we're probably inconsistent in some of the things we do and decisions we make, so I guess you could call us hypocrites on occasion. But hey, that's what you get when you abandon dogma.

[Disneyphile]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

15) Paranoia: I do think we take some pleasure in feeding the paranoia of others.

And some of us don't even have to work at it! We have that power by merely existing. Bow to our superiority! Muwahahahaha.

[wendybeth]

Well, I'm a retired Catholic and live with a Mormon- Cults R Us, anyone? Still, I think mainstream American style Catholicism is pretty easygoing compared to Mormonism. They're young, though- give them time. Every religion tends to mature out of cultism and into obscurity. I give Islamicism another 700 years and .....poof! No more problems- everyone will be too tired and jaded to jihad.

[JWBear]

Shall we examine the Republican Party?

1) Internal Control: Very strong. Republican elected officials are made to toe the party line, even when it goes against the wishes of their constituencies.

2) External Control: They want power, and will do anything to win elections – even if they have to steal them.

3) Wisdom/Knowledge Claimed by leader(s): They have all the answers... even the wrong ones.

4) Wisdom/Knowledge Credited to leader(s) by members: To many, Bush is the second coming. He can do no wrong.

5) Dogma: Yes, except they call them “talking points”.

6) Recruiting: No, not really.

7) Front Groups: Halliburton, Blackwater, Enron, Saudi Arabia….

8) Wealth: Duh!

9) Sexual Manipulation of members by leader(s) of non-tantric groups: Got nothing here.

10) Sexual Favoritism: All top leaders are men, with the exception of Condi Rice… But there are rumors she may have gotten her position by being Bush’s mistress.

11) Censorship:

Spoiler:

You betcha!

12) Isolation: No.

13) Dropout Control: Not that I’m aware of.

14) Violence: Iraq, anyone?

15) Paranoia: 9/11! 9/11! 9/11!

16) Grimness: Would you want to party with any of them?

17) Surrender of Will: You will do as the Party says. The Party is Mother, the Party is Father….

18) Hypocrisy: Do I really need to answer this one?