(tags via @talon-dragonbeast )
Unfortunately, yeah. Every once in a while in a lot of communities I'm in but for some reason especially therian and witchy circles, someone will pull the idea of "starting a """"good"""" cult" out of their asses and get mad at others for saying it's a stupid fucking idea and disrespectful as all hell.
Right now, I don't remember if it was on bluesky or Tumblr bc I wasn't the one who saw it in the wild, there's a group calling themselves Coyote Syndicate that claims to be a "good cult, without all the manipulation and you can leave if you want to", according to their posts. Needless to say that's some total bullshit. One of them also said that if someone fell into the cult it was "on them", which. They can fuck right off with that.
If you want to make a group of like minded alterhumans, even with a power structure and leader(s) that's in charge, even with ideals or goals in mind, thats a pack. Packs are normal and just as safe as any normal friend group.
If you're a magic practitioner and want to make a group of like minded magic practitioners to do magic/spiritual stuff with, even with a leader(s) in charge and with ideals or goals in mind, that's a coven. Covens are normal and just as safe as any religious group or average church.
If you're looking for a group of random people with similar interests to just kinda hang out and do stuff together, that's a friend group. Call it a squad or team or something if you want it to feel special.
If you want to take away people's autonomy, change their behavior and identity, refuse to let them leave, exploit them emotionally, physically, financially, and/or spiritually, make them fear outsiders, and other abuses, that's a cult. There are no good or safe cults. Packs and covens can become cults if managed improperly, so it's important to watch out for it, but so can a standard friend group.
It's also important to note that it's not "just stupid or desperate people" who get caught up in cults. Anyone can fall victim. The ONLY defense against cults is being aware of how they operate. If you think you're too smart to fall for a cult, you're especially vulnerable. One day someone might find themselves in a cult without realizing, and the knowledge on how they operate will help them escape. Because cults are something that need escaping from, not something to laugh at and sign up for "knowing it's a cult", as the CS people joked in the posts I saw.
If anyone's looking for more info on cults and how they operate, I recommend Telltale on YouTube. He's a former Jehovah's Witness and is able to break down what a cult is, what they do and what it feels like to be in one, and most importantly, how to get out of you find yourself in one.
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