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Diane Benscoter devoted five years of her life to being a Moonie, a follower of Sun Myung Moon. After years in the church (which she now refers to as a cult), Benscoter left and became a “deprogrammer” (…until she was arrested for kidnapping in connection with a deprogramming attempt). In this TED Talk from early 2009, Benscoter describes her history, a bit about deprogramming, and how being a Moonie changed her brain — the specific logical process that led her to lock into the cult’s mindset, bypassing critical thinking. This is a quick talk (just over six minutes), but it raises some interesting points about why cults work; you can read a long Q&A with Benscoter to get more depth on her experience.
Discussed: how cults work psychologically, why people in cults think they need to save the world, viral memetic infection (hello Snow Crash).
Representative quote: “These easy [answers] to complex questions are very appealing when you’re emotionally vulnerable…. Circular logic takes over.”
WARNING: there are a few graphic images depicted in this talk (related to Jonestown and terrorism).
Comments (11)
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This video was a complete waste of time. First her example of circular logic was not actually circular because the conclusion and the premise were very different.
Second the Us/Them dichotomy is not the problem it’s how we respond to an Us/Them dichotomy. Do we accept or even encourage violence or abuse or do we accept it. We will never make the world so homogeneous that there is no Us/Them dichotomy we just have to learn to deal with it the right way.
Thirdly I don’t in anyway care that she is certain that there is a difference in the brains. I would care if someone could show it but her faith doesn’t in anyway mean anything to me.
Fourth I find it a little scary that we might some day decide that are all “Healthy.” Really who defines what healthy is? I love being a rabid Bronco’s fan, I don’t want someone to start monkeying around with my brain because that kind of sports bias has led some people to commit crimes.
posted by David on 6-30-2009 at 2:04 pm
Thanks Chris. I found this interesting. People become Moonies just like people become followers of a lot of religions (christianity included.) To keep this short, some people challenge what they are told while others simply take someone’s word for it. It’s crazy to me.
posted by Kelsey on 6-30-2009 at 4:06 pm
I agree with David. While she presents a moving view of her own experiences, she offers no new knowledge, information or reasoning.
In fact, she even engages in a few logical fallacies of her own, Reductio ad Hitlerum being my favorite.
I’m not saying she is wrong, just that she has postulated lots and proven nothing.
posted by Bryan on 6-30-2009 at 5:18 pm
Check out the longer Q&A linked in the article if you want some more depth (though arguably not enough) on what she’s on about. Basically, Benscoter is into Memetics (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memetics) and is writing a book about the topic, based on her Moonie (aka viral memetic infection) experience.
To summarize: I think her point is that some ideas are so powerful, and some people so susceptible, that the ideas effectively take over the person’s thought system (aka brain). Particularly when the meme itself aggressively rejects questioning itself, or ascribes any questioning behavior to evil, lack of faith, or Satan. (As discussed in the Q&A.)
posted by Chris Higgins on 6-30-2009 at 5:32 pm
I get it now – carbon dioxide is a poison and the only answer is to use lightbulbs that contain toxic mercury!
posted by PartiallyDeflected on 6-30-2009 at 9:46 pm
Ironic,
…considering the Scientology ad just below her video…
posted by Paul Nagelkerke on 6-30-2009 at 10:37 pm
“Scratch any cynic, and underneath you’ll find a disappointed idealist.” George Carlin
Many years ago I knew a college student who was one of those idealistic seekers. She was always looking for a new, intense religious experience. Then she met the so-called Children of God and their flirty little fishies philosophy. For a long time, no one knew where she was. When she finally came home, the person I knew was gone. In her place was a broken down scarecrow, pitifully thin, prematurely grey, and drug addicted. She looked like she was 90, instead of 25. So when I in turn ran into members of the Rainbow Family, telling me words I actually needed to hear, that I was beautiful etc. I politely excused myself and ran like a frightened rabbit. Even today I question everything I’m told. “Funniest show, Best tasting coffee, New York Times Best Seller”? I’ll decide for myself, thank you anyway.
posted by Pam on 7-1-2009 at 12:05 am
Why is there a scientology ad under the article? Kinda creepy
posted by Bob Ross on 7-1-2009 at 4:37 am
I think the ads are triggered by the topic. Watch closely. This time Scientology due to the content of the article, maybe Weight Watchers next time there is an article on fitness or something similar.
posted by Hyacinth on 7-1-2009 at 9:27 am
I haven’t watched the video yet (gotta run to pilates) but my ad under the vid is for Honda “Style that makes sense”. Haha
posted by Missy on 7-1-2009 at 1:41 pm
One word: Expodentially.
Anyone who says it, I ignore. A useful heuristic.
She actually has a giant graphic of a brain with recycling symbol over it, you see, it’s “science”. All the same processes that drive her to a cult mindset are still entrenched, the appeal to emotion, baseless assertions, non-sequiteurs and tortured logic, the martyr’s worldview. At least she’s using them for the right side!
posted by Sprawn! on 7-10-2009 at 5:36 am