Ep 16. Cult Talk (NXIVM, The Vow, and Seduced)
or: i've just seen too many cult docs and needed to talk about them
Hey hi hello! Trying something new with the format today, basically giving an overview of the NXIVM cult, how it trapped people, and ultimately led a select few of them into an extremely sinister sex cult that few managed to escape before outside forces were finally able to topple the leader.
MAJOR TRIGGER WARNINGS for: sexual abuse, manipulation, cult phenomena, and eating disorders. I tried to avoid explicit details but it’s impossible to talk about this cult and it’s leader without mentioning all of those things. Cults are terrifying and this one is particularly heinous and graphic.
Most of this is based on my reactions to everything I’ve learned about the cult over the years through the HBO documentary The Vow, Starz’s documentary Seduced, Escaping NXIVM podcast, and Sinisterhood’s episode on the cult. I also just have a lot in my brain from my years of watching/reading about cults so some of that trickles in as well. Definitely not the most comprehensive guide out there!
If this caught your attention and you want to learn more, I definitely recommend the Seduced documentary, but it was by far the most upsetting (due to the comprehensiveness) so just want to make sure to mention that. If you are interested in learning more about Scientology, I definitely recommend Leah Remini’s series Scientology and the Aftermath which is currently on Netflix.
There is a long history of cults and high control groups in America and specifically in Upstate New York for some reason so maybe I’ll figure out how to dig up all of my old notes from college and just talk about why the rurality of NY seems to lend itself extremely well towards these groups. But hey! They finally shut down the 12 Tribes run Mate Factor in Ithaca so good job!!
Link it up baby, link it up
Orphans of Jonestown by Lawrence Wright - The New Yorker
Escaping NXIVM - CBC Podcast
NXIVM: Revisited - Sinisterhood Podcast
The Gateway - Podcast about Teal Swan
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