ADVERTISEMENT

There are some people who love to give their all when they are into something. It’s great when it’s for their personal gain and growth, but these people can become a target of cults. Cambridge Dictionary defines a cult as “a system of religious belief, esp. one not recognized as an established religion, or the people who worship according to such a system of belief.” 

There are certain traits that signify a group of people to be a cult. These signs include pressure to join, having a leader, being a closed group, brainwashing, using other members for financial gain, and intimidation with the thought that one cannot leave the cult. 

One user from Reddit asked people “What feels like a cult, and is in fact a cult?” and received almost 30k replies. It included various people, brands, and groups that showed traits of a cult. 

What do you find to be a cult? Don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments down below!

More Info: Reddit

#1

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult Trump

jalfredproofrock , Michael Vadon Report

Add photo comments
POST
jflatt244 avatar
Watching
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The most un-American people in our country. An entire party of "me me me." They don't want to help anyone and they also don't want anyone else to help anyone either. They claim welfare but they don't want it for anyone else. And they can't keep their noses out of our GD private parts! The Trump Trash are truly the embarrassment of our entire country.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#3

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult Qanon.

heathers1 , Anthony Crider Report

Add photo comments
POST
jflatt244 avatar
Watching
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now these people should be committed to a mental institution and we all know it.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#4

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult Westboro Baptist Church.

itslandonb , Americasroof Report

#5

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult Whatever the Duggers are. Creepiest bunch I’ve ever seen.

MackeralSky , Jim Bob Duggar Report

Add photo comments
POST
leodomitrix avatar
Leo Domitrix
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Quiverfull" is their group ----- Christianizing (?!?!) the world by having a billion children who live by the Bible unless it's inconvenient.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#6

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult Within the cancer community there’s a political group who have all read (probably) Chris Beat Cancer and it’s a b******t book telling you you can cure cancer by changing your diet. Sugar is the main villain. You can fight me all you want but SUGAR DOES NOT CAUSE CANCER. Listen to your oncology approved dietician and get the f**k off Facebook.

Just this past weekend I had lunch with my friend’s dad who is also terminal and his wife has banned him from sugar because of this b******t. The dude is dying and he’s not even allowed to enjoy himself in moderation. Because she heard about it on Facebook.

chemo brain often forgets the huge difference between nutritionist and dietitian. Sorry, my bad.

Please listen to the cancer patient in your life and what they want. Do they want to change their diet? Absolutely go for it but make sure they’re getting the right nutrition from a qualified professional. Do what they want. You actually have no idea. We really need to shift our current state of cancer care to a more palliative (NOT hospice, big distinction) model. A cancer patient that is as relatively happy as can be has the potential to increase their outcome. And finally DONATE BLOOD and sign up for bethematch.org WE NEED YOU!!

Ghostytoastboast , Jovan Gulan Report

Add photo comments
POST
leodomitrix avatar
Leo Domitrix
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That bullshit kills people. "I'll change my diet and positive-think my way out of cancer/multiple sclerosis/etc.".... NO YOU WILL NOT.

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#7

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult People who are way too invested in the college they attended.

Luluco15 , Steve Burns Report

#8

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult Gwenyth Paltrow's GOOP.

viktorir , gwynethpaltrow Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#9

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult Jehovah’s Witnesses.

AstroEngineer3145 , Michael Sprague Report

Add photo comments
POST
rcarson avatar
R Carson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Annoying door knockers. I had to call "kingdom Hall" and tell them to cease and desist when they wouldn't leave me alone.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#10

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult Workplaces that tout "we are a family"

i seen too many people fall into that and get ostracized by the "family"

landob , Jason Pratt Report

Add photo comments
POST
sonjahackel avatar
sturmwesen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a red flag for me... often it means additional pressure and/or a lot of private networks and rumors/feuds.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#11

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult Mom run community Facebook pages. Some of these moms gotta be stopped on the real.

geraldcubed , Dan Harrelson Report

#12

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult All of these "nutrition" places with their loaded teas, are just a front for Herbalife.

NO_Cheeto_in_Chief , Philafrenzy Report

#13

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult MLMs but especially Mary Kay. I went to a convention once as the guest of a consultant because she was trying to get me to join. It was very stepford. Also, she didn't tell me you were expected to dress up so I showed up in jeans and a hoodie.

Hollywood899 , Geraldshields11 Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#14

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult Brand loyalist... Iproduct people are scary.

fluffywolf86 , Sean MacEntee Report

Add photo comments
POST
silvia_torres_zamora avatar
Mina
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Let's just name it: Apple. They'll come up with something "innovative" but people who only buy that brand don't realize how this "innovation" has already been done by others. You put it right in front, show them proof, and they'll tell you straight to your face that Apple was the first to do it. Read the fine print friends, you'll find a disclaimer pretty much saying this is a first for Apple, not for the world.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#16

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult As somebody who lives in Florida, people obsessed with Disney.

Mantequi11a , Dave Hogg Report

#17

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult I don't quite know how to explain in, but once a fandom reaches a certain point, it's almost embarrassing to admit that you like the show/movie/book/etc because you automatically get lumped in with the super cringe and toxic portion.

BillyeBro , Dan Russell Report

Add photo comments
POST
rozaustraliafrogs avatar
larinkadj13 avatar
Larinka Jong
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am a BTS fan and wow, the amount opf times people have called me names because the second they see me with merch they assume I'm toxic as f**k... that actually hurts🥲

Load More Replies...
tayobabalola14 avatar
TheBlackPanda (JustABlackBear)
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Beyoncé fans, Eminem fans, Twenty Øne Pilots fans, Harry Styles/One Direction fans. Basically fans that write cringe fanfics, see their favourite star as a god, defend their favourite stars when their dirty immoral secrets get exposed, act toxic towards new fans or people that aren't fans

steffen_rehm avatar
leighm avatar
Dodo
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think this applies a lot more to things that are popular with teens. And as a teen I remember how super-cringy I was about things I liked. And I don't think it's something that should be stopped - it's probably hormones, and finding things that you can relate to as you're figuring out who you are.

icanhazpanda avatar
Raven DeathShade
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love being a teen so much. All the mood swings, hormones, uncontrollable crying in the WORST possible situations, lovely. (MUCH SARCASM)

Load More Replies...
eva_23 avatar
Eva
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's actually why I stopped watching a certain TV that I liked and talking to other fans of the show because other "fans" acted crazy and if you didn't have all the swag and go to events you weren't real fans.

gusanoblanco avatar
Sage Gusano
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That level of toxic fandom where they call you out because you don't know that during the 9,000,000th run of Batman on Earth 2 trillion he had three grey hairs on the back of his neck. Uhhhhh...can't I just like something without knowing every single thing about it? I watched Adam West in syndication in the 1970's. I was butt in seat for the first Keaton flick on opening day. I like it. That's enough, yeah?

lukyanterdal_1 avatar
Lukyan Terdal
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Earth 2 trillion? That's the one where Darkseid goes fishing with Orion and Kalibak, right?

Load More Replies...
sue_lynn_chan avatar
Sue Lynn Chan
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm actually scare that if I create a show that rise in popularity, I might create a worse fandom.

sophiaatkinson avatar
Sophia Atkinson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love musicals and Hamilton is one of my favorites, I know a lot of the lyrics to the songs but there are a few I don’t know know. I’ve talked to other people who are hamiltrash like me and they act like it’s the biggest insult not know all the lyrics. Then they always go through a rant about random fan theories while I just awkwardly stand there with fake smile plastered on my face

susien-gamse avatar
Juniper
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a furry, I wish I could upvote this more than once :3

tahadata avatar
Lara Verne
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, in my early teens, I liked Naruto. WTF happened to that fandom

staphgirl79 avatar
Mistiekim
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Soap fandoms can get out of control. If a character comes between a couple that actress/actor can get death threats or ripped a new one on Twitter, etc.

rileyhquinn avatar
Riley Quinn
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No one would ever accuse me of being a fanatic about anything. Don't understand the mentality.

emory_ce avatar
Carol Emory
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

D&D players. Some of us treat it like the board game it was meant to be. We don't go nuts dressing up in costumes and actually playing out the rolls. The nerdiest we get is drawing pictures of what we think our character might look like.

anyabeboop avatar
Anya Beboop
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can assure you, this sort of behavior does not stop with age and is in pretty much every fandom.

baconycakes1337 avatar
Bacony Cakes
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Facts with Igor Pachmelnik Zakuzov: It's 2021. Stop hating furries.

kfidei avatar
GoddessOdd
Community Member
2 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Have you ever met a Brony? About the creepiest thing I've ever seen. I had the misfortune to work with a Brony for about three months until he got fired. You'd have had to see it to believe it... I can't even begin to describe. For those who don't know, Bronys are grown men who love My Little Pony stuff, dress like them, have conventions, its scary/gross.

angelwingsyt avatar
AngelWingsYT
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hi. Im a brony (female) and not ALL of us are bad -.- every fandom has the toxic side. But that does NOT mean the WHOLE fandom is bad. Majority of the fandom is fun chill creative ppl who are accepting of others. The cons i go to are so welcoming toxic free environments where bronies can just chill laugh n have fun. One con i went to had a full blown rave going on another had a mini rubber duck hunt (someone brought 1000 of them n hid them all over) Point is just cause a fandom has a toxic side doesnt make the whole thing bad PS. Brony cons have raised millions in charites usually dedicated to anti bullying suicide prevention and lbgtq+ support

Load More Replies...
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#18

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult The “Entrepreneur” Lifestyle. Many people are encouraged to put aside pleasures of life in the tiniest hope that if they just “grind” hard enough they’ll be billionaires.

Oh also, while caring a lot about your money and how you spend it, buy my $500 plan to help you make money faster.

Gmony5100 , Kaila Yu Report

#19

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult Genuine love of a single politician. Yes, maybe this person is legitimately good, or is doing positive things in certain areas and perhaps negative things in other areas. It’s largely subjective. If it weren’t, most countries’ citizens would just be happy.

But listen, if “this” person is the best and we’re going to harp on about it forever, and in the reverse harping on hating said person forever, then you’ve got yourself a cult.

If you love a politician, you’re an embarrassment. They’re certainly not as perfect as you think. We can acknowledge those imperfections and vote based on policy, but making a single one of them out to be perfect (or imperfect) means you’ve just chosen a side and you’re likely not even going to try to open yourself up to altering opinions.

WillieJMR , CT Senate Democrats Report

Add photo comments
POST
jeffrequier_1 avatar
Requiem
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Politicians shouldnt be treated like celebrities. They have a job to do

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#20

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult Working at In-N-Out was a bizarre experience I would liken unto a cult.

They damn near worship the owner Lynsi too, when I went to the company picnics she would perform on stage dancing, once she did this weird sexy aerial dance in a floating cube. And the associates go CRAZY for her. Like, nuts. One of my coworkers and I were sitting there so uncomfortable while everyone screamed and grabbed at her like she was the damn Messiah, literally snot crying over not getting a t-shirt signed by her. Like… that is the billionaire heiress who employs you, not f*****g Beyoncé.

Then of course all the in-n-out culture, like the specific language you have to use (not just with customers, with each other too), the extreme Christian standards… it was nuts and after working elsewhere (it was my first restaurant job when I was in HS until last year) I realized exactly how culty the whole company is

sweetiepotpie , Keith Paredes Report

#21

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult Crossfit

HerodotusStark , Big Titan Report

Add photo comments
POST
leodomitrix avatar
Leo Domitrix
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've heard four different physical therapists extol Crossfit.... b/c it means they always have people coming in for physical therapy (hips, backs, knees especially).

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#22

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult Silicon Valley tech companies are not a cult.

However, there is a subculture within Silicon Valley tech companies that is a cult.

Here are some things to watch out for:

Sleep deprivation. If your team wants you to do overnight oncall, and overnight pages happen more often than once every seven oncall shifts, your team is a cult.

Training vs. guilt. If your team assumes that you already know all the details of the tech you work with, and dumps weird guilt on you when you don't know an obscure fact, your team is a cult.

Rich lifestyle vs. actual returns. If your team encourage you to pick up expensive hobbies (sports cars, piloting, ski trips), but the company doesn't actually pay enough to afford them without skimping on your regular expenses, your team is a cult

fubo , Patrick Nouhailler Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#23

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult NXIVM. All hail Vanguard, and pass the branding iron!

SybianOwner , HBO Report

Add photo comments
POST
maylin_martinsen avatar
May
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's a literal cult - isn't this supposed to be 'things that seem like cult?'

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#24

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult YOU can find my dads skull and bones Yale picture on my submission somewhere. He is so secretive about it. Feels like a cult. He was one of the few black men.

DownvoteDaemon , stepnout Report

Add photo comments
POST
olesiakovalenko avatar
Olesia Kovalenko
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Your dad getting into Yale is a success story, you getting into Yale is called nepotism. So many children get into ivy league schools through nepotism while kids who deserve those places can't because the class is already full. I hate nepotism. That doesn't mean the author didn't deserve to study there, I don't know them, it's how 70% of students get to attend.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#26

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult Country Clubs

scootyums , Dan Perry Report

#28

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult Boarding schools for “troubled teens”.

_Tal , EaglebrookSchool Report

#29

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult Those Shen Yun performances that are overly advertised every year. Turns out they're directly tied to Falun Gong.

greyghost5000 , Paulinaviolist Report

Add photo comments
POST
truthmonster00 avatar
Truth Monster
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So I took a look at Falun Gong on Wikipedia, and it seems to be a pretty tame religion. What makes Falun Gong a cult?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#30

People In This Online Group Name 30 Brands And Organizations That Not Everyone Recognizes Are A Cult Chief's Mess in the US Navy, which comes complete with "initiation", something no other branch (enlisted or officer) has and that this somehow forms an eternal bond of "blood by family", that includes eating food out of trash cans and sabotaging uniforms for the "greater lesson".

Then "private" meetings that have grey areas/secrets of what happens in those meetings. Specifically anything related to punishments or review boards.

The fact that it takes two chiefs talking behind closed doors to get anything accomplished is also proof. People notice, though it's implied that it's not noticed.

DarkJester89 , Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet Report

Add photo comments
POST
bobbygoodson avatar
Bobby
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In my experience it taking "two chiefs talking" to make something happen is because chiefs are concidered the subject matter experts in their related fields. Repair needs done on a steam powered generator? the chief in charge of the electrical division and the mechanical division need to hash out the logistics. Big command wide celebration? Supply chief and Mess hall chief get together for that. Officers are actually meant largely for administration, not the actual work. I would say chiefs are more like a club than a cult

View more commentsArrow down menu

Note: this post originally had 36 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda