The Wave – Background Info continued
CULTS
Cult (noun)
A group of people with a devoted attachment to a person, idea or activity.
JONESTOWN MASSACRE
Jones was originally a church leader in the US, and unlike most cult leaders, was popular in the
community because of his integrationist ideas
Developed a cult and moved to Guyana in South America
Set up ‘Jonestown’, which they considered the “purest communist society in the world”
Targeted those who were insecure and people with little direction
People would work 12 hour days, six days a week, and would then be encouraged to watch short
propaganda films showing America to be a “capitalist villain” and singing the praises of communist
leaders such as Robert Mugabe, Kim Il Sung (Korea) and Joseph Stalin
Jones convinced his followers that CIA pigs were coming to destroy Jonestown, and that their only
options were to (1) attempt to flee to the Soviet Union; (2) commit "revolutionary suicide" by
drinking poisoned Kool-Aid; (3) stay in Jonestown and fight the purported attackers or (4) flee into
the jungle.
After increased suspicious deaths in and around Jonestown, Guyanan and US investigators began
closing in on the town over several months.
Jones convinced his followers to commit “revolutionary suicide” on November 18, 1978, and the FBI
soon discovered 909 bodies after the mass suicide - the largest such event in modern history and
the largest single loss of American civilian life in a non-natural disaster until the events of
September 11, 2001.
HITLER & NAZI GERMANY
Hitler was the leader of Nazi Germany
Hitler started WW1 by invading Poland
Hitler manipulated the German people during a depression (following WW1)
Nazi ideals targeted post-WW1 German anger and frustration
Nazi ideals initially seemed to bring together a sense of German identity
Hitler began a ‘breeding programme’ in Norway to create a super-race (one of the results of this
breeding program later became a member of ABBA)
Hitler committed suicide in his bunker once he knew he was defeated
STALIN & COMMUNIST RUSSIA
The Soviet Union was a vast country
Communist Russia was involved in the Cold War with capitalist nations including the US
Stalin eliminated difference through force
Stalin sent millions of Russians to Siberian work camps as punishment for speaking out against his
regime
MOONIES AND OTHER CULTS
Moonies is a derogatory term for members of the Unification Church, based on the name of church
founder Sun Myung Moon, their charismatic leader.
Moonies target lonely people, those without a sense of identity
Moonies often approach people at airport arrival lounges, those who are not being met by anyone
Moonies and other cults brainwash their members to all think and act the same way
Cults provide a sense of identity and security to people who do not have these things in their lives
Because they set about to convince other people that the way they think is right, cults are similar
in some ways to missionaries
MCDONALDS & OTHER MULTI-NATIONAL BRANDS MARKETING / STAFF TRAINING
Use national figures (such as sportspeople) to advertise their product
Advertising is misleading (claims to be healthy)
Marketing is pitched at attaining a lifestyle through their product
Staff are trained in systems to attain uniformity, not to think for themselves
LINDISFARNE COLLEGE…
Differences and similarities between Lindisfarne and a cult:
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