Cults. A&E aired a documentary last night about Jim Jones and the mass suicide/homicides at Jonestown. It scares me that the human mind can be so distorted into believing that they must kill themselves because someone else says so.
If it can happen to others, who's to say we all couldn't just lose our minds one day and stop thinking for ourselves? I know that I have a strong, stubborn mind and that I stand firm in my beliefs, but who's to say that these other people weren't like that. Maybe I'm just afraid that the human mind can be so easily controlled. That's frightening.
What does everyone else think about this?
2007-01-21 13:26:28 · 25 answers · asked by Laci R 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
I saw that very documentary the other night, and then last night I caught a different documentary about cults in general, and it gave me a little more insight to Jonestown. Keep in mind, that many people there did not drink the poison willingly. Many were forced at gunpoint or injected with it as well. Very few escaped because the handful that tried were shot. You know what upset me more than anything about that? Two men who were featured who obviously escaped into the Guyan jungle, but BOTH left their young children behind to be murdered! What kind of person does that? One left his wife as well. I am also quite troubled by the notion that someone could be so pliable, regardless of circumstances of their lives. In the second documentary, they also discussed Charles Manson's cult and how he was able to convince his members, particularly the women he subjugated, to commit not suicides, but very gruesome murders. There are a couple elements that have to be present to make this kind of situation possible. One is the leader--he must have the carisma and ability to persuade people, but even more, he must have the ability to find the right kind of person to lead. These other elements--the followers--must be impressionable, likely from past abuses in life. For instance Manson's girls were run-aways and didn't have strong father figures. None of these things are excuses, but elements that seem to be present in all cases. An article by Melissa Dittmann on the American Psychological Association Monitor website suggests that leaders like Jim Jones take some cues from the research of social psychologicalgists. This particular article also supports my comments earlier about the types of people who are drawn in by these Jones types--that they're suffering, whether from mental disorders or past abuse.
2007-01-21 13:49:59 · answer #1 · answered by rumezzo 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes I believe one day a religious maniac will come up with a virus specific to certain genes in certain races of people and wipe out most humans,I think the Muslims would go for that.
2007-01-21 13:30:23 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
once you listen the time period no balls, it has a distinct intending to each body. No balls to three human beings ability being scared to get harm, or do something bodily courageous. To others it ability being an avoider, warding off conflict, or disagreement, or manipulating instead of confronting. maximum of my hardship in existence has come no longer from actual being an avoider, yet from being a shy human being, and being seen as an avoider. i don't have self belief human beings ought to locate more suitable guts, because no human being, which include me, has guts each and each of the time, daily. i'm only a guy with a foul social distrust and discomfort, and some human beings see it as worry of disagreement, and as a man or woman, I care what they imagine more suitable than I pretend to care about them.
2016-10-15 22:10:54 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm scared of the unknown, people wouldn't be scared if the world was simplified as my teacher says. It is scary and there's not much anybody can do about it- except live life to the fullest and stay away from people like that.
2007-01-21 13:30:17 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
People who fall into cults fit a specific profile. It's just like how some people are predisposed to alcoholism. Odds are, based on what you say about yourself, you would not fall victim to a cult.
2007-01-21 13:29:51 · answer #5 · answered by Pitt 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't worry. People are complaining about there being too many stupid people, but there are also people who are scared when stupid people kill themselves. Don't follow a religion that requires money to be a member and don't join anything that asks you to kill yourself
2007-01-21 13:30:45 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Couldn't agree more. People can too easily be scared into believing and doing some pretty cold stuff.
2007-01-21 13:29:28 · answer #7 · answered by Clueless 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Mirrors
2007-01-21 13:29:04 · answer #8 · answered by {☻§¤♥¿ð΅ΨΩΘΦЖ۞♫∞☺} 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes. It is scary. Mass thought. Look at how Hitler manipulated Germany! Look at how the pervert that was recently in the news manipulated those boys to not try to run away from him or tell someone ... in FOUR years?! Remember from the 1970's how Patty Hearst (rich girl from Cali) converted to that wierd PLO group and actually held up banks with them?! I mean WTF?!?! Scary.
2007-01-21 13:32:19 · answer #9 · answered by lesliejay63 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's so true.
How weak can the human mind be?
Getting brainwashed by a complete maniac and then committing suicide.
That's scary...scary and sad.
2007-01-21 13:32:06 · answer #10 · answered by Jacques 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋