1. **Absolute Authority of the Leader:** A cult is often defined by the presence of a charismatic leader who demands unquestioning obedience. Members may view this leader as infallible and divinely chosen, which justifies any directives they give, no matter how harmful. 2. **Isolation from Society:** Cults commonly isolate members from the outside world to create a controlled environment where the leader's influence goes unchallenged. This can be physical isolation or psychological isolation through the demonisation of outsiders and irrelevant information. 3. **Exploitation of Members:** Cults often exploit members economically, sexually, or through labour. This can include demanding all earnings, mandating communal living with little personal space, or coercing members into sexual acts under spiritual pretexts. 4. **Control of Sexual Behaviour:** Some cults exert control over the most intimate aspects of members' lives, including their sexual behaviour. This could manifest as enforcing celibacy, arranged marriages, or promoting sexual relations among members. 5. **Child Abuse and Indoctrination:** The indoctrination of children in a cult is particularly insidious, as it exploits their developmental vulnerability to install the group's ideology, often coupled with abuse to enforce compliance. 6. **Bounded Choice:** The concept of 'bounded choice' suggests that the group's influence becomes so pervasive that members feel they have no choice but to follow the cult's prescriptions despite any personal misgivings or doubts. 7. **Secrecy and Deception:** Cults often have an inner doctrine or set of practices concealed from recruits and only revealed once they are deemed sufficiently indoctrinated, maintaining an aura of mystery that can entice new members. 8. **Control of Information:** Limiting members' access to external information, including news, literature, and even casual conversations with non-members, ensures the cult can maintain its narrative without contradiction. 9. **Lack of Personal Identity:** Cults often strip members of their individuality to enforce group cohesion and loyalty. The group's goals subsume personal needs and desires, and personal achievements are often attributed to the leader or the cult's teachings. 10. **Extreme Ideological Positions:** Cults frequently embrace extreme ideological positions, which can be religious, political, or social. These beliefs are typically presented as absolute truths that members are compelled to accept without evidence. 11. **Us vs. Them Mentality:** To fortify members' loyalty, cults often instil a belief that they are chosen or enlightened, while outsiders are misguided or even evil, fostering a sense of superiority and dependency on the group. 12. **Justification of Abuse:** In a particularly malignant twist, some cults define abusive behaviours as acts of love or necessary for spiritual growth, warping members' understanding of healthy relationships and consent. 13. **Lack of Critical Thinking:** By discouraging scepticism and critical analysis of the group's teachings, cults prevent members from questioning the group's motives, ensuring that the leadership's decisions go unchallenged. Extracted from the [Clearer Thinking Podcast](https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/) [#183 Escaping a cult: physically, mentally, and emotionally (with Daniella Mestyanek Young)](https://podcast.clearerthinking.org/episode/183/daniella-mestyanek-young-escaping-a-cult-physically-mentally-and-emotionally/) by OpenAi's chatGPT. Edited with Grammarly. Integrate with https://www.notion.so/Cult-warning-signs-4139cab5037e4eeeb5f3d8a57260a76a?pvs=4