Chuck Palahniuk Quotes

The Way teaches that people outside the cult are evil - of the Devil. In line with that belief, the members tried to alienate me from my family, to whom I am very close, and from my friends. So I just drifted away. In seeing my three-month involvement as 'just a phase,' my parents were lucky rather than wise.

We explored cults in 'Sound of My Voice.' I think cults have an underlying spiritual quality.

The way brainwashing works is subtle and takes a long time.

When you control a man's thinking you do not have to worry about his actions.

Scientology and all the other cults are one-dimensional, and we live in a three-dimensional world. Cults are as dangerous as drugs. They commit the highest crime: the rape of the soul.

There's a lot of things that are good in Scientology, because I wouldn't have been in it. And that's the thing: a lot of people trivialize this thing, like, 'Oh, it's Xenu, and it's a volcano, and it's jumping on couches and acting crazy.' These people are victims. We've been victimized. We believed in something because it starts out very normal.

Influencing people is dangerous. Their acts and thoughts become your illegitimate children. You can't get away from them and Heaven knows what they mayn't grow up into.

The thoughts he put in her head. Someone should’ve arrested him for it.

Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices.

When people leave cults, they don't know that they left a cult.

They had taken me to an exhibit called 'Psychiatry: Industry of Death' on Hollywood Boulevard, where a Scientologist told me psychiatrists set up the Holocaust. I feared I was being brain-washed. And then I lost it - big time.

If we understand the mechanism and motives of the group mind, it is now possible to control and regiment the masses according to our will without their knowing it.

I don't think that anyone should think for you. And that's exactly what cults do. All cults, including Scientology, say, "I am your mind, I am your brain. I've done all the work for you, I've laid the path open for you. All you have to do is turn your mind off and walk down the path I have created.

… cults have used tactics of coercive mind control to negatively impact an estimated 20 million victims in the last ten years. Worldwide figures are even greater.

I can't manipulate anybody's minds.

Men. They were all so incredibly easy to sway. Pat them on their heads, give them something to eat, and they'll follow you anywhere. Add a smile and a few stupid compliments, and they'll immediately forget all about their other responsibilities.

It's easier to control people when they're afraid.

I'm not trying to twist people's heads around. I'm not trying to say, "Believe in me."

As long as we respond predictably to what feels good and what feels bad, it is easy for others to exploit our preferences for their own ends.

I think there are two ways in which people are controlled - first of all frighten people and secondly demoralize them.

If you're injecting fear into other people, then you're trying to kill their minds. You're trying to get them to stop thinking.

People only respond to fear.

... motivating people, forcing them to your will, gives you a cynical attitude toward humanity. It degrades everything it touches.

A cult is a cult, and that's what a frat is. A place where they strip you of your personality and rebuild it in their image.

We need to be aware of all different forms of brainwashing and radicalization.