Cult

Some tactics for creating and maintaining a cult.

  1. Create your own social reality: in simple terms create an echo chamber, limit external sources for news and information. Most modern-day ashrams across India follow these.
  2. Create a granfalloon: make members believe they are part of something bigger, use god or some cause as bait.
  3. Create commitment through rationalization trap
  4. Establish leaders credibility and attractiveness
  5. Send fund members out to proselytize the unredeemed and to fundraiser for the cult
  6. Distract members from thinking “undesirable “ thoughts.

Excerpt from “Age of propaganda.”

Emotions

Charlie Munger says that most investors fail because their investments are driven by emotions.

Bhagwad Gita preaches attachment is the root cause of all our miseries.

Jiddu Krishnamurti says don’t fight with your thoughts but observe it.

I am half way through emotional design by Don Norman. Where he talks about how our emotions guide most of our decisions in life. Be it finding a spouse, friends or new brand of toothpaste.

I like Star Trek. I like Spock and how being a Vulcan every decision of his depends on logic.

Coming back to applying thoughts, emotions, and attachments. How important are they in our human existence?

Can we live life while keeping a 100% check on our emotions?
How will it affect our attachment to parents, peers and loved ones?
How will we sail through the miserable thoughts?

Bubble

Most of us live in our own bubble. Our judgment about others is a byproduct of our bias. We live in our own echo chambers, make an opinion which suits our belief.

Why can’t we be more rational? See both sides of the situations, make decisions without being emotional?

Is it our age, experience to be blamed for it or the baggage we carry with living this life?

Scared

I have been scared of everything earlier: past, present, future, relationships, career, health.

I lived in my own little world, hatching my own dreams. I was scared of living in reality.

Why was I scared of losing: possession, prestige, people. Looking back I have realized, I was naive. How much does my existence mean when I compare it to the vast universe?

Old age

Part of growing up is seeing parents getting old. Old age is no different than early childhood. It requires proper handling of emotions, conversations, and situations. Anything and everything can trigger displeasure.

At times, things go south. But in a wider picture, It teaches us a lot about empathy, compassion, respect and caring.

Democracy

Democracy is a great equalizer. It requires no degree, caste or class for electing a representative or becoming one.

All it requires is keeping voters believe in you. This can be achieved via fueling hope and banking on emotions. We voters forget past, we don’t judge. We are like a herd divided on caste, religion, and ideology. We live in our own echo chambers and confirmation bias. With 24/7 news channel and newspapers fuels in the propaganda.

Last resort when nothing works: nationalism comes for the rescue. For the sake of country vote us.

Real agenda of health, illiteracy, women’s health, regional and religion independence gets no mention.

New India has no opposition, no one to check on the misdeed of government. Time will tell if a democratic leader is going to turn into an authoritarian regime.

Comparison

I have heard stories about how a comparison plays a role in society. From parents to a manager to a sports coach, everyone compares.

We are all biased. We have our own lens. We conclude judgment on our own ideology.

Your father might compare you with brother saying how prosperous he is with a great salary. This forgets mentioning how his money making kin is a lab rat and running after money.

Your manager might not like you because he/she thinks you are not adding value. He/she forgets your contribution with many other domains: hiring, community, management.

Your coach will not like your contribution because he/she thinks you are a good bowler. Your contribution as an all-rounder goes in waste.

One has to be very careful in handling these situations.