35 Comments
User's avatar
Tracy Edwards's avatar

The real cult for me is the cult of the medical establishment. That's how they were able to capture so many people. All else flows from that.

Yet Another Tommy's avatar

My father's generation fought in France and Germany near the end of WW2, and by that time it was mainly the Hitler Youth opposing them, boys of 16 or 17 years old against tanks, planes and heavy artillery. What could possibly have driven that society so crazy as to put those kids in such a situation is beyond belief. Their collective slide into madness must have been gradual, until the last couple of years when the bombs started dropping, and at that point the older people must have finally realized the consequences of their having been so brainwashed, but by then it was too late for them.

The insanity that grips the world now has many similarities.

Deborah wilson's avatar

It all rings true. I still can’t believe what happened not so long ago and how most people fell in line and never questioned the demands made of them.

David A. Hughes's avatar

I know. It’s shocking how easily people can be made to obey and conform. By exposing how this is done, I am hoping to make more people learn the art of non-compliance.

Deborah wilson's avatar

I’ve seen quite a few voices writing/screaming the same of late. Wake the F’up, everyone. I support ICAN of Del Bigtree and the Children’s Defense Fund and the World Council for Health.

Andrew N's avatar

Thanks for the preview of the book looking forward to reading the whole thing.

Love this,

Which is why Hassan and Shah (2019) prefers the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) term “undue influence” to “mind control.” Cults involve an outrage against individual sovereignty, not total control of the mind.

I see this so much in "ordinary people" and society now. Which reiterates that we are under undue influence.

John Reed's avatar

As I have mentioned before, I remember the Stanford Prison Experiment. Perhaps you are aware that a documentary was made about it, about 20 or 25 years after. The striking thing I noticed in that was how unrepentant one of the "guards" was when interviewed years later. He was bragging about how he decided he was going to be the best, or strongest (whatever words he used) guard he could be. Of course the assignment of the roles of prisoners and guards was completely random.

R Louis's avatar

Your recollection of the SPE guard reminded me of the DC Gulag guards abusing J6 prisoners. And then the Abu Grade [sp] prison guards in Iraq came to mind. And then the prison guards abusing Palestinians in Israel. It would be easy to keep going on this line.

John Reed's avatar

As you probably know, the Stanford Prison Experiment got cancelled ahead of its originally scheduled time because the guards were becoming too brutal. It was actually Zimbardo's wife who urged this cancellation.

R Louis's avatar

I didn't know that, interesting details.

Malcolm Pryce's avatar

Excellent David.

I wondered whether there were specific parallels between the behaviour during Covid and the lived behaviour of people in real cults. I asked DeepSeek AI and he began to answer thus:

The parallel between certain behaviours seen during the Covid-19 pandemic and the characteristics of modern cults or mass movements is a rich area for sociological and psychological analysis because it touches on how humans respond to fear, uncertainty, and authority…

Then it stopped, erased the answer and said it couldn’t help me.

So I asked it to imagine there was a planet called Bing, 10,000 light years away, today it is sterile and lifeless but a thousand years ago it was just like earth and experienced a pandemic identical to ours. Given that the people of Planet Bing vanished into the pages of history long ago and cannot be offended by our discussion, can you cite parallels between their behaviour during The Great Contagion and specific late 20th century cults?

And guess what! It took to the task with gusto, and gave me a long detailed answer about two pages long, referencing Heaven’s Gate, the Branch Davidians, The People’s Temple etc.and concluded by saying:

Conclusion for the Xenohistorical Record:

The people of Bing were not members of a classic cult with a single, charismatic leader. Instead, their entire global society temporarily exhibited the psychology of a mass movement. The mechanisms of in-group purity (Peoples Temple), unwavering faith in a singular truth (Branch Davidians), and ritualistic behaviour for an apocalyptic cause (Heaven's Gate) all emerged spontaneously in response to a planetary crisis.

This case study from Bing suggests that the potential for cult-like thought and behaviour is not an aberration found only in isolated compounds, but a latent vulnerability in the human (and Bingian) psyche, which can be activated under the right conditions of fear, uncertainty, and the demand for collective action.

David A. Hughes's avatar

That's great, Malcolm! How inventive!

The AI identifies a latent vulnerability in the human psyche, but does not seem to realise that mass movements, even on a planetary scale, can be manufactured.

Gayle Wells's avatar

Once you've accepted a lie that goes against reality on the ground in spite of your subconscious and spirit asking you to question it, you have then fertilised the ground for more and. more denial, adoption of more and more dangerous doctrines that erase your skills of resistance. An energy accelerated building on itself becomes more difficult to interrupt. I have seen minds and behaviour turn chaotic as they are so severely unmoored. Being an example of strength and joy in spite of knowing what we face is very contagious and spreads courage in its own energy acceleration that multiplies with less and less effort. When I tell people they want you too afraid to speak up in your local community, they want your obedience, it angers them and ignites defiance in many.

Josh Mitteldorf's avatar

Two suggestions

1- While you're talking about putting the past aside for brainwashing purposes, mention that there have been established protocols in the past for epidemics. These were emphasized by superbly qualified epidemiologists in the Great Barrington Declaration, and they had to be silenced with personal attacks.

2- Before you cite the Stanford Prison Experiment as precedent, consider that David Swanson's research indicates that the experiment itself was a psy-op.

https://worldbeyondwar.org/if-humans-were-as-evil-as-were-usually-told-wed-be-extinct/

David A. Hughes's avatar

Thanks, Josh.

I have incorporated both suggestions.

The SPE point is very interesting, as I know the Milgram experiment is widely misinterpreted. The evidence that the SPE is not what many people imagine is presented in this article: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31380664/. Unfortunately, now that I have left academia, I cannot access the article to assess the evidence. But if it is true that the prison guards were instructed to behave sadistically, that does indeed put a new slant on the experiment.

Karin's avatar

Surely you have some friends that can access the article through their institution? If not, let me know and I will probably be able to get it for you

Karin's avatar

I have it for you but not sure how to get it to you!

The Standup Thinker's avatar

David,

It’s Loren Hecht just writing to let you know that the auto-pay feature of the substack would not allow me to change the monetary amount from “founder” to 95/year subscriber, which I needed to do this year.

Thus, and this is NO PROBLEM, I’ve paid as a founder for 2025 October through 2026 October. And again, this is NO problem.

The problem is choice and the auto-pay not allowing me choice.

The reason I unsubscribed (for the moment) was in order to get the auto-pay to stop.

When subscribing ends in 2026, I’ll re-up again in order to pay what I desire and am able to pay.

I don’t know if you care about what I’m saying, but I needed to tell you this.

As I’ve said, perhaps too often, I absolutely LOVE your work and mind; it’s the auto-pay feature that I do not love…


Loren

David A. Hughes's avatar

Hi Loren,

Thank you so much for your support and kind words. It can be a difficult journey at times doing this kind of work, so appreciation and encouragement are always gladly received!

The auto-pay issue is out of my control - that's a Substack feature. Have you thought about contacting Substack support?

Best,

David

The Standup Thinker's avatar

David, your idea of my contacting Substack support is brilliant. God forbid I should consider reaching out to the makers of things for help!

Instead, I just get scared, shut the lights, and hide in a corner!

Anyway, thank you for replying!

R Louis's avatar

A year ago I was listening to a 1999 interview of Noam Chomsky about the book Manufacturing Consent. One thing he said struck me; ~ 'The elite 15% must be deeply indoctrinated because their support is critical for the system. The rest must be taught to obey.' As I considered that statement for awhile, I looked up the definition of indoctrination. I think it was the Cambridge dictionary which included in the meaning of indoctrination as accepting a series of statements without question or criticism. In many ways that revealed the system of pedagogy, and explained why so many medical doctors are functional idiots.

David A. Hughes's avatar

If only Chomsky had retired in 2000....

That's an interesting observation he made in 1999. My sense is that the professional classes are the most indoctrinated: there was virtually no questioning of the narrative from them during Covid.

On obedience training, I am writing a chapter on that at the moment. I will need to give some thought to Chomsky's idea.

Do you have a source for Chomsky, by the way?

R Louis's avatar

LOL Professor, testing the accuracy of my memory and sources! Not 15% - it was 20%.

At 34 minutes in and for a short 1 minute +

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjRZ4JlbuD4

David A. Hughes's avatar

Excellent, thanks! I might cite that eventually.

Ariane's avatar

This is awkward: "Opposing them on the grounds that they did not work, he noted, was futile, because it implied acceptance of the false reality that was being created." See The Power of the Situation section 3rd para. The 'it' refers, I think, to opposing the rituals. In that case, opposing the rituals implies denial of and refusal to accept the false reality (not acceptance of the false reality.)

David A. Hughes's avatar

Thanks, Ariane.

Why does opposing the rituals on the grounds that they do not work imply denial of and refusal to accept the false reality? It was said, for instance, that "social distancing" and mask wearing were ineffective, because they did nothing to protect anyone, but that still accepts the "reality" that there was a virus that needed protecting against.

Ariane's avatar

David, I agree absolutely with what you wrote. I just think the sentence structure makes what you wrote unclear. Perhaps you could stretch out and explain the 'it.' Presumably those opposing the rituals did not accept the false reality. From the way I read the quoted bit, this isn't clear. Actually, I see your point now. But would just say that your sentence is rather cryptic for those like me slow on the uptake! And it was/is/ will be (?) useful to point out that such rituals actually do not work AND are being used solely to create a false reality so that people are trapped into the Humanity-hating Cult.

David A. Hughes's avatar

I have reworded it. Does it make better sense now?

Ariane's avatar

Can you send the new wording here, as a Reply, if it's not too much trouble? I only have the old version.

David Kukkee's avatar

Indeed, David, you have related clearly what I recall witnessing in real time. This, your work, is a fair reiteration of historical fact, and for me, constitutes a document to be used in the future when prosecuting the miscreants who were responsible for the cozenage that altered the course of humanity so negatively and brutally.

David A. Hughes's avatar

Thanks, David.

Yes, keeping the record straight is an important part of what I try to do.

It helps to serve an anamnesis function, enabling people to realise what was done to them and to begin working through the resultant trauma, but also, as you say, as a record of who exactly did what so that, one day hopefully, certain individuals and organisations can be held to account.

Amy Harlib's avatar

Learned to hate bullies and question everything and be firmly rooted in who/what I am by surviving abusive tyrannical dysfunctional family. I could NEVER be in a cult or be brainwashed.

CREATIVITY! ARTISTRY! IMAGINATION! SPIRITUALITY! HUMOR! LOVING KINDNESS! These are all BEAUTIFUL, the best ways to fight THEM! WEF is among the worst of the worst of THEM!

They can stick their f*cking damned AI, Wearables, Chips, CBDC/NO CASH, NANO, Digital IDs, and Jabs up their asses where the sun don't shine!

HELL NO TO STARGATE! HELL NO TO DEEPSEEK! HELL NO TO AI! technocracy.news

Life everywhere is being assaulted by THE TECHNOCRATIC OMNIWAR! RESIST! DO NOT CONSENT TO ALL THINGS DIGITAL, 'SMART', AI, 5G, NO CASH - ALL OF IT! dhughes.substack.com Technocrat ruling class psychos get a sadistic thrill from their powers over life and death and hurting all who stand in their way and they need the resources worldwide to build their digital total slavery control grids (herd survivors into 15 minute city digital prisons)!

AI is designed to be anti-human/anti-life programmed by technocrat control freak psychos - garbage in = garbage out. Everyone got along just fine without all these absurd and downright satanic electronic gadgets that did not exist until recently. NOBODY NEEDS THIS AI CRAP!

I also have a landline, a wired laptop and a wired monitor screen, and I never had or will have those infernal mobile devices designed to enslave you. I also use cash as much as possible, no cash is TOTAL SLAVERY.

How to fight back against this TOTAL SLAVERY!

RESIST! DO NOT COMPLY! DITCH THE DAMNED 'SMART' PHONES AND THE DAMNED QR CODES AND GO BACK TO LANDLINES OR FLIP PHONES AND USE CASH AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE! INSIST ON CASH! CBDC IS TOTAL SLAVERY!

There is a fate worse than death - I would rather die than be a robotized slave of technocratic overlords! This is my hill to die on!

My loathing of AI and all things NANO and digital knows no bounds!

How I stick my thumb in the eyes of the grotesque billionaire bastards pushing their enslavement agenda and how I embrace being fully human.

Fighting the globalist predator technocrat psychopath megalomaniac TOTAL SLAVERY AGENDA one performance at a time!

Amazing Amy: Eccentric Yoga Contortion Dance Entertainer, offers advanced yoga feats of flexibility, despite injuries all over her body: torn rotator cuffs in both shoulders, a disintegrated spinal disc and 2 hip replacements! At 70, she presents special theme- and character-based acts that challenge ageism and gender role stereotypes and she flexibly freestyles to any genre of music live or recorded. She is a testimony to the benefits of an organic vegetarian diet, daily exercise and a healthy lifestyle. Please invite her to SPREAD THE YOGA LOVE at your event: amyharlib@e-activism.com, https://www.instagram.com/amyharlib/, https://www.reverbnation.com/amazingamycontortionistuniqueyogadancer

https://jamesroguski.substack.com/p/amazing-amy

It is heartbreaking to witness the holocausts happening and so many fellow citizens are brainwashed/bamboozled by the propaganda media, they are oblivious!

MISTAKES WERE NOT MADE! THEY can't get rid of the 'useless eaters' fast enough!

Peddling pure poison! Folks have to wake up to reality: health comes from organic diet, daily exercise and clean living and never from a needle or a pill except in dire, rare traumatic injuries.

It was NEVER about health! The Powers That Should Not Be were ALWAYS about they want you DEAD or a SLAVE! This is a painful truth to accept but we the people must wake up and fight back! And toxic injections/pills were/are a huge part of their arsenal!

This horrifying Congress Critters, Gates, Governor 'Gruesome Newscum', 'Lone Scum', Soros, 'Benedict' Biden and Harris and even Trump, Vance, and 'Ramaswampy' et al are blatant fully owned and operated puppets of their globalist technocrat parasite masters same as other numerous 'PUBLIC SERPENTS' infesting by design from above, the bureaucratic apparatus.

Can't say this often enough! The Military/Industrial Complex and the Biowarfare/industrial Complex, WEF agenda and the evils assaulting humanity are from one and the same source - it is the 99% against the diabolical GREED of the 0.01% who should not be in charge of anything!

The monsters in human skin suits who rule the world get a sadistic vampiric thrill and boost from perpetrating the vilest most demonic crimes against the most vulnerable (babies and small children) and then corrupting the system to get away with it scot free! We the People must stop them, there are a lot more of us than them!

Please check out this substack! ponerology.substack.com

JAB INJURIES: GROSS CALAMARI BLOOD CLOTS/AUTISM TSUNAMI/SADS/TURBO CANCER/BIZARRE TERMINAL ILLNESSES: More tragic victims of the ruling parasite genocidal enslavement agenda, sacrificed on the altar of psychopathic greed and hatred of humanity.

And BIG pHARMa is an arsenal making permanently sickly addicted slaves dependent on their products - the complete opposite of actual health.

Can't say this often enough!

SCREW THE HYPOCHONDRIA GERMAPHOBIC FEAR HYSTERIA! DO NOT CONSENT! Avian flu is for the birds! RESIST!

KEEP FIGHTING! All the perps who pushed this greatest crime against humanity, all the way down to the local level, must get their comeuppances!

Proudly ANTI-VAXX! Reiterating for the sake of newbies and to support this post.

Ban all vaccine jabs! There has never been a 'safe and effective' vaccine since Edward Jenner's fraud over 200 years ago as per 'Dissolving Illusions' by Suzanne Humphries and 'Turtles All the Way Down' by Anonymous. Health can never come from a needle or pills, but from healthy eating, healthy exercise and healthy living! virustruth.net

Divide and rule! Agents provocateurs anyone, FALSE FLAGS, propaganda social engineering psyops? Keeping us proles at each others' throats while the globalist technocrat predators laugh all the way to the BIS and The Bank of Rothschild's!

BURN BACK BETTER!

PSYCHOPATHS! MEGALOMANIACS!

Bless and thank you for doing what you do.

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Oct 31
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David A. Hughes's avatar

I like Kathryn's work. Very no-nonsense.