My | Life As A Cult Leader

could be if they just shed the weight of a "corrupt" society. When you give someone a sense of purpose, they will hand you the keys to their life. The Architecture of Isolation

People often ask if I miss it. The truth? Sometimes, in the quietest part of the night, I miss the certainty. I miss the feeling that the universe had a plan and I was the architect of it. But then I remember the faces of the people who gave up everything for a lie I told myself until I believed it. My Life as a Cult Leader

Sarah was hospitalized the next week. She lost her job, her apartment, and two years of her life to recovery. I never apologized. I told myself I was pushing boundaries. I told myself it was her choice. could be if they just shed the weight of a "corrupt" society

We had layers of initiation. You had to prove your loyalty to advance to the next "Ring." Advancement meant more access to me. It was a brilliant, evil pyramid scheme. They worked for free—maintaining the grounds, cooking the food, recruiting new members—all for a pat on the head and the promise of a transcendence that was always just out of reach. The truth

And the scariest part? I think I’ve started to believe it.

That feeling— reverence —is a drug more addictive than heroin.