Cults
... teen live. Even if the home environment of the teen is well developed, peers and others in the community can cause a feeling of unrest. It is well known that teens have the tendency to be especially demeaning to one another. The abusive nature of teens to other teens can cause a stunt in social development and maturity. Teen’s that do not have personalities that conform to society are often harassed and abused both physically and emotionally by their peers. Knowing that they are accepted somewhere allows these teens to have greater self-esteem and causes them to disregard their former abusers. The Cult gives them that acceptance. Finally, as if there isn’t enough to fear, the media constantly depicts to even the most well adjusted teen, that the outside world is full of people who, without regard for ethics, are out to get society. Teens see their fears endorsed by the mass media and seek refuge in the protective ideals of a cult. Almost every day on the television News programs there are reports of tragedy relating to shooting, drugs, kidnapping, arrests, rapes and nearly any other possible situation. Teens are taught to fear everything and everyone. This fear is paranoia of sorts. Cults are an escape from reality, giving a sense of security through the beliefs and teaching. The people of the cult become the primary influence and the teen becomes very strongly bonded to the ideals of the cult. In a world where no one wants to be left out and everyone wants to be accepted, teens are often torn between being themselves or conforming to the accepted standards of their peers and parents. Some teens lack the social skills to form or become a part of a group of friends. This inability maybe due to the nonchalant personality of the teen. They take no initiative to associate with their classmates or neighbors and are therefore ridiculed for being a loner. Cults find these teens especially easy to convert because they have no one else and are grateful for the attention of the cult members. Then there are teens who try and struggle to be accepted but are still “left out”, if the only because that their peers find entertainment in the seclusion of that person. No matter how nice and kind the teen is to the clique, how attractive he or she is, or what kind of cloths she or he wears, the alienation goes on. At this time in life the isolation can be detrimental. When given the opportunity, these teens are so glad that they are finally being accepted that they will readily join a cult. Teens who have just entered new surroundings such as college are also looking for this kind of attention and are just as susceptible to the influences of a cult.(Rudin 104) Teens entering college are especially prone to joining cults. Another factor could be the inability to please the people whom they admire and respect such as parents, teachers, or mentors. When the teen’s don’t feel they are living up to expectations, they can get very “down on themselves” and doubt there self-worth. Because cults tend to emulate an affirmative attitude, teens replace there goals of pleasing their “role modals” to pleasing the cult leaders. Teen’s can sometimes resent their parents, teachers, etc., because they are not able to satisfy them. Cults have a significant advantage over winning a teen’s favor because they are not responsible for the teen and therefore don’t have to discipline them or teach them right from wrong. Cults demand loyalty and by doing so create major competition for any moral development. “All men are created equal”. This is taken from one of the most fundamental documents of American history, our Constitution. At birth we are all equal in society, but the moment that each child leaves the hospital they are no longer equals. Some will be rich, and some will be poor. Some will have good childhoods, others bad. How a child is raised and the quality of the environment a child lives as well as the media has a drastic effect on how they view themselves. The self-esteem of a person is very much based on there parents and peers. Teens that have parents that are abusive o...