Exhorted by their leader, some 900 members of the Reverend Jim Jones' People's Temple picked up paper cups and drank purple Kool-Aid laced with the deadly poison cyanide. Psychologically, the mass suicide at Jonestown in 1978 is not so incredible as it might seem. The inhabitants of Jonestown were isolated in the jungles of Guyana, intimidated by guards, and lulled with sedatives. They were also

cut off from friends and relatives and totally accustomed to obeying rigid rules of conduct, which primed them for Jones' final "loyalty test." Of greater psychological interest is the question of how people reach such a state of commitment and dependency. Why do people join groups such as the People's Temple? The People's Temple was a classic example of a cult. A cult is a group in which the leader's personality is more important than the beliefs she or he preaches. Cult members give their allegiances to this person, who is regarded as infallible, and they follow his or her dictates without question. Almost always, cult members are victimized by their leaders in some way or another. Psychologist Margaret Singer has studied and aided hundreds of former cult members. Her interviews reveal that in recruiting new members, cults use a powerful blend of guilt, manipulation, isolation, deception, fear, and escalating commitment. In this respect, cults employ high-pressure indoctrination techniques not unlike those used in brainwashing. In the United States alone, an estimated 2 to 5 million people have succumbed to the lure of cults. According to the author, what is the most important element of a cult?

a. illiterate and uninformed members
b. a culture of drugs and alcohol
c. a strong leader to whom members give unquestioned loyalty
d. a strong set of beliefs that differ from traditional ideas


C

Language Arts & World Languages

You might also like to view...

INSTRUCTIONS: Combine the two simple sentences into one complex sentence, following directions carefully. Make corrections above the sentences. Combine the two simple sentences by using the connecting word "because." Use a comma only if the dependent clause comes at the beginning of the sentence. The temperature was higher than normal. My friends wanted to go swimming

What will be an ideal response?

Language Arts & World Languages

Stan was the best forward on the team before he hurt his knee.

Select “correct” if the sentence is punctuated correctly, “run-on” if it is a run-on, and “comma splice” if it is a comma splice. A) correct B) run-on C) comma splice

Language Arts & World Languages

For the following situations, decide if the source is factual, from direct experiences, or an expert

opinion. Indicate your choice by placing an ‘F', ‘DE', or ‘EO' on the space provided. The weather channel's meteorologist Jim Cantori What will be an ideal response?

Language Arts & World Languages

Composición.

Estás tomando un cafecito con tus amigos en la cafetería de la universidad.  Entre todos comentan los hábitos alimenticios y la vida saludable (o no) de los estudiantes del campus.  Escribe una composición o un diálogo de 8 a 10 oraciones que describa la vida cotidiana de un estudiante típico de tu universidad.  ¿Lleva una vida saludable? ¿Qué recomendaciones podrías hacerle para que tenga una vida mejor?  ¿Necesita ponerse a dieta? ¿Qué se podría hacer para que las cafeterías sirvan comida de mejor calidad? (10 puntos: 5 puntos por el uso de vocabulario del capítulo y 5 puntos por el uso del subjuntivo con las expresiones de opinión, recomendación, duda y emoción) ? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ What will be an ideal response?

Language Arts & World Languages