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Culture War Roundup for the week of August 28, 2023

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So could David Karesh, Jim Jones, and Keith Raniere. What I find compelling and relevant to these aforementioned cult leaders is not just that they built themselves sexual access to their followers but how important they found it to create community policing and punishment around any other men in the community to display affection towards the women.

Did Raniere do that? The whole thing is muddled because both major documentaries about him involve people clearly laundering their reputation and avoid their own prosecution (honestly, it might make for some fun meta-viewing to watch them side-by-side), but it seemed that prominent figures had wives he didn't split them from and it was mainly through other women and the secret cult-within-a-cult they were controlled.

I'm coming from the book, not the documentary but I think you're correct that NXVIM is the most tentative example of the ones listed. One commonality from each of the situations is that sexual policing started out soft and voluntary and then ratcheted up when the members became permanently fixed to the compound.

A counter example that might prove the point is the Rajneeshee who I think were a complete free love compound. Most members got taken financially and some did time for their spree of oddball crimes. But I'm not aware of any complaints that many women there felt consent was removed from them despite having lots of sex, highlighting the pernicious role of policing and positive role of community adoration.