Here I explore how cult figures rise to power before drawing a parallel between notorious cult leaders and modern social media influencers.

Tell me, how is it that delusional, unstable little men are able to weasel their way into worship, earning a devoted following of people who not only follow in their steps but actually believe what they are saying? It’s a multi-faceted form of manipulation, both bending the wills and the minds of others to match your fantasy-fueled beliefs. And yet, it happens more often than you might want to believe. Charles Manson, Jim Jones, David Koresh, Shoko Asahara, Luc Jouret, Jeffrey Lundgren, Adolfo Constanzo, Marshall Applewhite… the list goes on, with only a woman or two peppered throughout.

So what exactly is it that makes these men, pardon my terminology, messiahs of their own making?

First, let’s break down the personality of what I’ll refer to as cult leaders. They all appear to share the trait of pathological narcissism. This aids in clarification when you’re wondering just how deep the delusions of these men go. Their narcissism imbues them with the certainty that they are gifted creatures hand-plucked to deliver us common folk from a world seeped in ignorance. Or at least deliver the ones of us they deem worthy (and malleable) enough to follow in their path. Due to this unwavering narcissism, cult leaders tend to demand absolute loyalty. They surround themselves with people who won’t question them and who will worship the ground they walk upon. If their potential subjects don’t meet these standards, then they will be discarded. That’s important to remember. Cult leaders don’t just bend the wills of able-minded people. They prey on those who will follow, seeking out claylike beings who they can craft with delicious ease.

So now a clearer image of the messiah figure is beginning to emerge. These figures are so deeply involved in themselves and certain in their individual greatness that they seek others to reinforce and follow in this image they have constructed in their minds. That’s where it all begins: in their own twisted minds. But it becomes especially dangerous when these individuals are also pathological.

Of course, when discussing any form of mental illness, it’s important to remember that people are more than their symptoms, nor should individuals be lumped into collective groups. Not all pathological narcissists are leading cults on violent crusades. Not all sufferers of schizophrenia are unstable, wildly delusional beings. (Medication has come a long way, folks.) Not all people with antisocial personality disorder are serial killers. But that is a topic for another day.

In short, cult leaders who are particularly dangerous tend to not only be inflicted with crippling narcissism, but to suffer from a pathological personality. There are many signs that these leaders are twisted individuals, and the pathological aspects of their personalities also explain how they are able to seduce and scout out their followers. These “man-made messiahs” are simply skilled at finding people who are fundamentally damaged and in need of some kind of divine intervention, at which point they convincing these folks that they are in fact that solution. They suffer from grandiose views of self, unrealistic fantasies, overwhelming entitlement, crippling arrogance, and an exaggerated sense of power.

In turn, they use every form of manipulation at their disposal to build the blindly devoted following that their ego so desperately craves. Coercing others into the role of absolute submission is often secured with the use of threats and manipulation. A number of cult leaders force their clan to disclose personal secrets and addresses of relatives before formally joining the group. That way followers can’t back down or back out without risking their safety and the safety of their loved ones. Cults also tend to require an unburdening of finances upon the leader, so even if one is intent on escaping, there likely isn’t a means of escape. And then comes the question of where to run.

People don’t join cults if they are living happy, stable, fulfilling lives. They just don’t. By seeking out some sort of central leadership force, they have inextricably bound their lives to that of the leader. Something was severely lacking in their lives, and they believed this person was the answer. Sex is a requirement in what seems like every cult, a physical manifestation of the power a follower has stripped from his or herself and handed over to the leader when he/she becomes a member of the cult. People are objects to these leaders, won over with superficial charms and an outright, unwavering certainty that the leader has in his beliefs that can cause a feeling of utter calm. It’s relaxing, even refreshing, to be told what to do when every little independent choice of life seems like imminent chaos. Isn’t it tempting to turn over the reigns? And it’s at the convenient price of your autonomy.

Cult leaders hand-select their following, and they take the chosen members to an isolated location that is cut off from the pulsating pain of prosaic live and habitual suffering. They promise an oasis, but in truth, it is just a secluded breeding ground where they can project their fantasies onto minds that are starving to be molded. That is how these men are created. At the core of these modern messiahs is delusions, illusions, and masterful manipulation. There’s nothing divine about that.

What does fascinate me, to take this discussion a twisted step further, is the parallels between cult leaders and modern social media influencers. If you notice, you don’t see two people leading a cult, because the ego of these figures could simply not entertain the thought of sharing the spotlight. In contrast, social media influencers build their careers upon collaboration. But at the heart of this practice is the need to gain more numbers, not to share the screen. That’s what it’s all about: numbers, views, tallying up likes, and raking in the profits. It’s about being the most popular, building the strongest fanbase, and raking in the proceeds.

And though you could argue that using others for popularity (because that’s what it really comes down to), starting fake arguments, and stirring up drama for views is a viable way of gaining visibility and building a lucrative following, I believe it’s about more than money. People carefully craft these images of themselves, retouching here and tweaking there, to build worship. We need to feed into our own inflated perceptions of ourselves and we crave the rush of having mindless followers agree.

Of course, it’s inherently less harmful to peddle fitness teas and gummy hair vitamins than it is to coerce others into claiming innocent lives, but the mentality of followers is still perplexing when you think about it. It only takes one staged celebrity breakup or sour tweet to trigger the avalanche of death threats that come from infuriated faceless masses clacking behind keyboards. And with the reach of technology, young children are readily, vehemently worshiping figures that are all style and no substance.

At the end of the day, I’ll leave you with this question to consider: why are we so desperate to be molded? Because, when it comes down to it, the power of these figures lies entirely in their following. Maybe we should be more mindful of what we’re buying into.