What ‘Far Cry 5’ Gets Right About Cults In America

The word “cult” is thrown around frequently, but what do you really know about the prevalence of cults, or how easy it is to fall prey to charismatic leaders who lead hopeless and struggling people to join their cause? In the above video presented by Uproxx and Far Cry 5 (cults are at the heart of the game’s story), cult researcher Teddy Hose breaks down the qualities that can make a person, any person, susceptible to one of the 5,000 active cults in the United States.

Far Cry 5 highlights one such charismatic leader who takes over a town and forces the residents to convert in the game. And while it’s easy to take comfort in the fact that this a fictional example of a cult, under the right circumstances, anyone could become the member of a cult.

Because we’re social beings who want to trust, feel connected to, and comforted by people, an outgoing individual can walk into anyone’s life and convince them to follow instead of lead. If you’ve got a skeptical streak then you’re better prepared to sense someone trying to manipulate you, but people who are easily trusting and/or financially unstable are the most at-risk and, in many ways, seem to be easy targets for charismatic cult leaders. Which category do you fall into? Take a hard look in the mirror before answering the question or you might just find yourself drinking the kool-aid… literally.

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