It makes for some interesting thought:
The cult is authoritarian in its power structure.
SCA: Yes
Renaissance Faire/"Living History Center": Yes
Tibco Systems: Yes
Clan Colin: No
Landmark Education: No
Peacekeeper Mission: No
Motorola: Yes
The cult's leaders center the veneration of members upon themselves.
SCA: Yes
Renaissance Faire/LHC: Yes
Tibco Systems: Yes
Clan Colin: Under Eoin MacKenzie, not really, but he was charismatic Carl D. might wish
Landmark: No
Peacekeeper Mission: Dyani Ywahoo, somewhat Dalai Lama -- well, he is a spiritual leader
Motorola: it had leaders?
The cult tends to be totalitarian in its control of the behavior of its members.
SCA: Depends on your social circle
Renaissance Faire/LHC: Yes
Tibco Systems: Yes
Clan Colin: anarchy! might as well herd cats
Landmark: No
Peacekeeper Mission: No
Motorola: Definitely
The cult has basically only two purposes, recruiting new members and fund-raising.
SCA: no
Renaissance Faire/LHC: Yes, though it claims entertainment
Tibco Systems: Yes, if interpreted loosely
Clan Colin: emphatically no
Landmark: Recruiting yes, course fees - I figured their expenses, how are they making money?
Peacekeeper Mission: No
Motorola: Definitely
The cult appears to be innovative and exclusive.
SCA: yes, we're living the middle ages as they should have been! With awards!
Renaissance Faire/LHC: Yes
Tibco Systems: Oh yeah, and it will "make you rich" too
Clan Colin: we're just hanging out, bring your friends
Landmark: Admits "we borrowed from everyone" Anyone with the price of admission can come in. Lots of Zen Buddhist stuff in the mix, which isn't really innovative. Reminds me a lot of PeaceKeeper Mission, but more efficient.
Peacekeeper Mission: No, just working on self-realization and helping one's fellow man
Motorola: If you don't like it here, leave
I'll get into the eight points of control, in this context, in a later post.
Thank god I saw Tibco for the cult it was, early on. Motorola...was hard to get out of. That was where I got called in for "attitude readjustment," and one never questioned Mama Motorola. The things I put up with at Motorola scare me to this day. But it was a lot like trying to get out of The Village if you're half indoctrinated. A lot of tech corporations run like cults. Creepy.