How is “the Forge” like a cult?
Let me start by by saying that the Forge is not a cult. (I
refer to the forge as a singular entity, I am aware it is
not. But close enough for these purposes)
So why do people keep saying it? I mean it is obviously a
joke, right?
What are some of the warning signs of someone being in a cult?
1) They suddenly become happy, for no good reason.
In an actual cult the new recruit is being built up. Either
he is simtten by his female inductor, enthraled by actually having
friends or something else.
When people “join” the Forge they are happy. Happy to find
games that please them in ways they have never felt before.
It is important to note the big differance. Forge equals new
experience and that experience is fun. And thats
all. In a cult the expeerience is basically a dupe.
And that leads to the next point…
2) The cultist cannot articulate why they are happy.
Cult members are being sold magic beans. They can’t say they
are happy because it is a con.
New Forge members also cannot articulate why because it is
hard. Someone suddenly says “why do you like italian
food?” And you say “uh, I don’t know.
Cheese?” Unless you have really considered and debated and
talked about a topic, you don’t really know how to articulate it.
3) They have a bunch of new standoffish friends.
Ok in a cult obviously these friends are cult members and they are
standoffish because they only hang with cult members.
Forge pepole are friendly and they like to form a community, start new
gaming groups and so on. They are standoffish in the sense that they
want to play Forge games
4) They have a bunch of new lingo.
Years ago I took a course for youths aimed at keeping people out of
cults and this was one of the signs to look for. Cults have
special names and terms and phrases.
Ok, maybe this covers gaming in general, but the Forge has tons of this
stuff.
5) They enthusiastically seek to make new converts
Have you ever seen a new Forge recruit? They are the biggest
cheerleaders of all. “the Forge is awesome, everything else
is crap. The forge rules. Party on wayne.”
So, the Forge looks like a cult, What should they do about it?
Nothing. They are not a cult. It is kinda funny and
it probibly would be giving detractors too much credit if the charge
was taken seriously.
According to this, any group of people who enjoy hanging out together is like a cult.
[...] cult” thing came up. That then had a small echo effect on Twitter, including this post by Josh of the Brilliant Gameologists (whose last name I don’t know — sorry [...]
Judd, I think you’re synechdochizing (that’s totally not a word) here- Josh never says “this is a complete list of behaviors that define a cult”, just “these are some behaviors common to cults that are also common to the Forge”. Imagine it like a Venn diagram.
Although, now that I reread your comment, it says “…is LIKE a cult.”
So, yeah… um… nevermind.
As I have said elsewhere,
The Forge seems like a cult.
As does Oprah’s Book Club, as does someone who read “7 Habits”, as does the Young Republicans and so forth.
(Even now people are reading the Oprah part and thinking “well that actually is a cult.”)