In modern society, many things get labeled as having a “cult-like” following.

 

Certain bands and artists in the musical world have cult-like followings, which are different normal fans. Lots of artists have fans. They listen to the music; they go to the shows. But a select few artists have cult-like followings. Taylor Swift, for example, has extremely loyal followers dubbed as “Swifties” who spend countless hours decoding the hints in her songs and social media posts to figure out when her next album is coming out or who the subject of her latest song is about.

 

So many parts of modern society have cult-like followings. Political figures have taken on more of a cult-like role in recent years. Collegiate and professional sports teams have extremely dedicated fanbases. There are clothing brands or coffee shops or grocery stores that develop cult-like followings, with people rabid for their products. There are other niche parts of popular culture where the following could be described as cult-like, such as SoulCycle or sports betting or podcasts or even religion. In today’s world, a lot of things that develop a crazed following get hit with the label of having a cult-like following. But has anyone ever stopped and really considered the meaning of that word.

 

Cult-like.

 

“Cult-like,” according to the dictionary definition, is an adjective that describes “something resembling a cult.” Is it really that simple? Should we be more concerned with the fact that things that are very prevalent in the world are so closely related to cults. Cults have existed for a while. But while these cults, such as the Manson family or Jonestown or the Branch Davidians are harrowing, they are also well documented. There’s tons of books and documentaries and podcasts that delve into these infamous cults and how they were able to spread their influence. While there is a lot that can be discerned from these cults, finding new information about historical cults today is difficult.

 

Researching people and objects with cult-like followings, though, offers a lot of intrigue. It’s obvious that there are cult-like things, where something has enough hoopla around it that people labeled it as being cult-like. But no one has taken the time to explore what exactly makes these followings “cult-like” and why they exist.

 

It’s worth asking whether these things in modern society just have some cult-like tendencies or if they are just the modern form of cults. With the evolution of technology and how connected the world is today, there are many more ways to spread influence. A cult doesn’t necessarily have to be a bunch of people moving to a commune and believing they’re building a new utopia. Cults can evolve into different forms.

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Many things with cult-like followings exist. I choose to spotlight three "cults" in my life that have had a longstanding impact on me: Trader Joe's, Sports Fandom, and Skiing. I have written three personal narrative essays about the cult-like nature of these concepts and how I have interacted with them, especially in college.

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Maybe spending hundreds of dollars on a two-day ski pass or constantly buying the latest Trader Joe's products is totally normal behavior. Maybe, it makes it obvious I'm part of a cult. It’s tough to say.

 

The point is what makes something cult-like is so undefined. It’s a gray area which has yet to be studied.

 

So, with that, let’s add some color.