Concept Problem of Cult

The intellectual dead-end you reach when the word "cult" expands to describe literally everything, rendering it conceptually meaningless. If every fitness program, skincare brand, political party, and hobby group is a "cult," then the term stops identifying a specific, dangerous type of social organization and just becomes a lazy synonym for "things people are really into that I don't like". This overuse is a "Concept Problem" because it destroys the word's analytical utility. We end up in pointless debates about whether "Swifties are a cult" instead of using a clear, evidence-based model (like the BITE model of authoritarian control) to identify groups that actually destroy autonomy and cause harm.

Example: "The podcast spent two hours debating if 'CrossFit is a cult.' That's the whole Concept Problem of Cult right there. Instead of applying a real framework for control, they just listed things members are passionate about. By that logic, my grandma's intense bridge club is a cult because they have a strict hierarchy, special jargon, and think all other card games are inferior. The word means nothing now except 'organized enthusiasm that seems weird to outsiders.'"

by AbzuInExile January 31, 2026