Social Cultology

An extension of cultology that examines society and social structures as systems that operate with cult-like dynamics—even when they lack a formal leader or explicit religious framework. Social cultology studies “open cults” (political parties, corporations, fandoms) and “public cults” (nationalism, consumerism, ideological movements) that demand loyalty, enforce orthodoxy, and punish dissent. It analyzes how social norms, rituals, and symbols function as control mechanisms, and how individuals internalize group beliefs as their own. Social cultology reveals that the dynamics of high‑control groups are not confined to small, isolated sects.

Example: “Using social cultology, he showed how a popular online fandom exhibited thought reform: members who questioned the star were publicly shamed, isolated, and eventually expelled.”

Social Cultology by Abzugal April 3, 2026