Chapter I. Foundation
September 1970. It was on this day that Charles Manson stood trial for murder in handcuffs. A year earlier, he had inspired his followers to carry out a series of brutal crimes. One thing cannot be denied — he used his opportunities to the fullest. He was an actor in life and immersed himself in his role deeper than anyone could have imagined. Are you ready to learn how Charles became a “legend”? It all began with choosing the right priorities.
LESSON 1. EMBRACE YOUR CALLING
It is impossible to become the leader of a cult if you don’t stand out from others. The most successful leaders declare and truly believe that they are not like everyone else. In other words, all cult leaders, without exception, are pathological narcissists who couldn’t care less about anyone but themselves. Below are the proofs that the best gurus have thought only about themselves, almost since birth. In his childhood, James Warren “Jim” Jones (May 13, 1931 — November 18, 1978), the American preacher and founder of the destructive cult “People’s Temple,” used to make his younger brothers follow his orders and would beat them with a stick if they refused.
When Shoko Asahara, the founder of the “Aum Shinrikyo” cult (which is banned in Russia), attended a Japanese school for the visually impaired, he would extort pocket money from his classmates under the pretext of paying for his protection. Meanwhile, Reverend Sun Myung Moon, the South Korean religious leader and founder of the new religious movement “Unification Church,” known for conducting mass “blessing ceremonies” of marriages, claimed that on Easter Sunday, when he was sixteen years old, Jesus appeared before him and told him that Moon was the new messenger of God, who was to complete what Jesus had started. However, Jesus did not show such interest in the young Charles Manson.
Manson was born an unwanted child: he was born in Cincinnati, without knowing his father, to a troubled mother. Charlie was still an infant when his mother and uncle were arrested for robbery and sent to a prison in West Virginia. He then moved to another uncle and aunt in a small town called McMechen. It was a remote place, and it was here that Manson’s calling began to form.
Charlie was only five years old when he moved to his relatives, but he already knew how to stand up for himself. As the new kid, he immediately became the “scapegoat” at school: he was bullied, beaten, and had his pocket money and sweets taken. Manson thirsted for revenge, but he couldn’t do it alone, so he used his natural talent — his ability to persuade. He found those who showed sympathy and used his charm. A couple of days later, Charlie’s new friends took revenge. When they ended up in the principal’s office, the girls who defended Charlie claimed that he had been their instigator. Manson denied everything and very convincingly. The principal believed him, and thus Charles avoided responsibility, cementing his role as a villain while all the blame was placed on his accomplices. Finding your strong side is a good start, but a cult leader needs more than just the right attitude. In addition to that, they need to create a unique belief system that will be built around themselves. And don’t limit your imagination.
LESSON 2. DEFINE THE DOGMA
Cults come in various forms: there are religious cults, self-help cults that revolve around the cult of success, where everyone worships achievements; there are esoteric cults that extol spirituality, and finally, there are cults where there is no single ideology that everyone follows it’s more about the cult of personality. Choose what resonates with you. The most important thing to remember is that “truth” must be presented persuasively. Cult leaders choose the position that benefits them. You need to find a small piece of truth and make yourself believe in it. Still, don’t expect to accomplish this overnight. Perhaps you will need some time to become a hermit, dive into deep contemplation, and reflect. In the case of Manson, this place became prison. Charles ended up there after attempting car theft, but he didn’t waste time. Prison was an excellent place for learning, and he absorbed everything like a sponge. There, Charles met pimps who became his idols. These guys had a lot to teach. But there were also other sources of knowledge, such as the prison library. The time Charles spent behind bars was dedicated to searching for himself. He studied Buddhist teachings, the idea of the Wheel of Samsara from Hinduism, and even a new philosophy promising to unlock human potential — Scientology.
Added to this were the songs of his favorite band, The Beatles, which he became increasingly fascinated with. It became a heterogeneous mix, but for Charlie, all of this became his guiding star to enlightenment. The secret ingredient came from an even more unusual source. The most popular course in American prisons was Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. The course was so popular that prisons had waiting lists for those wanting to enroll. Manson was a big fan of it. Carnegie had useful advice: for instance, let your conversation partner speak more, let them feel important, and call them by their name often — everyone likes that. Even if you disagree with something, don’t tell people they’re wrong just ask questions and make them think that your thoughts are their own. Sales techniques, emotional manipulation all of this would come in handy for a budding cult leader. These methods worked for Carnegie and then for Charles Manson. With the help of the master of sales, he created his own teachings, but to fully captivate the human imagination, you need to add a little sparkle. This guide will tell you about that too.
LESSON 3. CREATE YOUR OWN PERSONA
