[The Second Take] What Exists Among Us but Not in "Suriname"

More Calculated Than Jeon Yo-hwan: How Cults Exploit Social Influence
Binding Followers With Distorted and Fabricated Information
A Widespread Phenomenon Even in Our Daily Lives

In the Netflix series "Suriname," Jeon Yo-hwan (played by Hwang Jung-min) is a cult pastor. He quickly commands 12,000 followers.

The secret lies in his eloquence and drugs. He mixes methamphetamine into the holy water he offers while preaching salvation. The crime of addiction continues even in Suriname, where he has fled. He controls his followers with cocaine, which is more toxic and addictive than methamphetamine.

"In this land of Suriname, where the descendants of Noah who will save good people from the material tribulation promised in the Bible live, we will create heaven on earth. Hallelujah!"

The idea of binding followers with drugs is extreme. The fundamental reason people fall into cults lies elsewhere. It is social influence, a change in behavior caused by pressure from others in real or imagined situations. It drives people through conformity, compliance, and obedience.

Generally, people want to make the right choices during significant changes. Cults provide new information using authority and peers that influence judgment. They induce devotion to the group's aligned goals. Among followers, consensus on what is right or wrong is absolute. Communication with outsiders who might disrupt this is blocked, creating a reality that is difficult to resist.

British author Charles Mackay (1814?1889) listed dozens of examples in his 1841 book "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds." Most cases share the common trait of contagion. Madness that begins in one person or group quickly engulfs nearly everyone. It spreads rapidly among those observing strange behavior and eventually sweeps away even those who remain to verify its legitimacy. A representative example is a soldier named Bell who predicted a major earthquake in London in 1761.

At the time, moderate earthquakes occurred in London at monthly intervals. Bell predicted a large earthquake would soon strike, causing the city to collapse. Initially, no one paid attention. But some people, fearing the earthquake might actually happen, evacuated their families and property to nearby areas. Others began to waver. However, on the day Bell predicted, nothing happened in London. People blamed and resented Bell and returned to the city.

The crowd’s anger was misplaced; it should not have been directed at Bell. What moved them was the image they saw of each other as London citizens. "Social Psychology," co-authored by Robert Cialdini, Douglas Kenrick, and Steven Neuberg, explains this phenomenon as follows:

"We feel that when many people engage in a behavior, it is more justified. People caught in mass delusions rely on this social proof to engage in highly irrational behavior. It is not because of solid evidence but because many choose that behavior, making even irrational actions seem like the right choice."

This is a common phenomenon around us. People distort and fabricate clear facts, yet defend and worship them. They even throw stones at media outlets reporting the truth. Blind faith that doubts nothing causes other problems.

Those who have escaped cults realize they deceived themselves and were trapped in a harmful environment. This is not easy under the shadow of social influence. Therefore, those dedicated to social welfare often use social influence in reverse to help people escape. They provide new reference groups, values, and a sense of purpose that can replace the cult’s indoctrination and brainwashing process.

Of course, insights gained from scientific research cannot guarantee all liberation. As always, the priority is for individuals to plan how to apply new knowledge they accept.