Cry, Bitch

 

“The Vow” started slowly. The first episode is entirely devoted to the beliefs of the Executive Success Program (ESP), the therapy-esque self-improvement curriculum operated by NXIVM....it did the work of demonstrating how smart, grounded people end up joining cults: by searching for meaning, for connection, for self-improvement. Showing viewers just how easy that process actually is was important...“The world wants to label it and judge and separate themselves from it, like ‘Oh my god, that’s terrible I would never do that.’ Sorry for my valley girl voice. ‘Keith is so evil.’ But if you do that, it doesn’t give the audience the chance to go, ‘I get it. I could see how I would have signed up for that.” 

I was turned off by "The Vow" - right from the start - because I could NOT see myself signing up for it, or any course like it. I never have, I never will, and, as far as the cult members are concerned - while "smart, grounded" self-flattering suckers might've alienated me in the past - I'm allergic to them today. I am NOT and never have been searching for meaning, or connection, or self-improvement. I'm searching for rational people, and I can't find any.