The Common Cult

The Common Cult Podcast explores subcultures that range from enthusiastic hobbyists to borderline cult-like groups. Join hosts Eryn and Heather on a sometimes zany, sometimes serious, sometimes contemplative journey as they explore and discuss these subcultures.

Ep. 63 Parenting Philosophies 05/26/2022

Ep. 63 Parenting Philosophies Are people too fanatical about their parenting philosophies? How fanatical is TOO fanatical? Why do parenting style evoke so much emotion? What type of parenting style resonates with you? Listen in this week and we tacking this tough topic and share our own experiences. /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/23218082

EP. 62 Cookie Con 05/05/2022

EP. 62 Cookie Con Today we are getting cookie crazy! What is the sugary + delicious cousin to comic con? Cookie Con! Today we are telling you all about this delectable event and hobby that draws thousands and makes millions. But is it a cult? Tune in to hear our take! /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/23008799

EP. 61 Entourage Cults 04/21/2022

EP. 61 Entourage Cults This week we are discussing a concept we are calling "encourage cults." What made people fall for the likes of Anna Delvey and other recently con artists? What roles to cult leader and celebrity entourages play? Also, what real life entourages can you name? Listen in this week to hear us discuss! /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/22842062

Ep. 60 Cultural Narratives 04/07/2022

Ep. 60 Cultural Narratives Cultural narratives is buzzy term that's getting thrown around these days. What exactly does it mean and are there some culty aspects to cultural narratives? What's the difference between a cultural and a personal narrative and where do they intertwine? These are just a few of the questions we are getting into in this week's episode. /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/22693895

Ep. 59 Kids Sports 03/17/2022

Ep. 59 Kids Sports Do you have a kid that plays sports? Or perhaps you are an outsider looking in wondering why people will spend thousands of dollars and loads on time on kid's sporting endeavors? Ever seen any questionable behavior at a sporting event and wonder what could motivate someone to act out of character? This week we're tacking the topic of kids sports and asking ourselves if this is something that can dip into culty territory. /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/22462019

Ep. 58 HOAs, Neighborhood Facebook Groups, and Next Door, Oh My! 03/03/2022

Ep. 58 HOAs, Neighborhood Facebook Groups, and Next Door, Oh My! Why do people take on new persona's in neighborhood Facebook groups? Are HOAs really necessary? What's the craziest thing you've ever seen go down on NextDoor, and what is landscape bullying??? Who loves the HOA and who doesn't? Listen in to hear us get in IRL and online neighborhood drama! /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/22318796

Ep. 57 - Shibboleth 02/17/2022

Ep. 57 - Shibboleth What's in a name? Ever notice that certain words have connotations even completely out of context? This week we are talking about the importance of language and how certain words can take on connotations AKA "Shibboleth" and how this can play out in culty organizations. /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/22146608

Ep. 56 Couponers 02/03/2022

Ep. 56 Couponers Listen in this week as we discuss the interesting world of couponers! From the casual coupon consumer to extreme couponing, these are a passionate bunch that love saving money. /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/21987089

Ep. 55 State of the Union 11/18/2021

Ep. 55 State of the Union Hello wonderful listeners! Today is our last episode of 2021! In this episode we share some personal updates and let you know what's in store for next year! We also reminisce over our favorite episodes over the last year and share some of our favorite things! /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/21197639

Ep. 54 Why I left with Megan Cox - Part 2 11/11/2021

Ep. 54 Why I left with Megan Cox - Part 2 This week is part two of Megan's incredible story of her experience with The Weigh Down and Remnant Fellowship. Listen in as she continues her story of how she got involved, what she experienced and why she left. /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/21122639

Ep. 53 Why I left with Megan Cox 11/04/2021

Ep. 53 Why I left with Megan Cox Join us and we have a conversation with Megan Cox about her experience with the Remnant Fellowship. The Remnant is the cult like group that is the focus of the HBO series "The Weigh Down." Today Megan talks about her experiences, what drew her in, and ultimately, what caused her to break away. You don't want to miss it. /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/21045875

Ep. 52 Satanic Panic 10/28/2021

Ep. 52 Satanic Panic Remember the Satanic Panic of the 90s? What was THAT all about, and is it still alive and well today? Listen in as we share what we thought we knew about Satanic Panic, how it plays out today, and how cult like behavior gets involved. You don't want to miss it! /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/20952140

Ep. 51 Aura Readings 10/21/2021

Ep. 51 Aura Readings What color are you? Is it possible to tell anything about a person from the color of their aura? What even IS an aura? Listen in this week as we talk about auras, aura readings, and whether or not we deem it pure fun, problematic, or somewhere in between! /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/20886410

Ep. 50 Astrology 10/14/2021

Ep. 50 Astrology What's your sign? This week we are covering all things astrology! Is it culty or a harmless belief system? Can celestial bodies influence our self actualization? Listen in as we share are honest biases and discuss a brief history of astrology and how it influences our culture today. /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/20798567

Ep 49 Crystals 10/07/2021

Ep 49 Crystals We're getting into the October spirit by deep diving all things mystical and occult-adjacent and we're starting with crystals! Can crystals heal your headaches or bring you abundance? Or are they just a sparkly tchotchke with good vibes? Listen in as we talk about the history of crystals and their role in spiritual healing and eastern and western medicine. As usual we ask, is this a little bit culty and how do we feel about it? /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/20718332

Ep. 48 Are Cults Ever Good? 09/30/2021

Ep. 48 Are Cults Ever Good? When you hear the world "cult" the first words that come to mind for most people are words like weird, scary, and whacky. But there's this saying, "no one ever joins a cult." This is because there's usually some kind of draw like community, meaning, or belonging. Do cults or cult like groups ever offer anything beneficial? This is what we're exploring this week. Enjoy! /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/20630876

Ep. 47 Generational Boxes 09/23/2021

Ep. 47 Generational Boxes The Silent Generation, Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z...these are the generational boxes that we find at the center some meme culture that fuel "culture wars." But are these wars even real? Listen as we break down the characteristics of these generational boxes and discuss our own biases, thoughts, and experiences. We'll ask the question: "Are these labels helpful or harmful?" /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/20567927

Ep. 46 Manifesting Babes 09/16/2021

Ep. 46 Manifesting Babes You are what you think about. Like attracts like. You can manifest your own reality. Do you resonate with these phrases? Can manifesting culture be problematic? This week we are taking on the topic of "Manifesting Babes" or, more alternatively, internet manifesting culture and how it's influenced our own lives, how it's helped us, and how it's influence has played out in negative ways. We have a LOT of feelings and experiences about and with manifesting, and we hope you'll enjoy our conversation today. /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/20485694

Ep. 45 Cults of the News 09/09/2021

Ep. 45 Cults of the News Does the news feel culty to you these days? Do you feel like it's a lot of work to find balanced news sources? You are not alone. In this episode we discuss how news and news consumption has changed over the years and why it can feel culty these days. The answer, as always, more nuanced than you might think! Hope you enjoy! /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/20409869

Ep. 44 Planner People 09/02/2021

Ep. 44 Planner People Did you know September is the new January? Next to the beginning of the year, the start of school and the fall season marks the next most popular time to purchase a new planner which means this is the perfect time to talk about planner people! Are you a planner person? What are the most popular types of planners and why do they have such cult followings? This week, we talk about this, the cult of productivity, our favorite planners, the root of Eryn's distaste for planners and so much more! /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/20327555

Ep. 43 High School Friends: Cliques or Cults? 08/26/2021

Ep. 43 High School Friends: Cliques or Cults? It's back to school time which means it's the perfect time to do a show that's been in our back pocket for a while: high school cliques! Whether you loved or hated high school, the friend groups you were associated with likely shaped your experience. What it is about high school cliques that can feel a little culty? Listen in as we chat about it and spill about our own high school experiences. /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/20264762

Ep. 42 Absolute Certainty 08/19/2021

Ep. 42 Absolute Certainty In a world where people can be absolutely certain about absolutely everything, we think the culty characteristic of holding tight to certainty is one worthy of discussion. It's time for another "Culty Characteristics" show and this week we are talking about what absolutely certainty means, why it's a culty characteristics, and where it shows up in everyday life and culture. /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/20183135

Ep. 41 The Cult of Motherhood + Raising Yourself with Sarah Bragg 08/12/2021

Ep. 41 The Cult of Motherhood + Raising Yourself with Sarah Bragg Join us this week for a very special conversation with author and podcaster, Sarah Bragg. We talk about Sarah's new book, the cult of motherhood, what it means to raise yourself, finding your security and confidence in motherhood, minimizing polling when making decisions, and so much more. We hope you enjoy this special treat of a conversation! /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/20096057

Ep. 40 Burning Man 08/05/2021

Ep. 40 Burning Man Is Burning Man a cult? What even IS Burning Man? What compels people to go out into the dessert and abandon their sense of reality and self? Listen in this week as we break down Burning Man for you. We share the facts, the hilarity, and decide whether or not this debaucherous festival is a cult. CONTENT WARNING: while there is no explicit language in this episode, there is lots of talk about sex, nudity and drugs so consider yourself warned! /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/20011886

Episode 39: WeWork & Cultwatch Preview 07/22/2021

Episode 39: WeWork & Cultwatch Preview This topic has had documentaries and books written about it's culty activity! You may or may not have heard of WeWork (and you probably have not heard of Church of the Master Angels), so join Heather and Eryn as they deep dive both in an old episode of their Patreon show Cult Watch! Heather & Eryn will be back soon with new common cult and true cult content after a couple weeks break! See you August 5 or join them at www.patreon.com/commoncultpod /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/19874021

Ep. 38 The One About Cancel Culture 07/15/2021

Ep. 38 The One About Cancel Culture Is cancel culture a real issue? What's the difference between cancel culture and holding someone accountable? What does it even MEAN to cancel someone? What's the venn diagram between cancel culture and common cults? Listen in this week as we work it out. /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/19797602

Ep. 37 Book People + 10 Common Cults We've Joined with Laura Tremaine 07/08/2021

Ep. 37 Book People + 10 Common Cults We've Joined with Laura Tremaine Today we are chatting with author, blogger, and podcaster Laura Tremaine! In today's conversation we talk about her new book Share Your Stuff, I'll Go First. We talk about the cult of bookstagram and book people and we share books we've read with a cult-like following. We discuss whether or not they were worth the hype. Then, in true Laura Tremaine style, we end our conversation with a list: 10 culty things we've done. This conversation was SO much fun. Enjoy! /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/19737452

TCC 36-Good Neighbors - 6 25 21 11.27 PM 07/01/2021

TCC 36-Good Neighbors - 6 25 21 11.27 PM This week is a Common Cult bookclub discussion with the author Sarah Langan! What happens when a suburban neighborhood has to deal with a missing child, a too-close-to-home environmental issue, misfit neighbors, and an unhinged ringleader? Listen in as we break it down with the author herself! This book hits on so many themes that we discuss on the show and we can't wait for you to share Sarah's wisdom and creativity with you. NOTE: spoilers in the back half of the interview but we will warn you! Enjoy! /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/19616633

Ep. 35 Fraternities and Sororities 06/24/2021

Ep. 35 Fraternities and Sororities When you think about something that is not technically a cult but a lot like a cult, fraternities and sororities are right up there in things that light up our cult-o-meters. Full disclosure: we were both a part of sorority! Listen in this week as we check our biases and talk about some of the nuance and seriousness of the problematic parts of these organizations. Are fraternities and sororities borderline cults? Listen in a decide! /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/19573022

Ep. 34 The Glorification of Entrepreneurship 06/17/2021

Ep. 34 The Glorification of Entrepreneurship Is it just us, or does it seems like in our culture entrepreneurship is touted as THE pathway to riches, happiness, and freedom? Listen in this week as we discuss this and the intersection of cults and the glorification of entrepreneurship. /episode/index/show/commoncultpod/id/19477772

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