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Never heard "cult compound" in this context so far and by thinking about it I really think it better fits then "walled garden". "Walled garden" sounds like you

Never heard "cult compound" in this context so far and by thinking about it I really think it better fits then "walled garden". "Walled garden" sounds like you go there because of its beauty or for getting the best crops while in reality you go there because it's the most crowded place.

Karunamon 10y ago
It's also one hell of a loaded term with things like Heavens Gate and Jim Jones having existed. To my knowledge, Facebook has yet to cause a mass suicide by people worshiping Zuckerberg.
- fucking_tragedy 10y ago
  Facebook has convinced millions of people to give up vast amounts of private information to an apparatus that would make the Stasi or KGB drool. Part of cult indoctrination is giving up personal and private information, documents, secrets and property to participate and become part of the whole. Meanwhile, leaders profit from the property and information given up and use secrets to blackmail or breakdown an individual's identity so they become dependent on the group.
  - Karunamon 10y ago
    Yes yes yes, make your descriptors fuzzy enough and you can compare anything with anything else. Here's a list of actual cult characteristics [1]. The comparison is an idiotic one to make. [1]: http://www.anandainfo.com/cult_checklist.html http://www.anandainfo.com/cult_checklist.html
dragonwriter 10y ago
> "Walled garden" sounds like you go there because of its beauty or for getting the best crops Which is exactly why people go to them. > while in reality you go there because it's the most crowded place. Directly true of social networks (where the "crop" is "people you can interact with through the network"), perhaps less directly true of some other walled gardens (though network effects are a thing.) But also directly opposite of what you'd expect from a "cult compound", which people go more to escape what is most popular, than to experience what is most popular.
- schlowmo 10y ago
  > "But also directly opposite of what you'd expect from a "cult compound", which people go more to escape what is most popular, than to experience what is most popular." Agreed, I thought of this point while sending my comment but wasn't sure how to put that in words. So maybe it's the "most crowded garden party".

Karunamon 10y ago

It's also one hell of a loaded term with things like Heavens Gate and Jim Jones having existed. To my knowledge, Facebook has yet to cause a mass suicide by people worshiping Zuckerberg.

fucking_tragedy 10y ago
Facebook has convinced millions of people to give up vast amounts of private information to an apparatus that would make the Stasi or KGB drool. Part of cult indoctrination is giving up personal and private information, documents, secrets and property to participate and become part of the whole. Meanwhile, leaders profit from the property and information given up and use secrets to blackmail or breakdown an individual's identity so they become dependent on the group.
- Karunamon 10y ago
  Yes yes yes, make your descriptors fuzzy enough and you can compare anything with anything else. Here's a list of actual cult characteristics [1]. The comparison is an idiotic one to make. [1]: http://www.anandainfo.com/cult_checklist.html http://www.anandainfo.com/cult_checklist.html

dragonwriter 10y ago

> "Walled garden" sounds like you go there because of its beauty or for getting the best crops Which is exactly why people go to them. > while in reality you go there because it's the most crowded place. Directly true of social networks (where the "crop" is "people you can interact with through the network"), perhaps less directly true of some other walled gardens (though network effects are a thing.) But also directly opposite of what you'd expect from a "cult compound", which people go more to escape what is most popular, than to experience what is most popular.

schlowmo 10y ago
> "But also directly opposite of what you'd expect from a "cult compound", which people go more to escape what is most popular, than to experience what is most popular." Agreed, I thought of this point while sending my comment but wasn't sure how to put that in words. So maybe it's the "most crowded garden party".