About 15 years ago, I was listening to a podcast that was largely about economic philosophy and personal freedoms. High on the libertarian views and it appealed

About 15 years ago, I was listening to a podcast that was largely about economic philosophy and personal freedoms. High on the libertarian views and it appealed to me at the time. I heard about a meeting organized by the people who made that podcast and decided to check it out. The podcast and related organization were connected to a property investment system at the height of the housing bubble. My wife decided to go with me. We met in the basement of an unfurnished house. There was an American Flag on a free-standing pole. We said the pledge of allegiance and I think there might have been an ambiguous prayer. Then we watched a video of some sort by the founder of the podcast. The experience was very weird. It set off my “this is weird” alarms which made me step away from it. The founder eventually went to prison for running a Ponzi scheme. I think people very much want to belong to a group, and be told that the way they view the world is right. And there are plenty of people who are happy to tell you you’re right and you belong if you’ll just offer yourself up to them.