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Do As I Say
- How Cults Control, Why We Join Them, and What They Teach Us About Bullying, Abuse and Coercion
- Narrated by: Sarah Steel
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
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Do As I Say
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Summary
At the heart of being human is the desire to belong. It can make us unspeakably vulnerable to the manipulations of others. Cult leaders prey on this desire, but so do many unscrupulous operators hiding in plain sight.
Sarah Steel, the creator of the popular 'Let's Talk About Sects' podcast, has researched the cults you've heard of—and dozens you haven't. What strikes her most are not the differences between bizarre cult behaviour and 'normal' behaviour but the depressing similarities. Her work reveals that we are all susceptible to the power of cult dynamics.
In Do As I Say, Sarah Steel tells the human tale behind the sensationalism. Sharing deeply personal stories, gathered over years of interviews with survivors, and some shocking tales about the world's most famous cults, she sheds light on the high cost of unchecked coercive behaviours to individuals and communities at large.
Critic reviews
"Sarah uses the stories of survivors to tease out the common threads of coercive control shared by cults and found in other parts of society. The result is a much-needed spotlight on the behaviours and personalities we are likely to encounter even if we never go anywhere near a cult." (David Gillespie, best-selling author and lawyer)
"In times of uncertainty when you long for simple answers and have a deep desire for community, you can find yourself incrementally handing over your agency to a charismatic but authoritarian and manipulative leader or group-think. In this book Sarah Steel has brilliantly charted how this happens in all sorts of ways and for all sorts of people; it provides an invaluable map to navigate this dangerous terrain." (Reverend Tim Costello AO)
"This book is a most comprehensive and studied look at cults, the leaders, and perhaps most importantly the survivors. Sarah Steel has given the world a real gem—one that will not only educate but also help to destigmatize those who have been harmed by cults and con artists. Bravo!" (Dr Janja Lalich, cult expert, academic and former cult member)
What listeners say about Do As I Say
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 29-03-24
Outstanding
A thoughtful, compassionate and intelligent book, exploring cults and the culture that makes them possible. I am a regular listener to the podcast, but wasn't sure if the author had the academic chops to write a full length book which is more than a series of episodes. I was wrong. Though easily accessible to a wide audience, this book has serious thoughts on not just the niche world of cults, but our wider society. Thanks immensely to the author.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- DUNCAN
- 09-08-23
An excellent listen, combining personal and themes from wider cult experiences
This was a really excellent thematic take on Sarah’s excellent podcast series. What set this work apart for me, was the juxtaposition of Sarah’s own personal experiences with all the experiences gathered first hand from former cult members. It’s a good riposte to those who may pick up a book/audiobook like this and dismiss that they would never fall for the charms of cult leaders, since cult behaviour is actually all around us in the form of control. Highly recommended and look forward to more from Sarah (disclosure: I am a friend of the author!).
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Richard
- 29-11-22
An Excellent Introduction
If you have become interested in the whole area of cults and coercive control then this is an absolutely excellent introduction. There are many very good books and podcasts which retell the stories of the well-known cults (Jonestown, Waco, Heaven's Gate, etc) but if you are looking for something that provides more of an analysis of the themes which underlie all of these stories, as well as the many less well-known cult stories, then this is the book to go for.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- J. Pearcey
- 11-08-22
Excellent discussion about Cult behaviour
This was a brilliant carefully considered and careful discussion about cults and the various psychological issues related to high demand groups. It's intelligence and thoughtfulness are remarkable and beautiful. Hard going in places, but exactly as it should be.
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