Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 9, No. 1, 2010, Page 100
Creativity and Cults from Sociological and Communication
Perspectives: The Processes Involved in the Birth of a
Secret Creative Self1
Miriam Williams Boeri, Ph.D.
Kennesaw State University
Karen Pressley
Kennesaw State University
Abstract
We employ three interrelated concepts drawn from sociology and
communication theories to explore the processes involved in the birth of a
secret creative self: a symbolic interactionist understanding of self, a cultural-
studies understanding of power relations, and a sociological understanding of
cults as total institutions. We start with the assumption that all individuals
develop a creative self that expresses itself in varying degrees, dependent on
different social environments. We posit that individual creativity is suppressed
in cult environments, and that power dynamics that result in extreme
suppression can also stimulate individuals to birth a secret creative self. As
case studies supporting our hypotheses, we used our own experiences as
members of two different cults: the Children of God and the Church of
Scientology. We suggest that after one leaves a cult, a secret creative self
(sCS) may develop into a strong creative self (SCS) that is more resistant to
power dynamics outside the cult. Our findings suggest that the birth (and life)
of a secret creative self in a suppressive environment such as a cult may
result in a strong creative self when the individual is free of the suppression.
Introduction
The authors of this paper are former members of two different cults: the Children of God
and the Church of Scientology. Using theories and concepts drawn from social sciences
(sociology and communication), we use our own life experiences in this paper to show how
suppressive environments of cults as total institutions—defined as places (e.g., prisons,
asylums, boarding schools) where people are physically isolated from normal activities by
being bureaucratically processed and required to sleep, work, and play within the confines
of the same institution (Goffman, 1961)—may be fertile ground for birthing a secret creative
self. Although a person may have been creative prior to the cult experience, this paper does
not address the existence of a creative self in circumstances that may occur prior to a
person‘s involvement in a cult. We examine the effects of power dynamics, cult hegemony,
the lack of a cult member‘s self-sovereignty, and the charismatic leader‘s power to label the
member as noncreative or to diminish the member‘s creative abilities as contributing factors
that may cause a secret creative self to birth and develop within the cult. Moreover, through
the case studies in this paper, we show how the secret creative self has the potential to
develop into a strong creative self that is more resistant to power dynamics in post-cult
social environments. We employ several interrelated concepts drawn from sociology and
communication perspectives to explain the processes involved in the birthing and
development of a secret creative self in a cult, and the hegemony and power dynamics
between cult leaders and members.
We have used the development of self as proposed in symbolic interactionist (SI) theory
(Blumer, 1969 Cooley, 1902 James, 1950 Mead, 1934) to explain how a secret creative
Creativity and Cults from Sociological and Communication
Perspectives: The Processes Involved in the Birth of a
Secret Creative Self1
Miriam Williams Boeri, Ph.D.
Kennesaw State University
Karen Pressley
Kennesaw State University
Abstract
We employ three interrelated concepts drawn from sociology and
communication theories to explore the processes involved in the birth of a
secret creative self: a symbolic interactionist understanding of self, a cultural-
studies understanding of power relations, and a sociological understanding of
cults as total institutions. We start with the assumption that all individuals
develop a creative self that expresses itself in varying degrees, dependent on
different social environments. We posit that individual creativity is suppressed
in cult environments, and that power dynamics that result in extreme
suppression can also stimulate individuals to birth a secret creative self. As
case studies supporting our hypotheses, we used our own experiences as
members of two different cults: the Children of God and the Church of
Scientology. We suggest that after one leaves a cult, a secret creative self
(sCS) may develop into a strong creative self (SCS) that is more resistant to
power dynamics outside the cult. Our findings suggest that the birth (and life)
of a secret creative self in a suppressive environment such as a cult may
result in a strong creative self when the individual is free of the suppression.
Introduction
The authors of this paper are former members of two different cults: the Children of God
and the Church of Scientology. Using theories and concepts drawn from social sciences
(sociology and communication), we use our own life experiences in this paper to show how
suppressive environments of cults as total institutions—defined as places (e.g., prisons,
asylums, boarding schools) where people are physically isolated from normal activities by
being bureaucratically processed and required to sleep, work, and play within the confines
of the same institution (Goffman, 1961)—may be fertile ground for birthing a secret creative
self. Although a person may have been creative prior to the cult experience, this paper does
not address the existence of a creative self in circumstances that may occur prior to a
person‘s involvement in a cult. We examine the effects of power dynamics, cult hegemony,
the lack of a cult member‘s self-sovereignty, and the charismatic leader‘s power to label the
member as noncreative or to diminish the member‘s creative abilities as contributing factors
that may cause a secret creative self to birth and develop within the cult. Moreover, through
the case studies in this paper, we show how the secret creative self has the potential to
develop into a strong creative self that is more resistant to power dynamics in post-cult
social environments. We employ several interrelated concepts drawn from sociology and
communication perspectives to explain the processes involved in the birthing and
development of a secret creative self in a cult, and the hegemony and power dynamics
between cult leaders and members.
We have used the development of self as proposed in symbolic interactionist (SI) theory
(Blumer, 1969 Cooley, 1902 James, 1950 Mead, 1934) to explain how a secret creative
