Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 5, No. 1 1988 Page 52
Utopia as a Bicameral Normative System
As a utopian movement, for whatever reason, fashions and utilizes a totalist environment, its
surface allurements begin to evaporate. Idealistic visions of utopia contrast starkly with the
pragmatic maintenance of utopia. Equality, freedom of expression and thought, the atmosphere
of love and caring, and the wholesome development of individuality often get in the way of
utopia's pragmatic goals. Yet the utopia‘s ideals are its main attraction and they cannot be thrown
away without losing its unique purpose as the over thrower of ideology. The abstract idealism of
utopia gives little practical support for adequately managing utopia.
The conflict between panacea and pragmatism is resolved by the creation of a bicameral
normative system. Bicamerality is defined here as a dual set of norms in operation at the same
time, with the surface norms subservient to the deeper, hidden designs and purposes of an
organization or group. Surface norms stress the idealism and the righteousness of the cause.
Below the surface, however, are a set of underlying norms that efficiently run the organization.
In a bicameral system, boundary maintenance is the crucial interface between successful
recruitment outside legitimation, and the suppression or cloaking of underlying structural norms
and strategies. Within OASIS, the most crucial boundary, and the one with the most rigid
controls, centers around out-going and in-coming information. This boundary is not focused
primarily on mass media, however, but specifically on conversations to and from individuals -
from outsiders to members, from members to outside individuals, and even from one member to
another. Controlling information is the key to the maintenance of purity within the organization
and the prevention of negative or dangerous ideologies from entering. An elaborate dual system
of information is thus in operation, one for potential members, public relations, and legitimization
purposes and another for the actual members of the sect
The Functions of a Bicameral Normative System
The leadership of a utopian movement produces bicamerality as a reaction to the perceived
infiltration of dangerous ideological perspectives. Because this infiltration can take place from
without or from within, an atmosphere of suspicion and watchfulness comes to permeate the
movement
When individual members question the leadership about extremes of sect teaching or behavior,
they are most often met with childlike guidelines for dealing with their confusion. The sect
emphasizes simple submission, unquestioning obedience and childlike trust, as well as member
acceptance of the belief that their ―untrained‖ ability for spiritual discernment renders their
opinions and concerns unwarranted or ―worldly.‖ They are taught to distrust their own
perceptions and observations.
A stress on loyalty by sect leadership indicates the prevalence of a wide variety of disconfirming
information that is perceived to be damaging to the sect. Continual collective efforts to rationalize
disconfirming information of behaviors through public teaching and publishing most often result
These underlying norms are sometimes innocuous and non-threatening, and members can
function freely, oblivious to the implications of the norms. However, when these norms impinge
upon the personal freedom of an individual, the whole atmosphere of a member's world can
change. As an individual attempts to readjust the ―norm‖ to fit his own conscience, he falls out of
line with the group. As he begins to voice his right to behave differently, -especially, he argues,
in areas of liberty -he becomes labeled as dangerous or a threat. He can yield to group pressure
and deny his perceptions or beliefs, or he can pursue his ―demonic thinking,‖ bring about an
organizational crisis, and activate the deviance production process. He then becomes subject to
the deeper, control-oriented norms of the bicameral system.
The cyclic organizational crises generated by deviants are used to instruct members on the sect‘s
underlying values and norms, which might not be readily accepted in a low-tension environment.
Utopia as a Bicameral Normative System
As a utopian movement, for whatever reason, fashions and utilizes a totalist environment, its
surface allurements begin to evaporate. Idealistic visions of utopia contrast starkly with the
pragmatic maintenance of utopia. Equality, freedom of expression and thought, the atmosphere
of love and caring, and the wholesome development of individuality often get in the way of
utopia's pragmatic goals. Yet the utopia‘s ideals are its main attraction and they cannot be thrown
away without losing its unique purpose as the over thrower of ideology. The abstract idealism of
utopia gives little practical support for adequately managing utopia.
The conflict between panacea and pragmatism is resolved by the creation of a bicameral
normative system. Bicamerality is defined here as a dual set of norms in operation at the same
time, with the surface norms subservient to the deeper, hidden designs and purposes of an
organization or group. Surface norms stress the idealism and the righteousness of the cause.
Below the surface, however, are a set of underlying norms that efficiently run the organization.
In a bicameral system, boundary maintenance is the crucial interface between successful
recruitment outside legitimation, and the suppression or cloaking of underlying structural norms
and strategies. Within OASIS, the most crucial boundary, and the one with the most rigid
controls, centers around out-going and in-coming information. This boundary is not focused
primarily on mass media, however, but specifically on conversations to and from individuals -
from outsiders to members, from members to outside individuals, and even from one member to
another. Controlling information is the key to the maintenance of purity within the organization
and the prevention of negative or dangerous ideologies from entering. An elaborate dual system
of information is thus in operation, one for potential members, public relations, and legitimization
purposes and another for the actual members of the sect
The Functions of a Bicameral Normative System
The leadership of a utopian movement produces bicamerality as a reaction to the perceived
infiltration of dangerous ideological perspectives. Because this infiltration can take place from
without or from within, an atmosphere of suspicion and watchfulness comes to permeate the
movement
When individual members question the leadership about extremes of sect teaching or behavior,
they are most often met with childlike guidelines for dealing with their confusion. The sect
emphasizes simple submission, unquestioning obedience and childlike trust, as well as member
acceptance of the belief that their ―untrained‖ ability for spiritual discernment renders their
opinions and concerns unwarranted or ―worldly.‖ They are taught to distrust their own
perceptions and observations.
A stress on loyalty by sect leadership indicates the prevalence of a wide variety of disconfirming
information that is perceived to be damaging to the sect. Continual collective efforts to rationalize
disconfirming information of behaviors through public teaching and publishing most often result
These underlying norms are sometimes innocuous and non-threatening, and members can
function freely, oblivious to the implications of the norms. However, when these norms impinge
upon the personal freedom of an individual, the whole atmosphere of a member's world can
change. As an individual attempts to readjust the ―norm‖ to fit his own conscience, he falls out of
line with the group. As he begins to voice his right to behave differently, -especially, he argues,
in areas of liberty -he becomes labeled as dangerous or a threat. He can yield to group pressure
and deny his perceptions or beliefs, or he can pursue his ―demonic thinking,‖ bring about an
organizational crisis, and activate the deviance production process. He then becomes subject to
the deeper, control-oriented norms of the bicameral system.
The cyclic organizational crises generated by deviants are used to instruct members on the sect‘s
underlying values and norms, which might not be readily accepted in a low-tension environment.
