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Snapping: America's Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change, 2nd Edition

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This book provides an analysis of the techniques used by cults and certain "self help" agencies to alter the personality of the client. It presents a model, using catastrophe theory, in which the person is driven to a snapping point. After this snap, the personality is drastically changed, and often it requires another snap to rectify the situation. The theory presented here is very interesting. The cases discussed include those annoying cults and "self help" groups which roam college campuses (and its good to see that the authors do not bend to political correctness and include some of the more popular groups). In addition, the effects of stress are discussed in industrial settings. And, the governments royal botch-job at Waco is examined. Personally, I consider some of the "cult deprogrammers" as heroes who have tried to uphold a person's fundamental right to freedom of thought, against the sway of politicians. The only problem I have with this book is that there never is made a distinction between genuine religious conversion and cult conversion (snapping). I do not know how such a distinction could be made, but perhaps it would be an interesting area for further research.

Understanding this book gives the reader the ability to comprehend why so many people who get into cults will stay despite obvious absurdities associated with the cult experience. The authors demonstrate that the ecstatic/illumination experience so often treasured by spiritual seekers may only be energy releases associated with the mind dealing with high stress. But when that sense of release occurs, people become wide-open to reprogramming. I gave this book to a friend who had a daughter in college who was actively being recruited by one of the more well-known cults, he gave it to her, and she in turn dropped all contact with the followers of the cult. She could see that the ecstatic experience that the cult followers were praising as a reward for all of their hard work and suffering was simply a psychological event.

This is an excellently reasearched book. All people should be familiar with this information. For people who have been "snapped" in the past, it is healing. For those being enticed to snap, it can be a savior from doing so. For those with friends or loved ones that have snapped it gives insight. For others it gives awareness. My challenge to all therapist is to become educated and/or to further research this phenomenon in great depth.

This book looks at a phenomenon that many people are reluctant to admit even happens: sudden transformations in individuals' characters precipitated specifically by the intentional manipulations of others. This book also looks beyond the manipulations of cults and considers other ways in which modern society, by the very nature of the rapid changes it is undergoing, can precipitate "snapping" or sudden personality change. I think the book tries to extrapolate its central thesis too broadly. At time the authors seem to be merely shopping around for ways to make their ideas sound even bigger and more general in their application. I would have preferred if they had maintained a more narrow focus upon cult members only and upon the ways cult members endure "snapping" and thus can sometimes also be "snapped out" of their programming. As a former member of the Unification Church (the "Moonies") I myself endured this kind of sudden transformation. It certainly needs to be taken seriously and not denied. Nevertheless, former cult members will likely find that Steven Hassan's book, "Combatting Cult Mind Control," is more useful than this book in assisting their own personal recovery.

Snapping: America's Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change is a well written, well researched book about the influences of cults, mind control, thought reform, coercive persuasion and severe pressure.

It explains well what causes people to 'snap', and it also explains how snapping is brought about in cult situations.

In addition, the book offers some hope for getting people out of these unethically influenced states of mind in the cases of cults, 'human potential' organisations, and 'self help' seminars.

Many 'human potential' organisations, and 'self help' seminars use similar methods to those employed by cults. Beware. Research them well through the Internet and through people who have done these courses beforehand. Too many sad stories are available on the 'net about the negative influence of such organisations. Not all of them are bad, but do the research beforehand.

Many of these courses promises breakthroughs. Sadly, the moment of breakthrough is often actually the moment of breakdown.

This book will give readers an understanding of sudden personality change and being educated about it is the first step to being able to do something about it if, as in my case, you have had a loved one subjected to these unethical practices.

Believe me, it is a frightening and hurtful experience. For me, it has been going on for a year. For others, sometimes it has gone on for decades.

Also, if you are interested in Jim Jones, Jonestown, and the People's Temple or David Koresh, the Branch Davidians, and the Waco tragedy, this book offers a good breakdown of what happened.

I highly recommend it. It is one of the best books on what happens to people in cults, and other situations that cause sudden personality changes.

With having a severe cult hit too close to home, this book was able to explain to me much of what happens to the people that get involved in cults, and also made me much more aware that given the right circumstances, we are all at risk if we are not educated. Very disturbing, but extremely insightful.

Cults provided the authors a research perspective on snapping and opened the door wider into areas where it flourishes less strikingly. If insight into the dynamics of the basics of how cults pull innocent people into their vortexes, this book will explain much.

I expected the book to be more broad in its research scope, but their approach into studying snapping through cults was necessary as the two authors (one with a degree in philosophy, the other, communication) broke ground in the mysteries of what was happening to people whose minds were transformed, sometimes almost overnight. As it is heavy on cults, readers can expect lots of background into the inside dynamics of all varieties of cults including Christian, Hindu, new age, and self-help. Afterward, a special chapter is devoted to snapping in general society.

There is no mention of mainstream self-help figures, and I don't think the authors would put them in their radar, but through reading this book, it is made clear that all self-help programs use the same elements as the cults, though in more moderation. There is always the charismatic leader whose energy ignites sparks in the listeners. Anthony Robbins, through his programs, entices listeners to "dream big" and, during goal setting exercises, asks them if they would like to have things like "chefs," "gardeners," and other extremely nice but extremely expensive luxuries affordable to those who "make it" financially. And, in his real-world transformation seminars, participants engage in events like fire walks to change their limiting beliefs. Indeed still others such as Dr. Oz or Joel Osteen offer services to their audience, but we learn that, as the youngest ever ordained minister-turned Oscar winning documentary maker Marjoe reveals (p.41), "It's the charisma of the evangelist that the audience believes in and comes to see." That may be obvious, but it helps to hear it straight from someone who left the industry after he saw through how his "healing powers" were phony, fraudulent, and damaging lives. More startling is when he explains that in his travels to college campuses (full of bright minds) how he explicitly tells groups that he is a phony, then proceeds still to get someone on stage, lay hands on someone in a demonstration, and cause them to drop to the floor in "healing."

Parts of the book read like a 60 minutes interview, which give the reader a point of reference beyond the authors' research and really make obvious the impact these destructive abuses take on people's lives. I was shocked to find out that the Church of Scientology's methods of auditing are, per hour gone through, more destructive (by roughly two fold) than the other cults.

What are we to do as a society about this? It's a gray area that these non-profit organizations operate in and are exploiting. The government hasn't touched the issue because the cults can claim religious persecution, even though (p. 291) "the bureau [FBI] strongly believes in mind control" said Richard Scruggs, Assistant to former Attorney General Janet Reno. The book raises tough questions, such as "Is an individual free to give up his freedom of thought?" (p. 70).

For those of us who have not directly or indirectly dealt with cults, chapter seventeen Snapping in Everyday Life cautions that there are still concerns to be had for the rest of us. The authors describe information disease, which is one component of how a mind is put at risk to snap. ID describes the overwhelming amount of input we receive every day: radio, TV, news, job stress and "countless interests competing for our attention." It causes sickness by causing our brains to surrender and just not think; the brain cannot process it all and becomes increasingly vulnerable.

Especially vulnerable are young minds, but not so much from the stress, but more the hypnotic power of television. (p.309) "A 1992 study found that children watching television for even brief periods often lapse into a 'deeply relaxed, almost semi-conscious state' that falls metabolically between resting and sleeping." Also, social skills are prone to be grossly underdeveloped.

Then also, what might the implications be for extremist groups that commit terrorist acts? We learn that leaders of these groups need not be highly trained to manufacture followers willing to give their lives and die for their cause; these tactics are not reserved for government officials and three-letter bureaus. And, we might expect only religious fanatics or naive individuals to be lead into these traps, but we learn that many groups specifically target wealthy middle-class Americans in unsuspecting places like shopping malls.

How can we spot these recruiters? How can young adults pick them out on college campuses? What are the warning signs that a friend or loved one might be in danger? In answering these questions, Snapping is an important book with a dire message.


related:
Marjoe / Thoth DVD
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Those who don't understand why people go into cults should definitely read this book. Cult leaders take advantage of basic human instincts that are present in everyone, and find people who are at vulnerable life stages who can be manipulated using this knowledge of personality. This book explains how a person can seemingly change overnight into a new personality, often with a new cult-assigned name and completely new beliefs and behavior. Since I have a loved one in a cult, I found this book especially useful.

The section on terrorists is particularly interesting, given Islam's current push to brainwash their youth into eliminating all infidels. I was disappointed, however, that the authors did not mention the proven McVeigh/Nichols-Islamic terrorists link (a matter of public record which came out in McVeigh's trial)in their section on the Oklahoma City bombing. Nichols went to the Philippines to learn bomb-making techniques from Al-Quaeda operatives and met with Muslim terrorists such as Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Conway and Siegelman only connect McVeigh and Nichols to Christian groups, thus furthering the Left's agenda of always pointing out Oklahoma City to show how dangerous Christian white men are.

This is an emotionally challenging read for anyone who has ever experienced the effects of "snapping", but WELL worth the effort. Absolutely revelatory. The authors did an amazing job of presenting their research and ideas in a clear, concise and insightful manner. This book changed my life, and opened new doors for me in my own healing. HIGHLY recommended... especially for cult survivors.

This book is a must for anyone who is an aspiring guru . . . or those who want to know what happened to them when they were under the spell of a charismatic leader.

This book does a remarkable job of clearly and scientifically explaining what happens in that moment that they term snapping, that moment where you feel a real transformation take place, something you can't explain but feel and experience.

That snapping experience is common to EST graduates, Charasmatic Christians, Evangelicals, Landmark and Landspring grads and followers of cults.

This book is frightening because you'll understand exactly how the moment is created and you'll be able to recreate it.

If you are a speaker or trainer, this book is a must read. But the application must be ethical and appropriate if you intend to use the techniques with your audience.

Dave Lakhani
Author of: Persuasion: The Art of Getting What You Want
Power of An Hour: Business and Life Mastery in One Hour A Week