It’s a myth that “anyone can get caught up in a cult”. While it’s true that cults have snared intelligent and sophisticated people, cults exclusively target the emotionally vulnerable. Just like email scammers intentionally use poor spelling and grammar to exclude all but the most credulous, cults have barriers to entry that are going to weed out skeptical people. You often have to dress a certain way; theirs a crazy amount of nomenclature; and strict status and hierarchys to obey. Only the people who have a strong desire to belong and conform are going to tolerate that.

I don’t say this like oh, I’m too smart to be in a cult. I say it to emphasize that cults prey on vulnerable people.