Are You in an Idea Cult?

Adam Grant in his book Think Again, talks about an “idea cult” which he defines as a group “that stir up a batch of oversimplified intellectual Kool-Aid and recruit followers to serve it widely.” It’s having a philosophy of life shared with others that you believe to be true ALWAYS regardless of the context.

And that got me thinking…

Aren’t we all, in some way, in an idea cult? Don’t we all have oversimplified views on life that we try to push onto others?

I’m not sure where I’ve heard it, probably because I’ve heard it many times, but I’ve heard that we are all religious. You don’t necessarily need to believe in an invisible being; you just have to believe life has meaning and that there is a “truth.”

In Enneagram language, we would say everyone has a “worldview.”

Wouldn’t you agree that we all…

Have a worldview—a religion?
Have an oversimplified view of life?
Sometimes push that view onto others?

I might still be part of an idea cult

A few years ago, I wrote and published my first book titled Being is Greater than Doing. The premise is that by becoming and living out our true and best selves, we are able to do and achieve the greatest works possible. It was a response to the unhealthy hustle culture, grind culture, Enneagram 3 culture, that is pervasive in our world.

I wanted to tell the world, “let’s all chill out a bit and look within. Let’s first think about who we truly are, who we are becoming, and let that be the foundation to all that we do and achieve.”

Looking back at my older self and myself today, I admit that I was and still am a part of a cult. The Idea Cult of the 4. That I not only believe that “being is greater than doing” but that being is always greater than doing.”

I don’t like admitting this, by the way. I very much like to think I’m 100% objective. I’m an Enneagram teacher, I am getting my doctorate of ministry, I help people for a living see things differently— I am not part of a cult!

But sadly, I am, and likely, will never leave. At times I am too emotional, too authentic, too true. I forget that authenticity and emotions aren’t always your friends.

I hope to one day leave, or at least get one foot out the door. Unfortunately, psychology and the Enneagram suggest that we never truly leave our cults. Although the Eagles weren’t writing about the Enneagram, our type, our cult, is much like the Hotel California. We can check out any time we like, but we can never leave.

But maybe life isn’t about leaving— leaving our cults, ditching our types— so much as it is about learning to embrace the ideas of others, other cults, and learning to live with them.

Over the years I’ve learned to check out other cults, and you know what? They’re not too bad. Not too bad at all.

Getting out of our idea cult and joining others

According to the Enneagram, we are all in an idea cult and none of us will be able to fully leave it. But what we can do is distance ourselves from it, take a break from it, and explore others.

We can learn about their ideas, how they might apply to life, and listen to their stories of transformation.

Aren’t you tired of living just one way?

Enneagram Idea Cults:

Rightness
Love
Achievement
Authenticity
Knowledge
Safety
Experience
Independence
Peace

Question for reflection:

What cult do you need to take a break from and which ones might you need to check out?

Which Enneagram type do you need to connect with today and ask for some advice?

Live, love, and lead authentically and productively.

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Ryan Lui

Ryan Lui is a high-performance coach helping people understand themselves and others, overcome their ego and relational challenges, and achieve their best self, life, and work.