Persuasion Through Isolation

A documentary came out late last year called Jonestown: The Life and Death of People's Temple. It's the history, through photographs, film clips, recordings and interviews with survivors, of the cult leader Jim Jones and the eventual mass murder/"suicide" of 913 members of the People's Temple in Guyana.

Jim Jones was masterful at getting people to join up because he reached out to the disenfranchised and preached social equality. He appealed to a need for community, a desire for caring, a yearning for a father figure, and ended up using his power to eventually persuade the followers to commit "revolutionary suicide" by drinking cyanide-laced cherry flavored Flavor Aid.

This is an excellent and very disturbing example of the power of isolation and charismatic authority and their relationship to manipulation and brainwashing.

There are two kinds of isolation-both of which were employed by Jim Jones-physical isolation and mental isolation.

Physical isolation isn't always possible for some cults, MLM companies or religions. It's possible they may employ both kinds of isolation, but normally the mental isolation is enough to keep their members involved. They begin to "divide and conquer" the members by suggesting that anyone who doesn't support their choice in life of belonging to the group/cult/religion/MLM, is not looking out for their best interest.

Obviously, when isolation is used by someone who has bad intentions, it's an extraordinarily dangerous tool.

On a more reputable level, isolation can be used for sales and business with no negative consequences.

Mental isolation is most effective with customers/clients/prospects who you see on a regular basis. Lots of small interactions tend to create more loyalty. Cafes are a good example of this. It's competitive. People have many choices from chains to locally owned chains to independently owned mom and pop cafes.

I was in a locally-owned coffee shop when the actual owner sparked up a conversation and at one point offhandedly suggested that their product was not generic, that it was high quality and didn't cost an arm and a leg, unlike a well known national chain. Well, if you're the type of person who likes the home grown, grass roots type of business that remark may plant a little seed in your mind.

Some religions use isolation in terms of imposing rules about what is and what is not okay to talk about with non-members or "outsiders".

I'm a very spiritual person and am NOT making judgments about religion here, but simply illustrating how persuasion can be used to indoctrinate members of any given group.

Creating a shared experience is another way to create a psychological isolation. This can be accomplished in business by having a retreat or conference. It can be used to reward employees. Shared tragedy also has this effect. Think of 9/11 wives/survivors, New Orleans residents who were at the Superdome, Gulf War veterans. All of these groups have incredibly powerful bonds and there is the potential for them to become very committed to each other.

The final strategy in isolation is to 'predict the future'. Sales people do this all the time in response to the 'shop around' objection. "Sure, go ahead. But X shop doesn't have our selection (return policy, prices, etc.)" Cults use this future predicting by telling new members that their "choice" in joining will be ridiculed by friends and family. The cult leaders offer this as "proof" that the new member's family and friends obviously don't care about them as much as the group does. 'If they really cared about you, wouldn't they be glad that you found something to make you happy?'

I urge you to use this information with integrity and honesty. Failing to do so will most definitely come back to bite you.

About the Author

Kenrick Cleveland teaches techniques to earn the business of affluent clients using persuasion. He runs public and private seminars and offers home study courses and coaching programs in persuasion techniques. This and other unique content 'persuasion' articles are available with free reprint rights.

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