It’s true that in addition to legitimate cults that are people out there who fall under the spell of things and even other people to such a point that it takes over their lives.

So you gotta be careful out there, friends…and keep your eyes open…

What do you think seems like a cult but isn’t one?

Here’s what AskReddit users said.

1. Never heard of him…

“Jordan Peterson fans.

To give an unbiased answer, he’s a conservative political philosopher who became really popular after publicly criticising a Canadian law on misgendering people & giving an infamous interview on Channel 4 News in 2018.

He’s a highly divisive figure because of certain views he has shared regarding women and transgender people. A lot of people like him for his self-improvement works and because they think he’s right in his criticisms of society, whereas others don’t like him because they think he’s transphobic and m**ogynist.”

2. LOL.

“Fans of the Broadway show Hamilton.

I used to be a huge fan and suffered through the weird fandom. While Hamilton did great things for POC on Broadway, it opened the doors for teenagers to romanticize and s**ualize slaveowners.

I tried to criticize it one time online (and it wasn’t even that bad of a criticism.) and I literally got chased off of tumblr. Oh and, don’t get me started on Thomas Jefferson’s Hatsune Miku binder…”

3. Here you go.

“Rick and Morty

Sherlock

Supernatural

Steven Universe

Doctor Who.”

4. So weird.

“Zodiac signs.

People will literally divorce it break up or just ignore people because their signs are”incompatible”.”

5. VEGANS.

“As someone who tried to go vegan, vegans.

As is the case with all groups, not all vegans are had. I’ve met some very nice and not annoying vegans, but so many of them have to tell you every 5 seconds that they’re vegan. And the ones that will spent hours trying to convince you to go vegans are the worst.

This is coming from someone who was that annoying vegan that tried to convert everyone. I’m just vegetarian now and I’m way more sufferable.”

6. Bigshot director.

“Fans of Zack Snyder. I saw Army of the Dead yesterday and I just gotta say, that movie is like, objectively bad… but his fans honestly cannot see it.

Like, I’m sure they’re thinking stuff like, “Oh, his directing, writing, and cinematography was so stunning and brave! The h**ers are just jealous of all the wrinkles his brain has! I wonder what the robot zombies and UFOs mean! He must have had a reason to randomly start talking about time loops in a zombie movie! Tee-hee, who cares about stuff like plot, acting, and continuity errors, just turn your brain off you snob!”

Like, I’m not saying he’s a terrible director or something; he’s done some great stuff. But this movie was absolute dog s**t, and I just find it kinda weird how his fans, and major film critics for that matter, will defend it when it is just so blatantly terrible.”

7. K-POP.

“As a K-Pop fan…..K-pop fans. Now it’s not all of them, but there are definitely ones that get laughed at for how they fetishize/infantilize the idols and stuff.

It’s insane how they will defend and protect the problematic idols against those who rightfully call them out. Some of them have forums talking about personal not public business of the idols. They make up stories about them, and some of them gatekeep to know end.

Some also stalk and poison idols and so on, though the last point used to happen like in earlier years, it’s still freaking crazy. I just try not to associate with those ones, but the chill ones instead.”

8. Apple folks.

“People who buy apple computers.

Tell them that another company with windows OS has a better performing computer for 1/2 the price and they’ll say things like

“Macs have better display” or “the programs I use work better in apple” and I want to hit those people because usually the programs they refer to are the adobe suite, which a lot of my classmates in uni ran on windows machines.

Source:: Works in IT and studied Digital Art.”

9. USA!

“America First people.

Anything reusing a WWII American fascist/N**i sympathizer slogan in 21st century is not thinking their position all the way through.

Or, they’re terrible. One of those…”

10. I agree.

“Radiohead fans.

sSeriously, if you’ve ever been cornered by a radiohead fan in the wild, you know how annoying the hardcore fans can be. But the fact that I had one assume because i liked “real alternative music” (i was wearing my Slint t-shirt at the time) that I must like Radiohead.

And he went on for a good 30 mins (not letting me get a word in) and telling me all his wild theories about how all the albums are connected and if you add the barcode for the japanese release of ok computer with PI then divide by 3, you get a prize where tom york comes down from the heavens and gives you a gentle pat on the b**t (not really what he said but he was talking about symbols and s**t).

My major takeaway with Radiohead fans is they think they’re smarter than everyone else because they listen to them and if Radiohead are considered a smart band, then they, as fans, must also be smart.”

11. Absurd.

“I absolutely love Taylor Swifts music, been listening to it for years. But I only recently started seeing the fans on my social media feed and my goodness, it’s absurd.

Besides what you said, they care way too much about streaming/buying numbers and awards. They attack other fans, Taylor’s team, other fandoms and sometimes even Taylor herself when songs don’t rise to the top of the charts or she doesn’t win a fan voted award.

It’s so weird to me because what I’ve seen of Taylor Swift, she is quite humble and just focuses on music and putting on a good show. Also, she has really handled a lot of scandels that weren’t her fault with grace and kindness. Totally opposite of what her fand are like online LOL.”

12. Theater folks.

“Literally anything involving theatre.

Seriously. If you walk into a rehearsal 15 minutes late, you’re gonna see some weird s**t.”

13. Nerd alert!

“Star Wars fans.

I personally dont like star wars because I just dont but I dont really try bash on people who actually do

But whenever I watch Star Wars (insert that silver boba fett guy and baby yoda) and then i talk about why it didn’t make sense (silver guy was on ground and those droids just looked at him like there was nothing there instead of blasting him right away).

I get so much h**e and half a**ed bs excuses.”

14. Back on the bike.

“Peloton.

My dad hasn’t stopped talking about his since getting it a year ago and went so far as to buy me one for Xmas this year. Which is super generous and my fat a** will totally benefit, but feels like I’m being indoctrinated into something.

The instructors are really intense and say culty things. I think the idea is to physically t**ture you to the point that you don’t notice you’re being programmed to spread Peloton gospel to anyone who will listen. I’ve been so bored that joining a cult where I get hotter sounds ok though.”

15. Culty.

“The Order of The Arrow in the Boy Scouts. Technically an approved organization, but its cultish as hell.

It’s funny, because they make you do this big induction campout, and the day after I got back from mine, my english teacher gave a lecture on how to identify a cult, and it hit a lot of red flags.”

16. Super odd.

“People who own Thermomix machines.

Spend that much on an over-elaborate food processor and I guess you need to double-down but man, they just won’t shut the f**k up about how it changed their life, oh cooking is sooo different for me now, oh it’s just sooo convenient.

Having said that, I did once go to a ‘Thermomix Party’, where they try to mind-wash you into their not-a-cult, because the lady that invited me was recently divorced and pretty hot and I figured why not give it a shot – I never particularly liked her ex-husband, so could have been a multi-bird stone throw.

I barely made it out alive without my wallet being lightened a couple of grand – man, the sales pressure was intense.”

17. Very strange.

“Disney.

If you’ve ever known anyone who has worked at Disneyland, they will talk your ear off about how it’s the happiest place on earth and how lucky they are to work there.”

18. True.

“Some families.

If you’re inside the family, you are accepted no matter what and you don’t question anything.

If you’re outside the family, you are treated politely but don’t really matter much unless you act as part of the family.

If you were part of the family, but “betray” them, you are excommunicated and they spread lies about you.”

19. Join us…

“Marching band.

If you know, you know.”

20. You said it.

“Mega churches.

The ones that air on TV with a crowd that rivals sports teams, owns sports arenas and has its pastors fly in private jets.

There, I said it.”

21. Never heard of that.

“The hardcore deaf community.

I’m talking the kind who insist that being deaf isn’t a disability, intentionally seclude themselves from the hearing world, and protest against cochlear implants.”

22. At least you can admit it.

“Wawa.

I am a card-carrying Wawa cultist. They don’t exist where I live, and my first stop after getting off the plane is the sacred shrine.

I will even admit that I hug one of the pillars out front.”

23. I’ve heard enough.

“Keto.

Did you know that you can make mac and cheese but with cauliflower?

And you can make mashed potatoes but with cauliflower?

And you can make fried rice but with cauliflower?”

24. Yes.

“Wine drinkers.

It’s the socially accepted form of al**holism. Cabinet full of wine? Classy.

Cabinet full of hard liquor or a fridge full of beer? Trashy.”

25. Chanting.

“Texas A&M University.

They have so many chants and cheers for everything it’s quite creepy if you come across a group of Aggies.”

26. Both sides.

“People who worship politicians like they will magically solve everything.

I’m talking both far-right and far-left.”

Do you think there are some fanbases out there that act like cults?

If so, tell us about it in the comments.

Please and thank you!