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We often hear this claim from anti-incel actors such as members of r/IncelTears, but is it really true? Let's analyse some of the characteristics of cults (as defined by Dr. Janja Lalich and Michael D. Langone) and how they pertain to incel communities online.
In summary, not a single one of the identifying characteristics of cults fully applies to online incel communities. The few that show some resemblence only do so to a very limited extend and not sufficiently to justify the claim that incel forums are anything even remotely close to what could reasonably be considered a cult. It can therefore be concluded that the examined claim does not constitute an intellectually honest categorization of online incel communities, but instead appears to be hostile rhetoric meant to discredit and demonize said communities and their members.
Online incel communities are decentralized and do not have a "leader." Even moderators on forums are only there to enforce basic rules and are frequently and extensively criticized by users without consequence.
Though bluepillers and individuals with outlandish ideologies are usually unwelcome, disagreements within online incel spaces are a daily occurence. There is no "one way" the predicament is meant to be viewed, and prevalent ideologies in incel communities range from redpill, self-improvement thinking to blackpill defeatism. The fact that most incel spaces only allow actual incels to participate does not sufficiently warrant this characteristic to be ticked off either. After all, no one would categorize self-help groups for alcoholics or individuals with other common struggles as cults simply because they only allow people who are actually facing said struggle to join.
"Mind-altering practices" as described here do not take place in online incel communities.
Again, online incel communities do not have a central leadership. Furthermore, most users in online incel communities are anonymous and only share personal information they feel comfortable with sharing. Therefore, no other user has the ability to dictate their real-life behaviour, even if they intended to.
Though users of online incel communities tend to feel isolated from society as a whole, they usually do not claim to be part of a "chosen" group or in possession of greater powers/ a supernatural, all-encompassing purpose, as is commonly seen in religious cults. They simply view themselves as outcasted by a majority of people for showcasing seemingly undesirable, human traits.
This is the first characteristic that partly applies to many online incel communities. Unlike the us-vs-them mentalities seen in most cults however, the one observable in online incel spaces does not stem from a belief that their members are inherently "meant" to be alienated from non-members, but rather the notion that they were involuntarily outcasted by the illegitimate/ arbitrary choosing of others. If given the chance, most members would gladly reintegrate into normal society as long as the way they would be treated was according to their desire.
Once again, incel communities have no leader.
Despite the glorification of mass shooters that occasionally takes place in online incel communities and that anti-incel actors frequently point at to prove their supposed danger, actual, serious incitement of violence or other severely criminal actions virtually never takes place. Accordingly, there has yet to be a single confirmed case of an active member of any relevant online incel community commiting a mass shooting.
Again, no leader. As for peer pressure, it does take place (as in any other social group) but only has limited influence, as members are free to act in contradiction to the suggestions of their fellow incels due to their anonymity and subsequent lack of accountability to other users.
Unreasonably cutting ties with family or friends is usually not expected from members of online incel communities, and even if it was, it could not be enforced due to the aforementioned anonymity and lack of accountability any given member has to the rest of the userbase.
Though incel communities are concerned with bringing in new members in order to stay active, they do not focus on "converting" non-incels, but rather on recruiting other incels who were formerly unaware of the community's existence and who would have joined by their own volition anyway, had they known about it earlier. Essentially, incel communities try to get more exposure so people can voluntarily make the decision to participate in them. This stands in stark contrast to most cults which recruit new members by trying to change people's entire world view through extensive propaganda and/ or coercing them by means of emotional blackmail.
Members of incel spaces do not bring in any significant amount of money, and administrators of the communities' websites presumably make a financial net loss in the vast majority of cases, seeing as they have to cover the costs of their respective domain, forum software and the server itself, while not having a reliable stream of income from their site. In short, if you wanted to make money, you wouldn't do it by running an incel forum.
Users of online incel communities are free to choose the amount of time they dedicate to participating and face no negative consequences even if it is very limited. As a matter of fact, a large part, if not the majority, of members on most incel sites have inactive accounts or rarely posts, and no active user cares.
Seeing as online incel communities are, well, online, this does not apply. As stated above, even posting frequently is not expected from members.
The few members of online incel communities who feel like there can be "no life outside the context of the group" do so not because the group forces them to remain members, but because they feel the outside world actively prevents them from (re-)integrating into mainstream society. Thus, incel spaces are merely a place for people to go after they were already outcasted by society at large. Their existence is the consequence, not the cause, of isolation. Members who do manage to "ascend" and stop identifying as incels have the option to simply log off and never look back without any consequences at all, and the ones who choose to rub it in the remaining members' faces have to expect insults at worst - again, no actual "punishment," contrary to how cults like Scientology take revenge on former members by extensively stalking and harassing them.
In summary, not a single one of the identifying characteristics of cults fully applies to online incel communities. The few that show some resemblence only do so to a very limited extend and not sufficiently to justify the claim that incel forums are anything even remotely close to what could reasonably be considered a cult. It can therefore be concluded that the examined claim does not constitute an intellectually honest categorization of online incel communities, but instead appears to be hostile rhetoric meant to discredit and demonize said communities and their members.
