This read hit me at a different level after coming home from SoulCycle today. If you're looking for another health-focused cult I would check out infrared sauna experiences in Houston, they are typically a bunch of regulars obsessed with "bio-hacking". It's my new guilty pleasure.
Oh my gosh I loved learning this about you Hesam! I laughed out loud at the “never chosen to blow out the candle”. I love SoulCycle and fully understood in your essay how you came to enjoy it as well. Particularly once you find an instructor that really resonates. I enjoy indoor cycling in general, but nothing beats the experience at SoulCycle. Taylor Swift is always a good choice for music. I once did a Punk Rock ride and it’s stayed as one of my favorites!
Which begs the question, have you signed up at Barry's yet?
"Thought leaders" like Pinij often assume that loyal "fans" from prior lives/businesses will follow them wherever they go, and yet ... it's not that easy. The cult experience is fickle.
Looking forward to future installments as you learn more about how and why cults work.
Good post Hesam! And this is one of the complexities of designing experiences. Many times they depend a lot on who is providing the experience. Hence the efforts to select the right people, create strong processes, and carefully listen to your users! And even though Pink Floyd will always be my favorite group, Taylor Swift is pretty good too!
This read hit me at a different level after coming home from SoulCycle today. If you're looking for another health-focused cult I would check out infrared sauna experiences in Houston, they are typically a bunch of regulars obsessed with "bio-hacking". It's my new guilty pleasure.
Oh my gosh I loved learning this about you Hesam! I laughed out loud at the “never chosen to blow out the candle”. I love SoulCycle and fully understood in your essay how you came to enjoy it as well. Particularly once you find an instructor that really resonates. I enjoy indoor cycling in general, but nothing beats the experience at SoulCycle. Taylor Swift is always a good choice for music. I once did a Punk Rock ride and it’s stayed as one of my favorites!
Which begs the question, have you signed up at Barry's yet?
"Thought leaders" like Pinij often assume that loyal "fans" from prior lives/businesses will follow them wherever they go, and yet ... it's not that easy. The cult experience is fickle.
Looking forward to future installments as you learn more about how and why cults work.
Good post Hesam! And this is one of the complexities of designing experiences. Many times they depend a lot on who is providing the experience. Hence the efforts to select the right people, create strong processes, and carefully listen to your users! And even though Pink Floyd will always be my favorite group, Taylor Swift is pretty good too!