Margaret Singer (1921-2003) (Cult) （2022-9-21）

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Singer#Books

Cults in Our Midst: The Hidden Menace in Our Everyday Lives (1995) is a study of cults by Margaret Singer and Janja Lalich, Ph.D., with a foreword by Robert Jay Lifton.

Overview[edit]

Singer writes:

In this book I will use the term cult and cultic group to refer to any one of a large number of groups that have sprung up in our society and that are similar in the way that they originate, their power structure, and their governance. Cults range from the relatively benign to those that exercise extraordinary control over members' lives and use thought-reform processes to influence and control members. While the conduct of certain cults causes nonmembers to criticize them, the term cult is not in itself pejorative but simply descriptive. It denotes a group that forms around a person who claims to have a special mission or knowledge, which they will share with those who turn over most of their decision making to that self-appointed leader.^[1]

In 2003 a revised edition of the book titled Cults in Our Midst: The Continuing Fight Against Their Hidden Menace was published in paperback form by John Wiley & Sons, without Janja Lalich listed as co-author. 

Harassment and death threat complaints[edit]

Singer faced harassment, including death threats and dead animals placed on her doorstep, from groups that disagreed with her views on cults.^[4][7] According to Richard Behar's article in Time magazine, Singer was an outspoken critic of Scientologyand was known to travel under an assumed name to avoid harassment.^[30]

Her criticism of cults and their brainwashing tactics resulted in harassment of Singer's family and students as well, including breaking into Singer's office, stealing students' term papers and sending notes to Singer's students.^[9] According to the Los Angeles Times, other examples included cult "operatives" going through Singer's trash and mail, picketing her lectures, hacking into her computer, and releasing live rats in her house.^[4][30]