Berman reported on all of it, tracing the connections and relationships between NXIVM members and trying to understand how they found themselves doing unthinkable things in service of Raniere’s vision and desires.
Don’t Call It a Cult is a deeply researched and empathetic examination of the vulnerabilities and motivations that lead people to believe what they desperately want to be true, and the social dynamics that push them to cross unthinkable lines.
I spoke to Berman, a longtime Tyee contributor and former editor, about the psychology of cults and how ordinary people could end up in one. This interview has been condensed and lightly edited.
Marc Agnifilo, lawyer for NXIVM leader Keith Raniere, exits case
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1of14NEW YORK, NY - MAY 7: Mark Agnifilo, the attorney representing alleged sex cult leader Keith Raniere, speaks with reporters as he arrives at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, May 7, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Opening arguments begin on Tuesday morning for the trial of Keith Raniere, the leader of the alleged sex cult NXIVM. Raniere, who could potentially face life in prison, has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking, racketeering and other charges.Drew Angerer/GettyShow MoreShow Less