Ex-NXIVM-cult-member Sarah Edmondson joins Dr. Einstein to provide an insider's perspective on cult tactics.

What exactly is a cult—and how is it different from religion? In this opening episode, Dr. Mara Einstein sits down with Kathryn Lofton, one of today’s most incisive scholars of religion and culture, to unpack how belief, devotion, and consumer behavior intertwine. From worshiping gods to worshiping brands, Lofton and Einstein explore how modern life blurs the line between the sacred and the sold. Mentions:Oprah: The Gospel of an Icon by Kathryn LoftonConsuming Religion by Kathryn LoftonAmusing Ourselves to Death by Neil PostmanThe Cult of Thinness by Sharlene Nagy Hesse-Biber About the guest Kathryn Lofton is Lex Hixon Professor of Religious Studies and American Studies, History and Divinity, at Yale University. She is the author of two books, Consuming Religion and Oprah: The Gospel of an Icon. Learn more about Kathryn’s work:  https://religiousstudies.yale.edu/people/kathryn-lofton  About the host Dr. Mara Einstein spent a decade in corporate marketing working for some of the world’s biggest brands before turning her focus to exposing the industry’s inner workings. Now a tenured professor of media studies at CUNY, she’s dedicated to helping people understand how marketing shapes what we buy, what we believe, and even who we think we are. With a background spanning business, media, and the arts, Dr. Einstein brings sharp insight and humor to the systems that sell us our identities—and the power we have to push back. Pick up Dr. Einstein’s book Hoodwinked: How Marketers Use the Same Tactics as Cults on Bookshop.org (and beyond): https://bookshop.org/a/116018/9781493086153 Website: https://www.drmaraeinstein.com  Books: https://www.drmaraeinstein.com/writing  Instagram, TikTok, Threads: @drmaraeinstein YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Drmaraeinstein    Credits Production: Multitude Lead Producer & Editor: Bren Frederick Music: Marc Langer Cover art: Cayla Einstein See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if your favorite brand—or your favorite influencer—used the same playbook as a cult?  Hoodwinked with Dr. Mara Einstein unpacks how modern marketing borrows tactics from cults, MLMs, and political movements to win hearts, minds, and wallets. Through conversations with academics, activists, and insiders, Einstein—author of Hoodwinked: How Marketers Use the Same Tactics as Cults—reveals how belief and commerce became inseparable in the digital age.  From influencer culture and wellness scams to pyramid schemes and political persuasion, Hoodwinked traces the hidden connections between belief and manipulation. Each episode explores how the same tools that keep followers loyal also keep consumers buying—and how to recognize when inspiration turns into indoctrination. Debuting October 30th, 2025.  Produced by Multitude.  ____________________________ About the host Dr. Mara Einstein spent a decade in corporate marketing working for some of the world’s biggest brands before turning her focus to exposing the industry’s inner workings. Now a tenured professor of media studies at Queens College (CUNY), she’s dedicated to helping people understand how marketing shapes what we buy, believe, and even who we think we are. With a background spanning business, media, and the arts, Dr. Einstein brings sharp insight and humor to the systems that sell us our identities—and the power we have to push back. Pick up Dr. Einstein’s book Hoodwinked: How Marketers Use the Same Tactics as Cults on Bookshop.org and beyond.  Website: https://www.drmaraeinstein.com  Books: https://www.drmaraeinstein.com/writing  Instagram, TikTok, Threads: @drmaraeinstein YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Drmaraeinstein  Credits Production: Multitude Lead Producer & Editor: Bren Frederick Music: Marc Langer Cover art: Cayla Einstein  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.