day 28: what is a cult?

What is a Cult based on thirty seconds of internet searching
By: Elena Faverio, Aged 28


I realized instantly that I don’t know what a cult is, so I googled cult definition.
Then I realized I don’t want definitions, I want transfiguration of meaning through time
so I googled “cult etymology” not entomology which is about bugs.
The word cult comes from Latin “cultus” which meant first: tended, cultivated, tilled - like a field is
then: care, labor, cultivation, culture, worship, references
And from French “culte” which is worship, homage, and late a particular form or system of worship.
Popular before the 17th century, obsolete for two hundred years, and then revived in reference to ancient or primitive systems of religious belief and worship in the 19th century.
I wonder at the difference between ancient and primitive, how the words couple and converge along Caucasian feelings and findings.
I have gotten most of this information so far from exactly one (1) website: which is:
entymoline.com
under cult (noun)
And it looks hella plagiarized as I read it back so please leave me alone. This is how information is passed in these non ancient and non primitive Western societies. This is how we learn about shit, and learn it good.


I am not convinced by any of these definitions so far, but we’re in luck because
NEXT UP is Hugh Rawson, who apparently wrote something called Wicked Words,
which I will pause and research.
According to fifteen seconds of googling and the top link
(Amazon, surprise surprise)
Wicked Words: A Treasury of Curses, Insults, Put-Downs, and Other Formerly Unprintable Terms from Anglo-Saxon Times to the Present by Hugh Rawson is availed in Paperback form from $24.44. Condition: Good. Sold by Bay State Book Company. And Amazon.
What the fuck is an Anglo Saxon?
Hold, please.


According to the Oxford Dictionary and Google - Anglo Saxon is an adjective (what the fuck? an adjective? Okay) relating to or denoting the Germanic inhabitants of England from their arrival in the 5th century up to the Norman Conquest.
Or a noun (yes this is what I thought):

1. a Germanic inhabitant of England between the 5th century and the Norman Conquest. (checks out)
2. Another term for Old English.

Hmmm. Old English is hyperlinked for bozos like me who are on a late night Wikipedia odyssey of terms that they only sort of know, definitely have an idea of what it encompasses in their head, but could never adequately or accurately describe or convey that knowledge to another person. We’ll leave it for now.


Back to Hughie Rawson and his wicked words!
According to Hugh, the word cult means “an organized group of people, religious or not, with whom you disagree.” Incidentally Hugh wrote this definition in 1993 which is the year of my birth which means it’s time to talk about me. NICE.


According to Hugh, here are some things that are cults:

• The disgusting PBA and all cops
• The Westborough Baptist Church
• The entire Republican Party of America
• Nassau and Suffolk County legislatures
• Golf fans
• People who enjoy eating tomatoes in any form other than ketchup or pizza sauce or as a small cup of marinara in which to daintily dip a mozzarella stick
• Tarantulas. To be honest, I don’t necessarily disagree with their viewpoints. I disagree with their existence. It is really terrifying that people can feel that way about other groups of people. In this way, maybe I am not so far from a despot.

Wait, what the fuck is a despot?
Oh okay, according to Oxford it is a ruler or other person who holds absolute power, typically one who exercises it in a cruel or oppressive way. So I was using it correctly.
Although wait apparently there is also a rapper known by the stage name Despot, birth name Alec Reinstein, who was born in Queens in 1982. Not much info on him. Oh shit, I googled him and he’s a white guy. Weird. Is it ever possible to be a white rapper and not be constantly appropriating from and profiting off Black culture?


Some more cults, according to me:
-White suprematists
-Anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers
-Parents who yell at Board of Education meetings
-People who want to have children
-People who’s favorite season is not fall.
-People who liked the film LalaLand.


I would turn in this valuable research, but I learned about Despot on Wikipedia, and my teachers always told me that’s not a viable source of information.