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                                What's Cult
                                 release 1

                        by Burnin' of UNKNOWN Prez
                            November 25th, 2001
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  Introduction
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 Today we're  going to talk about cult.  Not about *a cult* or *cults* like in
 "I joined this cult which worshippes the Devil", but *what's* cult,  like  in
 "this movie  is  simply cult".  The reason I'm writing this little article is
 because this word has been shamelessly overused in the  past  few  years  and
 this makes  me  a little angry.  What pushed me over the edge was a Sprite (I
 think it was Sprite, but it might have been some potato chips) commercial.  I
 *truly* hope that this was the (mis)work of our Estonian translators, but  as
 I  haven't  seen  this  clip  in  it's  original  language then I can't know.
 Anyway, this commercial advertised a "cult-bear" which comes along  with  the
 drink (or can   be   won   or   something).    What  the  hell!    A  fuckin'
 "cult-bear"!?!?!  So, in this textfile I'm giving some basic knowledge  about
 the  use  of the word "cult" to all you youngsters out there who plan to work
 one day in a position (as director, copywriter, designer) where you can say a
 word or two about what advertising slogan will be used  for  some  particular
 product.  Why exactly youngsters?  Because those shitty suits who *currently*
 do have  the  power  don't read textfiles.  And as everyone will stop reading
 such non-pyrochratic material as this text the second thdy become suits  then
 I can just *try* to tell you the things *before* this tragedy happens.


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  So, the rules of "cult"
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 The FIRST and most important rule of "cult"

     NOT EVERYTHING  CAN  BE  CULT!    A  "cult"  thing has to have some "cult
     characteristics" before you  can  use  the  C  word  on  it.    The  most
     noticeable  point  is  that  the product is *different*. That can be like
     "there's never been anything like it" or "yeah, it resembles to the other
     thing, but still..."  or "it's so bad that it's already good".   Actually
     the last is the best.

 The SECOND rule of "cult"

     Producers/directors/writers, ie MAKERS CAN NOT DECLARE THAT THEIR PRODUCT
     IS CULT!   Readers/buyers/viewers,  ie  users must say that.  So, to give
     you an example [* side note: don't you just love dear ol'  uncle  Burnin'
     who so  eagerly  submits examples every time he can?  :) *]: HBO (for the
     non-US citizens: it's a US TV-company) produces a  new  show  they  can't
     say: "It's cult".  At most they can say: "It's going to be cult".  But if
     now  Pro7  (*for*  the  US-residents:  probably  the  best channel German
     television has to offer) buys, translates/synchronizes (I don't know  why
     but  Germans  synchronize *everything*) and sends the show they *can* say
     that it's cult.  That's because they're the users, even if the product is
     given forward.

 The THIRD rule of "cult"

     IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO SAY RIGHT AFTER THE PRODUCT HAS COME OUT  THAT  IT'S
     CULT!   This  means  that  time has to show that the thing really becomes
     cult.

 The FOURTH rule of "cult"

     THE PRODUCT HAS TO HAVE DEDICATED FANS!  That's  the  reason  behind  the
     word  "cult":  exactly  as  by "religious cults" fans are almost obsessed
     with the product, it becomes their religion.  The fans also  gather  into
     groups and perhaps even develop connections to other groups, thus forming
     a global  fan  group.   And like real religious relics (like the Bible) a
     "cult" thing will be studied, mimicked, analyzed, it  will  inspire  fans
     and countless  essays/articles about it will be written.  But there's one
     other thing: something can't be cult if the fandom ain't right.    That's
     the biggest reason  for  1st  rule.  "Cult" is a Generation X thing.  The
     main reason for it is that older people don't have the passion nor enough
     fantasy and often not even the time to mess with some  x  thing  or  find
     something religious about it.

 As  you  see  the above mentioned cult-bear without question doesn't meet the
 requirements of being cult.  It was distributed as cult (fails rule 3) by the
 creators (fails rule 2). It doesn't clearly fail rule 1 (a teddybear ain't as
 "never ever can be cult" thing as for example  dish-washing  fluids)  but  it
 doesn't show any signs of fulfiling rule 4.


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  Notes
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 While  technically  quite some things can be cult (but *not* everything, rule
 1) the main target for the C word are movies and books.  Writer's  or  actors
 usually can't be cult, but characters can.  That's because what people mainly
 admire are  the  characters/stories, not those who played/wrote it.  OK, they
 do admire the writers too, but what do you think a real fan would like to be,
 the writer or the character?

 The best analogy I've found for "cult" is  "classic",  like  in  "Hemingway's
 books  are  classics"  (are  they?) Because you can't say "It's classic", you
 can't even say "It's going to be classic" (2nd rule),  the  writer  can  only
 wait  (3rd rule) and hope that *others* say that his/her creation's a classic
 (2nd rule), classic things are being analyzed and often inspire  people  (4th
 rule).   The 1st rule ain't so constant by classical things, but I guess many
 are also somehow different from the rest.


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  A few things that are cult
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 "X-Files"

 It was different, it started the whole X-series (see below) boom,  there  are
 countless websites  and  fan  groups.    And after 6 (or is it 8?) years it's
 still running.

 "South Park"

 Awful drawings, in every  episode  atleast  one  person  gets  killed,  dirty
 language, lot's and lot's of sick jokes.  Basically everything you need for a
 cult show :)

 Monty Python

 To be specific: everything they've produced.  "The Flying Circus" is old, but
 full of  nonsense  and  jokes  most  people  don't  get.    And  has  been an
 inspiration to whole generations.  Simply put: probably the best parody  ever
 made.

 Tolkien

 I  think...Haven't  like  read  anything  from  him,  but  it  seems that his
 creations (or atleast some of them) are cult.

 "Star Trek"

 It's old, but has created a universe of it's own (about 10  movies  (counting
 the "Next  Generation"  ones)  and 3 follow up series).  There are many fans,
 conventions.  It has even produced the  term  "trekkie".  So,  I  guess  it's
 cult.

 "Hitchhiker's Guide To Galaxy"

 This  is  a  personal  opinion,  but  this  book (and it's 4 sequels) has all
 characteristics of cult: it's funny, *way* different from  any  other  sci-fi
 book  I've  ever read, a whole way of living can be designed after this book.
 I don't know how's it with the fans, but atleast I'm one.

 Stephen King

 The king of horror.  That's another personal opinion of mine.   He's  written
 many books,  which  are humorous and scary.  Many of his texts have been used
 as a basis to movies.  And he shows no signs of stopping.  He's creations  do
 have  the  basic  characteristics: existed for a while, different (or atleast
 good :) , there are many fans and several studies about his works.   I  might
 be wrong but I guess that's cult.

 "Neuromancer"

 Often considered  to  be  the  first  cyberpunk  book.    Has  inspired many.
 Probably can be called cult.


 [* X-series: a 90's not-completely-sci-fi series
              More precisely a criminal series which deals  with  supernatural
              or alien things and/or government conspiracies.
                 Examples: "X-Files", "Millennium", "The Profiler"
              Also  a  90's  realization  of the old "innocent but on the run"
              story with (almost) supernatural things and/or conspiracies
                 Examples: "Dark  Skies",   "The   Pretender",   "1st   Wave",
                           "Visitor"
 *]


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  Conclusion
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 You should  avoid  labeling  things.  Especially if you're using a label like
 "cult". Well, atleast about  this  one  you  have  concrete  rules  which  to
 follow.    Don't   you   just   wish  that  this  statement  would  apply  to
 everything?


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