ê Analyze!
o What
strategies did Jim Jones use to manipulate his people?
o Why
were the people so easy to control?
o If
this would happen today, what type of people would be the easy targets?
o Would
you categorize Jim Jones as extremely smart? Insane? Unstable?
o Who
would you say is most like Jim Jones?
Jim Jones used the strategies of manipulation and persuasion to lead 900 people to commit the greatest self suicide in American history. The innocent victims of Jim Jones were mainly the minorities,drug addicts,ex convicts and poor people of society who were looking to find their way. Many resorted to desperation and hopelessness which made it it easier for Jim to manipulate them. If this were to happen in today's society the easiest targets would also be the poor and insignificant' of society because those who have nothing to lose are usually the ones most open for opposition towards society. I would personally categorize Jim Jones as an intelligent man with an insane motive, he had the intellect to read the needs and wants of the public and provided his followers with everything they wanted. In comparison to Charles Manson and Adolf Hitler I would say Jim Jones is most like Charles Manson because just like Manson, he brainwashed his followers to kill, using manipulation, persuasion, and fear.
ReplyDeleteHitler also brainwashed the Hitler Youth in similar ways as Jones and Manson.
DeleteJim Jones used strategies including persuasion and making people feel in-debt to him through giving them money, cars, and/or many other life changing things. In return all he wanted them to do was come check out his church. This is often how he recruited his members, they would come to the first church meeting and he would show them how they help the poor and help the members get jobs, people liked it and started coming back. Then he would increase dedication and loyalty standards. Now they were his. Many of his people were so easy to control because they were minorities, drug addicts, ex-convicts, poor, and jobless people who had nothing or close to nothing. Many of his victims were very desperate for work and basic necessities that his 'church' could provide them with. Once they got a piece of the cake, and experienced the joys and wonders of the church and realized how they could restart a new life with his church, they started to put their full trust into it. This trust they put in the church allowed Jim Jones to manipulate and control them and their actions much easier. If this were to happen today, I believe that the poor, some drug addicts, and some ex-convicts would still become victims. This would be mainly due to them not having anything to lose, so they would be willing to risk everything in hope of a second chance. In my opinion, Jim Jones was a truly intelligent individual because he targeted the weaknesses in people and exploited them. By making their lives better, he forced them to return to his church for more. Despite him being so intelligent he was also an insane and sick man because of all those horrible things he made those people do in Jonestown. Just the fact that he could plan such a thing makes him a disturbed individual. Jim Jones is most like Charles Manson because Charles Manson also used the art of persuasion and manipulation to control his followers and force them to do whatever he asked, whenever he wanted it done. Both of their cults were truly horrifying and destructive.
ReplyDeleteDo you think if Jones or Manson had not been caught they would have been just as destructive as Hitler?
DeleteJim Jones used strategies that included persuasion and manipulation which lead too many people to their death. This man would give these people anything they wanted, and anything they could wish for to make their lives better and easier but that meant they would have to become part of his church and be dedicated not only to the church but to him as well. The people were so easy to control because most of them were poor, drug addicts, or ex convicts looking for help so they are able to start over and when Jones was giving them whatever they wanted how could they not do whatever he asks of them? If this were to happen today the same type of people like drug addicts, poor people, ex convicts, and even the wealthy because they probably think they could out smart someone like Jones and think they have nothing to lose almost as if they are too comfortable with their lives. Jim Jones is extremely intelligent, but sneaky, and messed up at the same time. His intelligence was used for the wrong reasons and his thoughts and ideas were only thoughts that someone so twisted could come up with. He drew people in made them trust him and think they were safer with him then they were with their own lives. He brainwashed them to do things that they knew were wrong but listened anyway because thats all they knew how to do, was be loyal to him. Another man like Jim Jones would most likely be Charles Manson because he also used the strategies of trust and loyalty to manipulate his people in order to get them to do what they were being told to do. Both men were messed up and the things they did changed the lives of people forever and the horrifying memories were just unbelievable. Even today hearing these stories gives people the chills it just doesn't make sense as to how someone can be so horrific but yet see nothing wrong with what they are doing to others.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on who would follow today. I think sometimes when you are intelligent and wealthy, you think nothing can trick you and let your guard down, which is exactly what Jones was looking for from them.
DeleteJim Jones isolated people from anything outside of the church and convinced people that the church was the best thing that could happen to them. He would give them anything they wanted and anything they needed and made them feel as if they owed Jim the world. The people truly believed he was a good person who would give them everything they could ever want.
ReplyDeletePeople who would be easy targets are runaway teens, workaholics, drug addicts, homeless people and anyone who is completely alone. I would categorize Jim Jones as unstable and insane because he worked so hard on this operation that killed over 900 people. On the other hand, he was extremely smart for being able to convince so many people to take their lives. Jim Jones is most like Charles Manson because he manipulated peoples minds and convinced them to do something that they would never even think of. He convinced them to kill their children and themselves, while Charles convinced people to murder strangers so he would not have to. Their mind altering speeches persuaded so many people to do unthinkable thinks and neither of them had to get their hands dirty.
Good response!
DeleteJim Jones used fear as a strategy to manipulate people. The fear he was able to make the people feel overcame any feeling of hope and faith that they ever had. When fear is brought onto a person they feel as though they don’t have any other options. The people became so easy to control for Jim because they were all terrified of him and he knew that. He knew that they would not try to run away or try to overrun him because they were scared. If this were to happen today, teenage runaways, prostitutes, and the homeless would be very easy targets. All three of these types of people have nowhere to go and would feel very vulnerable to a place where they feel like they would be cared for and saved. I would categorize Jim Jones as extremely smart because he was able to convince so many people to commit suicide with just his words. I feel as though if he were to put his persuasion to good use he could have did good for the world. Someone who is like Jim Jones would be anyone in political power today. Not because they are killers but because they use persuasion just like Jim did. People in political power are able to sell their ideas for the world and have people follow just like Jim did. The only difference is Jim used it to kill many people and people in political power do it for money.
ReplyDeleteGood and interesting comparison to Jim Jones.
DeleteThe strategies employed by Jim Jones used on his followers proved very effective in killing them off. His tactics included persuasion, fear, isolation, and manipulation. Jones gave people whatever they needed. If someone needed money to get out of debt, he would give it. If someone needed toys for their child, he would give it. If someone needed something, he would give it. Then he would lure them in, because nobody can say no after they were just provided exactly what they needed. These people were easy to control, Jim Jones knew how people acted and knew just how to control them. Most of the people Jim Jones recruited were already in a bad place in their life, whether it be homeless or drug addict, these people were generally easy because of their desperation. Homeless people need a job to get a home, and drug addicts needed money to buy drugs, and so on. Jones would provide, which kept people in line. Similarly, some types of people today are easy to control. These modern submissive types would be the same types of people Jones recruited like the homeless and drug addicts, but also people who like to jump in the bandwagon. With things like Candy Crush, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and so many other "trending" things, people are more of follower to trends than ever before. Making the People's Temple a trend would easily bring in a good amount of people walking right in. Jim Jones would be able to do this, because he is extremely smart. Although smart, Jones was extremely unstable and perhaps even, insane. No man in their right mind would lead 900 people to their suicide, and end up joining in as well. Jim Jones was a mastermind to be able to pull that off, much like Hitler. Even though Hitler did not make people kill themselves, rather he worked them to death. Even so, both Jones and Hitler use cunning tactics to persuade people to joining them, kill a lot of people, are extremely smart, and end up killing themselves in the end.
ReplyDeleteGreat analysis of comparing this to a "trend". You are so right in seeing this as a trend! Trends are "in" and so was the "People's Temple".
DeleteGood Response!
1.)At first Jim Jones gave people the option of joining the peoples temple so they felt in control, but than gave them reasons to come back. they believed he was godlike because he gave them false examples like making"miracles" happen or curing "cancer". This made the people believe Jim was above
ReplyDeletethem, so they took interest in that, and wanted him to help them/ get his attention. He than began to take away their rights gradually, and made anyone that wanted to leave his temple feel isolated and wrong. He created mob mentality by doing this.
2. The people were so easy to control because they had gaps in their lives that Jim filled. It wasn't just a specific group; anyone that felt incomplete with themselves found acceptance in Jim. They also wanted a "utopia" because they didn't like how the world was treating them. These people lack self confidence, so it was very easy for Jim to get inside their heads and make them give into things.
3.) Today, easy targets would be anyone with low self confidence/ lack of hope or direction.Probably people who are outcasted from society, drug addicts, because everyone turns on them and is disappointed, People who don't fit America's "beauty" standard and have a hard time with the opposite sex, people who commit crimes.These people are different from others around them, and it makes them mad/ empty inside. Everyone wants to belong, even if they deny it.
4.) I would categorize Jim Jones as extremely smart, to the point where he became a danger to everyone around him and eventually himself. People in that mindset are the dominate ones, and it obvious they are smarter than the people around them because they know the right buttons to push on people to make them do what they want. I would also classify him as extremely developed, because a powerful manipulator can only become that way through experience.
5.) There are so many versions of Jim Jones in the world. Anyone who sees people as objects are like him. Car salesmen, because they will say anything to sell a car, People in politics, because they will lie and cheat to win a position. I think Charles Manson is most like Jim Jones, because he was able to make people destroy their lives and totally warp their reality. Hitler had Nazis, but that was the government. Manson was extremely manipulative in the same form of Jim Jones.
Great answer to question 5. His personality can be compared on the common scale and the grandiose scale of personalities.
DeleteGreat answer to 4 as well. Too much of anything can become a bad thing.
Jim Jones used power, fear and his own church to control and manipulate other people. The people he had in his church were weak minded, and easy to persuade. He destroyed peoples' lives so they had nothing but his church. If this were to happen today I believe the poor would be the most easiest to persuade, just because they have nothing.
ReplyDeleteJones was insane, he used others to destroy marriages and households. He had no moral re-strengths for a man who "built a church." I would say Manson is very similar to Jones, but Jones was insane like a Hitler or for example like the Al Quede group.
moral re-strengths or moral restraints?
DeleteJim Jones used his power to manipulate people. That if his people did not do what he said they did not trust him. The people were so easy to control because Jones convinced them that what they are doing is right by using drills to teach his people. If this happened today poor people and the minorities would be the easy targets. Jones was very smart but insane. He was smart enough to get 900 followers but he was insane in the end to have his 900 followers kill themselves.
ReplyDeleteanswer all of the questions!
DeleteJim Jones used the power of his church and smarts to take control of the people who joined the church and manipulate them. Most people he took control of were weak minded and looking for something to believe in. Eventually Jones went insane and moved his Peoples Temple to another country and had his followers and himself to death by poison.
ReplyDeleteanswer all of the questions!
Delete1. Jim Jones used his power of speech and authority to easily manipulate his people to obey him. He instilled fear in his followers by predicting a nuclear Holocaust upon those who do not follow his teachings.
ReplyDelete2. They were so easy to control because after months of his teachings, training and drills, Jones made his followers believe he could save them from society. Jones wanted his followers to believe he was the next Messiah and perform "miracles".
3. An easy target would be teenage runaways because they are vulnerable to society. Most likely teens who are fresh out out high school and do not know where their life is going would be more influenced.
4. Jim Jones would be labeled as insane due to his tactics to make anyone to obey his commands. He expected his followers to drop their lives to become involved in their church and commit insane acts. He wanted parents to kill their own children and than kill themselves.
4. Jim Jones is more like Adolf Hitler because they both used their power of speech and authority to easily manipulate others. Adolf Hitler used his power of words to gain followers. They both expected their followers to commit insane acts of murder.
try to add examples to prove your claims.
DeleteJim Jones used power of speech to manipulate his people. He persuaded poor people into thinking he was all they had and he would give them what they needed. Jones did drills and taught them what to do. Easy targets would be poor people or teens who rebel against society. Jones is insane but very smart, he managed to get 900 people to follow him. I would relate Jones and Hitler because they were both very manipulative and used speeches to persuade people into following him and doing what he said.
DeleteJim Jones used his power of persuasion to manipulate people to do what he says. Jim Jones would make the people in his "church" do drills with the kool aid. The people were so easy to control because he was so helpful to them. he would say what they wanted to hear. And when he got his people where he wanted them, he took away their children and all of their money. If this happened today, the easiest people to target are people that don't have much to loose. I think that Jones is very smart, because he can manipulate people to do what he wants them to do. Jim Jones is just like Charles Manson. They both can manipulate people to do unspeakable things.
DeleteHow do Jones and Manson manipulate in the same way?
Delete1) Jim Jones used his controlling and powerful personality to manipulate his people into believing that what he was doing was right and just. He created fear in his followers and he made them think that they owed him something for all that he did for them.
ReplyDelete2) The people of Jonestown were so easy to control because of all of his teachings and lessons. He made them believe that he could save them all from all of the bad in life.
3) If this were to happen today, the people involved would have to be weak and insecure. Anyone with a strong personality would not be manipulated by Jim Jones.
4) I would characterize Jones as smart yet controlling. He had a strategy of getting people to believe in him and clearly it was a successful one.
5) Jim Jones is similar to Hitler because they both used their powerful words to manipulate people to do outrageous things such as killing themselves and killing other people.
Who is weak and insecure today though? What group of people?
Delete1. Jim Jones used his power of speech and authority to easily manipulate his people to obey him. The innocent victims of Jim Jones were mainly the minorities,drug addicts,ex convicts and poor people of society who were looking to find their way. The people were so easy to control because Jones convinced them that what they are doing is right by using drills to teach his people.
ReplyDelete2.the people were so easy to control because Many of his victims were very desperate for work and basic necessities that his 'church' could provide them with. Jones made his followers believe he could save them from society.
3. If this happened today many of the same types of people would fall for it such as homeless or drug addict, these people were generally easy because of their desperation. they are in need of guidence and they think someone like Jim Jones could guide them
4. Jim Jones would be considered smart because he knew how to manipulate people into doing what he wanted them to do. He could also be considered insane because of his tactics to make anyone to obey his commands.
5. i would say that Charles Manson because they are both crazy and both manipulated people into doing what they wanted. Also they had a crazy way to kill people by not directly killing them but by getting them to kill themselves or getting other people to kill for him.
good answer.
DeleteJim Jones used his power to scare and persuade his people to follow him and that the church was the best thing for them. The people were so easy to control because he would target people who were ex convicts, drug addicts and homeless people who were looking to start over and Jones offered them anything they wanted. If this were to happen today, I believe the same types of people would be followers of Jones. I would categorize Jones as being insane and smart. The tactics he used against his followers were crazy yet he was smart enough to convince them. I think Jones is more similar to Manson in the way he is able to manipulate peoples minds and convince them to do insane things.
ReplyDeletegood answer.
DeleteJim Jones used strategies like making people believe that he had powers to heal people and made them believe that they owed him something .Jim Jones put fear into his followers so they do not step out of line.Most people that were apart of his church where people who were just looking for something to believe in. That is why the people were so easy to control .People that would be easy targets if this happened today are run aways, drug addicts,dropouts from highschool. I would categorize Jim Jones as insane but also extremely same because he would be able to think fast when someone made a fool of him and his religion. When one of the men called him out on his blessed fried chicken he thought fast and gave him a bad cake to make him sick.I would say Charles Manson is most like Adolf Hitler because he trick multiple people to kill
ReplyDeletegood answer, but proofread.
ReplyDeleteJim Jones used strategies such as making people feel like they had no on else to trust but him. He made them fear the world out side of his church. He also made them believe he had healing powers and that he was able to accomplish God like feats such as curing diseases like cancer and making a meal appear by blessing the left over food. The people were so easy to control because he targeted people who needed something in their lives and he gave it to them therefore they felt they owed him. He also took away people from them like their spouses or parents in order to make them feel as if he was the only trustworthy person. If this were to happen today the easy targets would be teenagers because of all of their insecurities and need for acceptance, someone like Jim Jones could offer them those qualities sucking them into this kind of situation. I would categorize Jim Jones as an incredibly smart man because he was able to come up with so many different ways to manipulate people and get them to do what he wanted without much retaliation. I would say that someone who is most like Jim Jones are people like Adolf Hitler and Charles Manson because they were also extremely smart men who were able to manipulate a colt of people to follow their demands.
ReplyDelete