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The Journey of a Cult can be characterized by specific steps.

1. The Big Idea

An inspiring figure or leaders introduce a revolutionary approach offering a solution for alienated and vulnerable people.

And so it goes. They’re getting ready to storm the compound down in Brisbane. Tensions are rising. Smoke is rising from within. An isolated player, naked, anxious, the phrase ATTACKING MINDSET written on his body as a symbol, has emerged from the field and is removed with discretion for a temporary assignment at Derbyshire.

Do you ever miss the beginning, when the world was still young? The initial phase, of uninhibited aggression.

2. Love-Bombing

Movement founders promise a new start, hope for a future, support, salvation together who all believe in the big idea.

What did it represent at first? Just men on a balcony basking in glory. Body art. Forearms. Focus. Peak performance vibes. Of course, The team insist they don’t use the label, ironically because if it doesn’t exist, what did we see?

Yet it’s clear its essence. It’s Harry Brook playing a shot so depraved it has to be pixelated. It’s the thrill of the leader in his final form, a look that says: pensive Nordic god, strong features, natural look, truly contemporary you half-expect to glance over and find him positioned at mid-off shirtless and cradling a wild salmon.

It’s Ben Duckett continuing to have permission addressing the media, appearing as a joyful figure in a waistcoat, saying stuff like we’re challenging norms. Indeed, the vibe, for quite a long time, was entirely positive.

3. Expansion Period

Building period. Cohesion maintained through repetition of key phrases. These principles are often illogical to prove commitment.

Am I alone? The reaction, the anger, the disappointment post-defeat appears excessive, too much. The batting collapsed during the match, as is typical there. They were savaged in the field for a couple of hours as the bowling and captaincy fell apart, outplayed by Travis Head imitating their style effectively, adaptive to conditions, an athlete shining with aura.

Now there is the pile-on, the rage, the view of the sport as a disgrace. The consensus is that defeat must be total, they should be dismantled, to be cleansed, obliterated, defeated by the vengeful purity of the bowler’s action, the conventional tactics of the veteran, out there celebrating his wickets with a bashful smile like he’s just been given a nice new fishing rod. What impact will this have?

4. External Conflict

Problems arise because of mistakes. Yet, mistakes are denied. It starts to feed on anger towards critics.

Ultimately, a few days before the upcoming game, we’ve entered a delicious point of tension in the lifespan of this movement. They might succeed in Brisbane with bold tactics. More likely, they could lose just as quickly. Should they fail it feels like we may see the death cult phase.

Prior to that, a couple of points to consider on the topic. In the past, at the start, of passion and hope, an piece was published labeling it a movement. There was outrage, which was helpful as it’s known the best way of proving something definitely isn’t a cult is should followers react defensively rejecting criticism of the beliefs.

Recent events recently is just as interesting. Criticism of the approach has turned into a movement. Social media is furious, disappointed commentators, shots of angry middle-aged travelling fans cheated out of three days of cricket, like a room full of investors demanding recourse.

Meanwhile, we have the wider backdrop of Australia’s more nuanced ingrained annoyance at these weirdly passive-aggressive buccaneers, out there saying, the methods you value and have fostered and nurtured to distinguish yourselves from others, it’s not serious ultimately.

And this is the real point. Everything is a cult. The approach was a phenomenon as the game has its own culture. Or at least, the sport in England is closed, a group, a garden party, a restricted environment with a long history of ceremonial past defining it. It has long been a place where power and access are hoarded. It’s the imperial sport of England, the pioneering brand. And surprisingly, Britain is itself a cult, a system of unknown levels, a place that literally still has a king.

The team have been sealed up within this world since childhood. Attempting to break free, to create a less brutal environment, they are just repeating their upbringing, building another enclosure, a limited community, but now with a new team and a mentor encouraging individuality if you fit the mold.

Focus on the moment. Run towards the danger. But no matter how fast and far you run, you remain stuck.

Considering this, now is the time to show understanding for the movement, to appreciate its good points, which are significant. How to define it? Promoting liberation. Defying norms. Batting aggressively|Attacking with