FBC – 106 – I think I joined A Cult Without Realizing It..

I think I joined A Cult Without Realizing It.

Today we are going to talk about the cult-like attitude I see every day amongst the so called digital nomads. We are going to cover the origins of these behaviors and how to get out of it.

DIsclaimer: Some people might disagree with me but it's fine. It's just my opinion.

So I was having a chat with my buddy about corporate and entrepreneurship. You know, like digital nomads versus corporations and stuff and I was telling him my views on things because more and more I feel like the digital nomads or digital entrepreneurs, you know people who have their own business and stuff, I feel like more and more it's like a cult.

So this may be a little bit controversial. But you know what? That's my opinion. And you know it's based on countless discussions that I had with people because you know not everything is black or white. Right so there is something in the middle.

When you're starting your adventure, you have people being very unsupportive and very intolerant towards what you are doing. But the same goes on the other side. I think more and more I realize that the more I talk to digital nomad people, the more I think that they're intolerant towards people working in the corporate world.

All right so here's my problem with this and I think I already told you about it. So me, I don't have a problem with corporate. I learned a lot from corporate, that I apply here, like processes and all that stuff.

There are a lot of things that I apply here. And as I told you when I meet like entrepreneurs and stuff they're always like super hyped up against the corporate. It's not the devil right. So I wanted to shoot this episode just for you guys too. I mean that's my opinion but just to explain where that comes from.

Let's say for example you start your business today. Right. So you start a business and you're like well it's just you right. But the minute you start hiring people even though they could be in another country or something, you become corporate. So at this point do you suck?  What's the deal? All right.

So if you tell me “man I don't like corporate” I don't really like that because it's just putting everybody in the same basket. And it's not constructive right. If you've done the aspect of being an employee and working for someone else and making someone else's dreams come true, instead of yours, then I can understand that.

But once you get into this entrepreneurship and digital nomad space, you kind of enter a cult right. It's a cult. Why do I say it's like a cult? Because you end up hating corporate as a whole. I want you to understand how this thing works. So in marketing, there is in copywriting. Right.

So there are things that are super powerful. Right. So people use very complex copywriting techniques and mechanisms to bring you to their sides. And one of the most powerful elements that they use is a common enemy. OK. And you have to understand something, the bigger the enemy the better. OK. Because everybody likes the underdog.

But you do have to understand how this mechanism works. So if you were trying to sell something like a diet, you are going to say basically that this is something the pharmaceutical industry doesn't want you to find out about. I'm pretty sure you've seen videos like this where they tell you that “oh the whole financial system and Wall Street doesn't want you to find this out”.

You know if it's something financial related if it's something like a supplement or something.

So this is the exact same thing that's been done here in this whole digital nomad space, where they just created a big enemy which is corporate. It's not even defined. So that was my point. They don't define what they mean by corporate. So that's why I think it's like a cult. The minute you enter this thing you start hating this big giant enemy that you need to fight. And you forget about the objectivity and stuff.

I think I joined A Cult Without Realizing It..

So if you worked in corporate before and then changed to be a digital nomad, that’s great. But finding something better doesn't mean that what you had before was bad. Well it wasn't all bad. Me again I was in corporate. My job was pretty cool and I had a lot of fun doing it. But there were a lot of aspects of it that I didn't like. But lots of it was good and I learned a lot from doing it, which I now use in this line of work.

So I think it’s very important to always try to remain objective. OK. It will serve you in a lot of different situations. I don't want you to end up being that bitter person who is against corporate. The more I talk to people in the digital nomad space, the more I'm like “Jesus Christ are we in a cult or something where we're like conditioned and trained to hate corporate?”

Frequently Asked Questions

Can digital nomads accidentally end up in cult-like groups while traveling?

Yes, isolated traveling solopreneurs often gravitate toward intense communities for belonging, and some of these communities operate with cult-like patterns. Common red flags are guru worship, pressure to recruit other nomads, paid retreats with high upsells, and discouragement from outside opinions. Vet every group by what it costs you in money and independence.

What are the warning signs of a cult-like digital nomad community?

Watch for love-bombing on arrival, secret-doctrine language, financial pressure to attend events, isolation from non-members, hostility toward critics, and one charismatic leader who is never questioned. Real entrepreneur communities welcome dissent and let you leave without guilt. If saying no feels expensive or socially dangerous, treat that as a serious signal.

How do you protect yourself from manipulative high-ticket masterminds?

Set a hard rule that any community costing more than 200 dollars per month must show measurable business return within 90 days. Track time spent inside the group versus revenue produced outside it. Talk to three members who already left, not three still inside. Most healthy masterminds pass these tests easily.

What should you do if you realize you joined a cult-like nomad group?

Leave quietly and quickly, cancel automatic payments, and back up any of your own content stored on their platforms. Avoid public confrontation since that often triggers retaliation. Reconnect with friends outside the group within seven days, and book a solo trip or workspace to reset your independent judgment fast.

Related Reading

• FBC – 4 Part 1 – This is the story of my life: Success, Failure and The Hurdles.
• FBC – 3 – Escape your life of sacrifice! Don’t settle for less than your dream lifestyle.
• FBC – 8 – The Weirdest Challenge To Boost Your Confidence
• Other really cool tips that will give you an unfair advantage

About the Author

Martin Ebongue is the founder of martinebongue.com, an online business and lifestyle design blog focused on helping aspiring entrepreneurs build location-independent businesses. Since 2014, he has been creating and scaling online ventures across multiple niches, from digital products and affiliate marketing to SaaS and content platforms, while traveling the world. He shares the real-world strategies, tools, and systems that work, with a particular focus on AI-powered automation for solopreneurs. Follow him on YouTube, X (Twitter), and Instagram.