The WeWork Downfall And The Cult-Like Figure At The Center Of It All

A cautionary tale of how charisma and hope can lead many to follow the wrong path.

“Let me tell you something my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane.”

― Red in Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King, Different Seasons

In the last few weeks, I’ve read several news stories that have caused me to lament two words I keep hearing over and over: cult or cult-like figure. When pressed to acknowledge these words, names such as Jim Jones, Charles Manson and Keith Raniere first come to mind.

The images of Jim Jones’ Jonestown Massacre figures prominently in my psyche, and it baffles me to this day how one man convinced over 1,000 people to willingly kill themselves. But then, when I do this, stories such as the rise and fall of WeWork and the continued devotion Trump supporters give to their awful President confirm my belief that we humans can, and often do, fall prey to those who inspire us — even if their message is and has been credited as being false or just plain dumb.

Jim Jones represents the worst of what a cult and cult-like figure can be. WeWork’s former CEO, Adam Neumann, presented a more nuanced…