Maria Bamford on cults

Maria Bamford and Neal Brennan discuss cults. From The Blocks #podcast with Neal Brennan
Full episode: • Maria Bamford | The Bl...
Watch Neal Brennan: Blocks on Netflix: www.netflix.co...
Theme music by Electric Guest (unreleased).

[@jermx269]

Since the Diet Coke jokes til now. Im a fan and 48 years old on disability (mental health issues & epilepsy) Maria Bamford has always made me smile and laugh. Its like i can empathize with her experiences. Such a great person!

[@tiscitatascit]

Fantastic interview again. I've been a huge fan of Maria for a decade. As someone who is struggling in life this has been tremendously helpful. Thank you both for making heavy topics light hearted.

[@johnnyhancock76]

The butt line was killer. Glad Maria is showing up on the pods.

[@TeamCat1128]

She’s amazing!

[@TerrillFischer]

Maria can go into hilarious mode with all kinds of characters. Love her.

[@beresfordquimby]

I found the comments on AA very interesting, because I would agree, and would further strongly argue that AA's fundamental approach, in its cultish focus on "spirituality", is in fact abdication of responsibility. It talks about reparations, and owning one's actions, but fatally undermines that stance by asserting that we are all living at the whim of a "higher power", with many of the steps in the programme reinforcing a "leaf on the tide" mentality. And of course AA also promotes the disease model of alcoholism, in my opinion a fundamentally broken view of substance abuse. Substance abuse is not a discrete disease, it's a symptom of a wider psychological pathology: it never comes alone, it always exists in the context of underlying issues which - by focussing on the alcoholism as the core problem - AA effectively de-emphasizes, privileging suppression over resolution. It's like someone breaking their leg, and the people they go to for treatment telling them that their problem is "walking funny", and instead of having the broken leg treated, they just get a pair of crutches to walk on for the rest of their lives...

[@KINDaf]

Yup yup. Hence the term "Dry Drunk" as they never truly solve their core problems. They have just abstained from alcohol and switch it out for another addiction like religion.

[@edshields1924]

Well said wowzers you should start a cult

[@suzanneecklund4478]

I so appreciate Maria Bamford's honest and insightful mind. That she's funny is a bonus.

[@blue-fj9ky]

They're both so honest and open. Maybe that is the key to good comedy!

[@TeamCat1128]

Two of my favorite comedians. So intelligent.😊

[@pnwesty7174]

Neal is great at this stuff.

[@FeFe_let_it_be]

Love this podcast! ❤❤❤

[@philbrisell]

Thank you!

[@panaceiasuberes6464]

Now that you mentioned the greatest comic ever (Doug Stanhope) younhave to have the legend on the pod.

[@robertowolfo2128]

Great book.

[@kmcq692]

11:02 yeah. It’s getting yourself to trust your own executive function.

[@Davett53]

My buddy loved AA meetings so he eat the free hot dogs, they served at a chapter in our area. He could eat for free with no obligations.

[@stevewood3171]

I've been to bad 12 step meetings, lol

[@Heyheywereallfriendshere]

Honestly like- she’s somebody who would not fall for the totalitarian tactics of say Nazism- because she’s aware of her own propensity for falling for this shit. You know? so many people are unaware of of that in themselves

[@mikeguitar9769]

They join anyway

[@bluefishjoe]

I was in the jw cult. Then I joined AA cult. I went to those me for years. I tried, but I did some of my worst drinking when I went to AA. I always left feeling like crap. The JW’s make sure you’re not an individual. They put you in your place. AA was the same. No wonder I drank so much. Not meaning to, the way they talked to me was putting me in my place. Just like JW’s. I’ve lived most of my life being put in my place. F all of those cults.

[@insomnyuk]

Have you heard of SMART Recovery? It's science based and not 12 step based.

[@daveleech1084]

Seems like there's some Debrie Bardeaux in Maria. Love her!

[@normlang1994]

The first rule of cults is, you don't talk about cults The second rule of cults is, YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT CULTS 🤣🤣🤣

[@paul.martens]

Calling 12 steps out. Interesting. I went to an overeaters anonymous group and they had two severely bulimic women attending. The logic was they did, at points overeat and binge. I left after one meeting.

[@KINDaf]

Then you do not truely understand what bulimia is and have no compassion. Bulimia is characterized by overeating! Overeating so much that they feel sick and ashamed therefore engaging in making themselves throw up. Just because they looked skinny doesn't mean they didn't have an over-eating problem. Your issue with food will not be the same experience as others in the same group. I would encourage you to be more tolerant and look into why you reacted the way you did. It was probably due to your uncomfortability with yourself and body image that didn't make you feel like you belonged because they didn't look sick like the way you are. This gave you a reason and excuse to not go to a meeting that could help you therefore giving yourself a good reason to not go work on yourself. Youre shooting yourself in the foot. Peace.

[@paul.martens]

They have their own 12 steps. ABA. The leadership at my meeting should have directed them to that program. Don't gaslight me for calling out self-delusion and self-destructive behavior. @@KINDaf

[@paul.martens]

@@KINDaf You are truly superior. You’d sound like great sponsor 🙄

[@ninakore]

❤ Maria

[@aanchaallllllll]

0:00: 📚 The speaker discusses their experience with cults and their involvement in 12-step groups. 3:02: 🗒 The speaker discusses their experiences with sex and love addiction and how they used dating plans and cult-like formats to cope. 6:08: 💪 The speaker shares their journey of seeking help for their mental health struggles, including seeing a Christian counselor, calling the Suicide Hotline, and joining a 12-step group. 8:58: 👥 The speaker discusses their experience with Debtors Anonymous and how it helped them overcome financial challenges. 11:27: 👥 Connecting with others in a group can provide comfort and support. Recap by Tammy AI

[@heyelliew]

All life is basically going from one cult to another.

[@paul.martens]

Sounds like you’re recruiting😊

[@Pure_KodiakWILD_Power]

Ayyyye, DeBris Bardot....

[@randyzeitman1354]

12-steps are not a cult ... there's no charismatic and self-appointed leader, who excessively controls its members, requiring unwavering devotion to a set of beliefs and practices which are considered deviant. **** So if you like 12-steps Maria, me too, then give it the fair due. ***

[@KINDaf]

The definition of cult is group think. They don't always need leadership as it is the blind leading the blind in peer facilitated meeting. I would suggest googling cults and how they operate. They are quite insidious.

[@RelaxedPoo]

Follow the $

[@victoriaman117]

I wish I was in the room in the 90's.....