appeal of cults + world-affirming NRMs - reasons

• -to achieve a happier + more successful life = cults +NAMs are 'self-religions' offer + attract middle class to improve their lives through expensive service that they can afford (money) e.g reiki session

  middle class women make up the majority of followers of NAMs and cults which is down to women felling more pressure than men to improve themselves

  -feminists argue that many MC women experience male gaze+ pressure to be all-round women making them think that they only need to be beautiful and successful
• -to re-gain spirituality = many MC experience feelings of relative deprivation - lack of spirituality. as they have professional lives, they can buy anything but all of this consumerism leaves them feeling empty so they look at NAMs and cults to give their lives meaning e.g transcendental meditation offers MC techniques to reconnect with their 'inner selves' through meditation

  -PM argue that rise in cults reflects the growing individualism of religion as people are turning away from traditional meta-narratives such as church - cult offer them an individual spiritual experience
• -individual choice + identity formation = traditional sources of identity are changing + becoming harder to define

  PM argue that cults +NAMs + world-affirming NRMs offer a source of identity - people are now spiritual shopper where they pick n mix different beliefs from religious marketplace according to their tastes

  -MC women are more likely to participate in DIY cocktail where they take bits and pieces of religion and mash them together e.g reiki session