Patty Hearst would eventually put the SLA in her rearview mirror; she’d go on to have two kids and act in a string of John Waters films. But through the years, the debate has continued: was Patty really brainwashed, or did she voluntarily join the SLA? To help answer this question, Brooke and Aricia are joined by author and social scientist Alexandra Stein. Alexandra studies the psychological tactics cult leaders use to brainwash their subjects. She also has first hand experience with cults, having survived a decade in one. Alexandra will explain why it’s so hard to leave a cult and what can help people break free.

To learn more about her story, check out Alexandra’s memoir: http://www.alexandrastein.com/inside-out-a-memoir-of-entering-and-breaking-out-of-a-minneapolis-political-cult.html

And her latest book, Terror, Love and Brainwashing:

https://www.routledge.com/Terror--Love-and-Brain-washing-Attachment-in-Cults-and-Totalitarian/Stein/p/book/9780367467715?utm_source=individuals&utm_medium=shared_link&utm_campaign=B012494_dm1_1au_1aj_d741

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Miles, Points, and Planet Love with Ricky Zhang