Cult Expert Dr Steven Hassan
@drstevenhassan·58.1K subscribers·897 videos
Remembering My Mentor, Robert Jay Lifton MD: Honoring His Legacy and Impact
Posted
September 6, 2025
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September 6, 2025
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40:59Now PlayingJoin cult expert and author Dr. Steven Hassan for a somber, heartfelt livestream today, Friday, September 5, 2025 at 2:00 PM ET, as he honors the life, legacy, and lasting impact of his dear friend and mentor, Dr. Robert Jay Lifton, who passed away yesterday, September 4, 2025.
In 1976, when Steven Hassan was deeply entrenched within the Moonies cult and brainwashed by Sun-Myung Moon, it was Lifton’s seminal work, Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism, which helped him break free. After learning Lifton’s “8 Criteria to Evaluate Thought Reform”, Steve sought out Lifton to help him understand his experience under mind control. He encouraged Steve to study psychology and ultimately set Steve on the path that would define his entire life.
Lifton’s work only becomes more relevant in these trying times, offering wisdom and moral clarity. Lifton's work sought to understand and analyze the motivation and drive behind some of the darkest events in modern human history, such as:
- The psychological aftermath of the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
- The moral struggles of Vietnam War veterans
- The role of Nazi doctors, such as Karl Mengele, in enabling Adolf Hitler's genocide
- The unprecedented presidency of Donald Trump and the grip he has on his followers
Lifton was really the grandfather of "dark psychology". His work shed light on the depths of human cruelty but also highlighted the resilience of survivors and humanity's boundless endurance.
In this remembrance, Dr. Hassan will reflect on Lifton's profound insights into trauma, totalism, and the human condition and how they help us understand power, authoritarianism, and the dangers of blind obedience today.
Today Steve will share stories and will respond to comments of how Lifton’s work influenced their life and work. He will also answer questions related to Lifton. It's Steve’s wish to share Dr. Lifton’s many significant theories and efforts to promote social justice with you.
For some of Steve's many chats with Dr. Lifton over the years, please check this link
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