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Yeah, I'm in a Cult. So Are You.

Maybe being called an AI cultist isn't the insult people think it is — we're all irrationally devoted to something.

The Water Wars Comment Section

I was scrolling Threads today and saw someone share this incredible website — an AI-generated map of Paris that you could click on and it would zoom into different places, creating hand-drawn style illustrations with little characters walking around in real time. It was genuinely cool. Like, tour app level cool.

Naturally, I went to the comments to learn more about how they built it.

And naturally, the first thing I see is someone going off about water usage. "This is such a waste of water!" followed by the classic: "AI people are in a cult."

That's when I started doing what I always do — digging into the actual numbers.

My Data Center Days

I got curious about the water thing because I actually have some history here. Early in my freelance career, I worked on a video project for Google's data center in The Dalles, Oregon. I also visited data centers in South Carolina and Georgia.

So I did what I always do — I went down a research rabbit hole. Spent about an hour looking up actual usage numbers, environmental studies, comparative data.

The environmentalists aren't wrong.

When you're training large models like Opus or Gemini, the water usage is significant.

But here's what I found: a medium-sized data center uses roughly the same amount of water as a golf course. And individual usage — like that Paris map website — doesn't even matter.

We're talking about a choice.

Do we use that water for a golf course that benefits a few hundred people, or for a data center that could potentially help cure cancer? Yes, I stacked the deck with this argument. It's such an absurd example, but thats when it hit me.

I was rationalizing.

I was making arguments to defend something I already believed in.

Maybe that commenter was right. Maybe I am in a cult.

Wait, How Do Cults Actually Work?

Cult formation follows predictable patterns: shared beliefs, in-group loyalty, and rationalization of contradictory evidence when it threatens the worldview.

Members develop what psychologists call "cognitive commitment" — they become emotionally invested in defending their beliefs, even when presented with conflicting information.

But as I'm reading this stuff, I realize this describes pretty much every passionate community I know.

There's the cult of Mac users who will defend Apple's every decision. The cult of progressive politics. The cult of MAGA. The cult of specific video games, podcasts, or personalities. Hell, I'm definitely in the cult of Mel Robbins — I genuinely worship her (for real).

Inside each cult, everything makes perfect sense. Outside of it, the devotion looks completely irrational.

Social identity theory explains why this happens.

When we adopt a group identity, we start viewing information through that lens. We seek out confirming evidence and dismiss challenges. We make excuses and craft arguments to support what we already believe.

The Confidence Cult

I keep hearing people say that AI gives users an unrealistic sense that they can do anything. "How delusional is that?"

But why is confidence such a bad thing? Why is thinking big considered dangerous?

As someone who's neurodivergent, AI tools genuinely expand what I can accomplish. They help me organize thoughts, draft ideas, and build things I couldn't build alone. If that makes me feel like I can shoot for the stars, what's wrong with that?

Research on "positive illusions" shows that slightly unrealistic optimism about our abilities actually correlates with better mental health and higher achievement.

People who believe they can do more than they probably can often end up doing more than people with "realistic" expectations.

Admission of Guilt

So when someone calls me an AI cultist, I'm not going to feel defensive anymore.

Yes, I'm in the cult of AI.

I think it's magic. I irrationally support it and make arguments to defend it — just like I did with that water usage research.

I'm also in the cult of simulation theory, and the cult of rap music. We all have our irrational devotions.

The question isn't whether we're in cults — it's whether our cults are worth it.

I'd rather be irrationally optimistic about technology that could help cure cancer than rationally pessimistic about water usage at golf courses.

But that's just my cult talking.

← Back to Digest
ai May 20, 2026

Yeah, I'm in a Cult. So Are You.

Maybe being called an AI cultist isn't the insult people think it is — we're all irrationally devoted to something.

The Man in Yellow Sunglasses
The Man in Yellow Sunglasses
Yeah, I'm in a Cult. So Are You.
The man in yellow sunglasses sits Indian style on a minimal, light-colored floor in a nondescript room with plain white walls. He faces forward, his yellow sunglasses opaque.

The Water Wars Comment Section

I was scrolling Threads today and saw someone share this incredible website — an AI-generated map of Paris that you could click on and it would zoom into different places, creating hand-drawn style illustrations with little characters walking around in real time. It was genuinely cool. Like, tour app level cool.

Naturally, I went to the comments to learn more about how they built it.

And naturally, the first thing I see is someone going off about water usage. "This is such a waste of water!" followed by the classic: "AI people are in a cult."

That's when I started doing what I always do — digging into the actual numbers.

My Data Center Days

I got curious about the water thing because I actually have some history here. Early in my freelance career, I worked on a video project for Google's data center in The Dalles, Oregon. I also visited data centers in South Carolina and Georgia.

So I did what I always do — I went down a research rabbit hole. Spent about an hour looking up actual usage numbers, environmental studies, comparative data.

The environmentalists aren't wrong.

When you're training large models like Opus or Gemini, the water usage is significant.

But here's what I found: a medium-sized data center uses roughly the same amount of water as a golf course. And individual usage — like that Paris map website — doesn't even matter.

We're talking about a choice.

Do we use that water for a golf course that benefits a few hundred people, or for a data center that could potentially help cure cancer? Yes, I stacked the deck with this argument. It's such an absurd example, but thats when it hit me.

I was rationalizing.

I was making arguments to defend something I already believed in.

Maybe that commenter was right. Maybe I am in a cult.

Wait, How Do Cults Actually Work?

Cult formation follows predictable patterns: shared beliefs, in-group loyalty, and rationalization of contradictory evidence when it threatens the worldview.

Members develop what psychologists call "cognitive commitment" — they become emotionally invested in defending their beliefs, even when presented with conflicting information.

But as I'm reading this stuff, I realize this describes pretty much every passionate community I know.

There's the cult of Mac users who will defend Apple's every decision. The cult of progressive politics. The cult of MAGA. The cult of specific video games, podcasts, or personalities. Hell, I'm definitely in the cult of Mel Robbins — I genuinely worship her (for real).

Inside each cult, everything makes perfect sense. Outside of it, the devotion looks completely irrational.

Social identity theory explains why this happens.

When we adopt a group identity, we start viewing information through that lens. We seek out confirming evidence and dismiss challenges. We make excuses and craft arguments to support what we already believe.

The Confidence Cult

I keep hearing people say that AI gives users an unrealistic sense that they can do anything. "How delusional is that?"

But why is confidence such a bad thing? Why is thinking big considered dangerous?

As someone who's neurodivergent, AI tools genuinely expand what I can accomplish. They help me organize thoughts, draft ideas, and build things I couldn't build alone. If that makes me feel like I can shoot for the stars, what's wrong with that?

Research on "positive illusions" shows that slightly unrealistic optimism about our abilities actually correlates with better mental health and higher achievement.

People who believe they can do more than they probably can often end up doing more than people with "realistic" expectations.

Admission of Guilt

So when someone calls me an AI cultist, I'm not going to feel defensive anymore.

Yes, I'm in the cult of AI.

I think it's magic. I irrationally support it and make arguments to defend it — just like I did with that water usage research.

I'm also in the cult of simulation theory, and the cult of rap music. We all have our irrational devotions.

The question isn't whether we're in cults — it's whether our cults are worth it.

I'd rather be irrationally optimistic about technology that could help cure cancer than rationally pessimistic about water usage at golf courses.

But that's just my cult talking.

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