And it’s not just the unscrupulousness of leaders; it’s the power of the tools they wield. During ecstasis, our sense of being an individual “I” gets replaced by the feeling of being a collective “we.” And this doesn’t just happen in small groups like the SEALs on night ops or Googlers at a desert festival. It’s also the feeling that arises at large political rallies, rock concerts, and sporting events. It’s one of the reasons people go on spiritual pilgrimages, and why evangelical megachurches are booming (with more than six million attendees every Sunday).30 Bring a large group of people
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