Cults can exist in high places, and tend to involve rituals, including ritual human sacrifice. Conspiracies and frame-up, and corruption of the government suggest a cult is active in the region or government. Often it only takes looking at who is seen with politicians who is wealthy or controversial, OR WHO IS SEEKING GURU status, acting as if the are the savior to know who controls a conspiracy or frameup. These persons tend to leave their various marks on government or public property, and are often willing to destroy lifeforms, such as trees or other public resources. Multiple personalities are commonly members of cults. Not all cults are about murder, some are about some strange or false belief or indoctrination by an institution, sometimes known as brainwashing usually achieved in an exhausted state. Historically members of the entertainment industry have been used to commit crimes, often political crimes, as seen in the movie Confessions of a Dangerous mind. Many organizations are actually cult-life in nature and the persons in these organizations may not understand they resemble cults, and tend to have contacts with few outside their organization. Persons tend to learn about the true purpose of a cult often near their death. These organizations often embrace addictive behavior or some strange teaching that is actually harmful or false. There is usually some type of ritual or sacrifice involved in there practices. There can be some person who is involved in some strange symbolism, or the cult of personality.

The purpose of a traditional organization can be cultlike.