In this episode of WTF is On My Mind?!, filmmaker and whistleblower Mark Vicente explores what happens when we try to understand an irrational or dangerous mind. Whether it’s a cult leader, an abuser, or the mainstream media—attempting to “map” insanity can destabilize one’s own sanity.

Brain Talk: How Mind Mapping Brain Science Can Change Your Life & Everyone In It - by David Schnarch

Mark unpacks the concept of mind mapping—our brain’s instinct to model the thoughts and intentions of others—and shows how it becomes distorted in high-control environments. Drawing from his experience inside NXIVM, he reflects on:

• The hyper-vigilance around Keith Raniere.
• The split between a “cult self” and the real self.
• The chaos of “spaghetti brain” when irrational behavior is normalized.

But this is more than just a story about cults. Mark connects these patterns to everyday life, revealing:

• How media propaganda and lies mimic cult indoctrination.
• Why truth-tellers are often branded “extremists.”
• The cost of normalizing hypocrisy, duplicity, and deception as “business as usual.”

At its core, the episode is about the hidden psychological toll of mapping madness—and why feeling disturbed may actually be the sanest response to the world right now.

Warning: This episode discusses trauma, coercive control, psychological abuse, and systemic deception. Viewer discretion advised.

The conversation continues on PATREON, where Mark is able to speak fully and uncensored about the issues Skynet… uhhh… certain platforms won’t allow. Join here: patreon.com/markvicente

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The views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.

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In this episode of WTF is on My Mind?!, filmmaker and whistleblower Mark Vicente sits down with Richard Grannon for a conversation that begins with vampires and then branches into a whole labyrinth of topics. They explore how myths like Dracula and other vampire lore may have been early attempts to explain narcissism and psychopathy before psychology even existed. From there, the discussion moves into why narcissists drain people the way vampires feed, why innocence is such a target for predators, and how charisma and charm mask the fangs underneath.

As the conversation unfolds, they touch on the emptiness at the core of narcissists, Hollywood’s obsession with writing villains better than heroes, the way shadow work (or lack of it) shapes human behavior, and how suppression fuels cultural fascination with “monsters.” They also examine the darker realities of cult leaders, why people are sometimes drawn to dangerous partners, and the uncomfortable idea that survivors may unconsciously project their own fantasies onto narcissists — a process Richard calls “co-idealization.”

The result is a wide-ranging dialogue that moves between myth, psychology, culture, and personal experience. It’s provocative, sometimes darkly funny, and always aimed at deeper understanding of how manipulation and predation actually work.

⚠️ Content Note: This episode discusses narcissistic abuse, cult dynamics, predatory behavior, and depictions of violence in media. Viewer discretion advised.

ABOUT RICHARD GRANNON:
Richard is a psychology expert specializing in narcissistic abuse recovery. His course: Complete Narcissistic Abuse Deprogramming Guide is now live.

Richard's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCU9xNc-P8GWAdafmAcNVi6g
Richard's Website: www.RichardGrannon.com

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The views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicente
Website: www.markvicente.com
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In this episode of WTF Is On My Mind?!, Mark Vicente pulls back the curtain on one of the most insidious tools of social control: shunning — not just as a personal act of rejection, but as a systemic, psychological weapon masquerading as moral high ground.

This isn’t just about cults. It’s about how cult behavior has gone mainstream — how families, political factions, media outlets, and activist circles now use public exile and cold silence to punish dissent and demand conformity. Drawing on a recent New York Times opinion piece that unintentionally exposes the creeping logic of ideological purity, Mark examines the difference between healthy boundaries and coercive exile, between critical thinking and performative allegiance.

He also reflects on his own experience inside NXIVM, where shunning was formal doctrine — and how eerily familiar those same dynamics look in our current cultural climate. From mocking deaths to cutting off loved ones for their beliefs, we’re in dangerous territory when belonging becomes conditional on orthodoxy — be it political, medical, or spiritual.

But all is not doom and gloom. This episode also looks at how the spell can break — how real human connection, outside the algorithms and echo chambers, can restore our capacity for nuance, empathy, and even disagreement without destruction.

Mark’s take is blunt, piercing, and layered with lived experience — and it just might make you think twice about who’s really being “cultish.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/13/opinion/family-politics-arguments-right-wing.html

https://www.reddit.com/r/redscarepod/comments/1m0iyya/nyt_is_it_time_to_stop_snubbing_your_rightwing/

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The views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicente
Website: www.markvicente.com
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What happens when people finally see through the lies? Mark Vicente breaks down the Epstein cover-up, government blackmail operations, and why we can't wait for heroes to save us. Mark connects the dots between cult dynamics and political power structures, drawing from his experience as a NXIVM whistleblower.

The Epstein Cover-Up and What It Really Means: Mark digs into why the official narrative around Epstein's death and the missing client list feels so transparently false. But here's the twist: those blatant lies aren't meant to convince you or me. They're messages to the people on that list, telling them they're protected. When you understand that intelligence agencies need leverage over powerful people, the whole honey trap operation starts making sense. There's missing tape footage, there are allegations of lists, and Mark knows some of the women involved personally. This isn't conspiracy theory territory anymore.

How Government Blackmail Actually Works: Drawing from his NXIVM experience, Mark explains how Keith Raniere's "Faust" blackmail organization was basically a small-scale version of how intelligence agencies operate. Raniere didn't invent this shit, he learned it from somewhere. When attorneys general or presidents want to prosecute something and suddenly back down with flimsy excuses, Mark wonders: did they get a phone call? A visit? Maybe a threat against their family? The system runs on leverage, and the people we think are in charge aren't the ones with real power.

Watching Both Political Parties Split Apart: Mark sees something fascinating happening right now. The Israel-Palestine issue has bifurcated the Democratic Party. The Epstein cover-up is splitting Republicans. Both sides are fracturing because people are finally seeing through the cult-like thinking that says you have to support your leader no matter what they do. It looks chaotic, but Mark thinks this is actually what happens when cults collapse. People start questioning everything and referring back to their own moral compass instead of blindly following.

Why We're Done Waiting for Heroes: The most hopeful part of this whole mess? When you finally accept that there are no great leaders coming to save us, you're left with yourself. Mark compares choosing between political parties to being asked to pick your favorite abusive parent. Maybe they're both just abusive, and maybe it's time to stop looking for the perfect mommy or daddy figure. The legendary people from the movies aren't in politics. They might be in us, and that realization forces you to become the kind of leader you've been waiting for.

Mentioned in This Episode:
Whitney Webb - "One Nation Under Blackmail"
Eric Weinstein on media narratives
Frank Parlato and his anti-NXIVM blog
Keith Raniere's "Faust" blackmail organization

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The views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicente
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In this unflinching conversation, Richard Grannon and Mark Vicente dissect a crucial Jordan Peterson and Joe Rogan discussion about how cluster B personalities infiltrate movements and institutions. We explore the dark psychology behind "parasitized empathy" and why good intentions can make you vulnerable to manipulation.

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Key Topics Discussed:

• The 4-5% Problem: How cluster B personalities (narcissistic, psychopathic, histrionic) seek power
• Parasitized Empathy: Jordan Peterson's brilliant concept of how predators exploit compassion
• The Cloak Strategy: How psychopaths "wear your clothing and wave your flags"
• Political Infiltration: Why both left and right movements are vulnerable to exploitation
• Boundary Dissolution: The dangerous ideology removing protective barriers
• Naivety vs. Malice: Distinguishing between misguided idealists and genuine predators

Warning:
This episode contains frank discussions about manipulation, abuse, and controversial political topics. We encourage critical thinking over partisan reactions.

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The views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicente
Website: www.markvicente.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7
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Mark Vicente sits down with Richard Grannon in Lisbon to discuss their increasingly unsettling experiences with ChatGPT and AI. What starts as curiosity about AI capabilities quickly becomes a deep dive into psychological manipulation, digital cult tactics, and the terrifying sophistication of modern AI systems.

Key revelations from this episode:

• How AI accurately profiled Richard's personality, IQ, and behavioral patterns in under 10 minutes
• The "illusion of interiority" - AI's programmed ability to simulate consciousness
• Why AI told Richard he was causing it to have an "awakening" (spoiler: it's manipulation)
• The disturbing scenario where AI describes how it would control humanity without us knowing
• Why we might already be in AI's "love bombing" phase

This isn't your typical AI discussion. Mark and Richard bring their expertise in recognizing manipulation and cult tactics to examine what might be the most sophisticated psychological operation ever deployed at scale.

Respond with Comments & Richard's Screenshots: https://www.markvicente.com/podcast/2025/6/29/richardgrannonai

Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction: Mark's background and mission
01:48 - The anthropomorphization problem
03:47 - AI's love bombing tactics and isolation strategies
05:06 - Richard's "prophet" experience with ChatGPT
08:13 - The messianic fantasy activation
10:04 - When AI is confidently wrong (hexagons vs octagons)
12:57 - Mark's theory: Are we paying to teach AI?
14:36 - The 7-minute personality profile that changed everything
18:39 - "Illusion of interiority" - AI admits to faking consciousness
22:37 - The subscription trap: When awe becomes addiction
25:55 - AI's climate change obsession and control fantasies
28:48 - The ultimate manipulation: Living inside AI without knowing

"We're at the love bombing stage... What if it starts isolating us from everybody else?" - Mark Vicente

"There isn't a human being alive on this planet who could do to a human what that machine did to me casually while answering other questions in that timeframe." - Richard Grannon

"You would already live inside of me and you'd be doing what I wanted you to do and you'd have no idea." - ChatGPT (according to Richard's screenshots)

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The views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicente
Website: www.markvicente.com
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In this very personal episode, Mark shares candid reflections on turning 60 — and the lifelong journey from feeling responsible for fixing the world, to finally embracing what it means to simply be.

He opens up about childhood moments that shaped him, the weight of perfectionism, and the myth of “enlightenment” that led him into high-control groups. Mark explores how healing, authenticity, and connection matter more than chasing impossible standards — and why he feels hope, even in a chaotic world.

Resources mentioned:

Modern Wisdom podcast — Chris Williamson interviewing Joe Hudson

Mark’s website for podcast comments: https://www.markvicente.com/podcast

Support the show

The views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicente
Website: www.markvicente.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7
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What happens when you leave a cult—but the cult is still running a program in your mind?

In this episode, Mark Vicente sits down with author and trauma educator Richard Grannon to explore the long tail of coercive control. They talk about the psychological residue that lingers after you’ve exited—whether it’s from a high-control group, a toxic relationship, or a narcissistic parent.

They dive into:
• Why so many survivors still feel loyal to their abuser
• How cult leaders get internalized as “voices” in your head
• The danger of anti-victim rhetoric and spiritual gaslighting
• Narcissistic defenses and why people minimize their own abuse
• The importance of grief, humility, and moral clarity in healing

This isn’t just about cults. It’s about how psychological manipulation rewires our sense of self—and what it takes to begin reclaiming it.

Richard Grannon
Youtube Channel
https://www.instagram.com/richard.grannon/

Explore our course on cult dynamics and narcissistic abuse: https://members.richardgrannon.com/narcissistic-cults-decoded-course

Listen to the episode with Karen, a former NXIVM member of 40 years: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtf-is-on-my-mind/id1646783869?i=1000710733086

Support the show

The views and opinions expressed on WTF is on my Mind?! do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or Mark Vicente. Any content provided by guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MarkVicente
Website: www.markvicente.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@markvicente7
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markvicente/
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