drink the Kool Aid
Accept without questioning
To drink the Kool-Aid is to uncritically accept a belief, ideology, or corporate culture, often with cultlike devotion.
The expression references the 1978 Jonestown massacre, where over 900 people died after drinking cyanide-laced punch at the direction of cult leader Jim Jones.
Someone who has drunk the Kool-Aid has bought into groupthink without questioning it: After a week of orientation, the new hires had clearly drunk the Kool-Aid.
The phrase often carries a mocking or cautionary tone.
Infamous cult settlement
- brainwashingCoercive psychological manipulation
- fanaticismObsessive, unreasoning dedication
- zealotryExcessive devotion to beliefs
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
blind loyalty · charismatic leader · sect · true believer · discipleship · fervor · allegiance · commune
Conformity-driven poor decisions
- herd mentalityTendency to follow crowds
- sheepWoolly farm animal
- bandwagonSurging popular cause
- peer pressureInfluence from one's equals
toeing the line · falling in line · true believer · buy-in · compliance · unquestioning · lockstep · echo chamber
Agreement to participate
- onboardingNew member integration process
- mission statementFormal declaration of purpose
- brand loyaltyHabitual preference for one company
- team playerOne who collaborates willingly
synergy · stakeholder · all-in · committed · company man · true believer · indoctrination · orientation
Biased information for influence
- deceivedMisled into false belief
- misledCaused to believe falsely
- connedDeceived for gain
- dupedDeceived into believing
gullible · exploited · hoodwinked · brainwashed · bamboozled · swindled · taken in · snookered
Jonestown
Infamous cult settlement
- brainwashingCoercive psychological manipulation
- fanaticismObsessive, unreasoning dedication
- zealotryExcessive devotion to beliefs
devotion · blind loyalty · charismatic leader · sect · true believer · discipleship · fervor · allegiance · commune · mass delusion
groupthink
Conformity-driven poor decisions
- herd mentalityTendency to follow crowds
- sheepWoolly farm animal
- bandwagonSurging popular cause
peer pressure · toeing the line · falling in line · true believer · buy-in · compliance · unquestioning · lockstep · echo chamber · party line
buy-in
Agreement to participate
- onboardingNew member integration process
- mission statementFormal declaration of purpose
- brand loyaltyHabitual preference for one company
team player · synergy · stakeholder · all-in · committed · company man · true believer · indoctrination · orientation · Silicon Valley
propaganda
Biased information for influence
duped · gullible · exploited · hoodwinked · brainwashed · bamboozled · swindled · taken in · snookered · manipulation
drink the Kool Aidthink for oneself
Reason without external direction
smell a rat · critical thinking · trust but verify · kick the tires · due diligence
drink the Kool Aidmarch to one's own drum
Act independently of others
go against the grain · buck the trend · dissent · break ranks · keep one's distance
drink, drinks, drank, drunk, drinking, drinker, drinkers, drinkable, Kool-Aid