Love Steve Hassan!!!!
I think everyone uses these techniques to a certain degree. I have used some of these same techniques to try to keep my child from dangerous situations. Not really knowing it was mind control, but after reading up, it surely is!
Using these methods to control someone unethically, THAT is a whole other story.
Religious cults aren't the only ones that use these methods. There are a lot of pyramid type commercial organizations (er....cults) that do the same thing. It's all about using what the person longs for the most. Spiritual security, financial gain, longevity, business success.... lots of groups use the same system of mind control.
My in-laws recently went to a "free dinner" in a college town, and it turned out to be a cult-type group. They offer something free, but they make you feel guilty if you don't listen to their schpeel, and then you feel pressured to get their tapes, videos, etc.... Which are tools to further indoctrinate you.
Fortunately, my father-in-law is a sharp cookie, and he didn't fall for any of it.
How Cults Work . com is a great place to get basic info. about how it works and questions you can and should ask before joining anything.
I nearly fell into a commercial cult head-over-heels, and the way they recruit is very much like the WTS does it. I was actually p.o.'d for quite some time at my husband for not wanting to get more involved. Am I ever glad I married such a wise man! (Whew!)