Powered by Orgasm - the rise and fall of a sex cult. (Cautionary Tales, with the amazing @ellenhuet.bsky.social )
timharford.com/2026/01/powe...

excellent news! I hope they enjoy it as well. books thrive on word of mouth so I appreciate you telling others!

thank you, this is so kind!! I assume most people won't read the notes (and that's fine!) but I like that they are there for those who are interested. as a journalist, i love checking the endnotes in other narrative nonfiction books

It’s impossible to put this book down - incredible story, so well researched and well told.

I've lost friends to OneTaste and had to bail out of a work retreat accidentally programmed at a venue owned by OneTaste founders. Very glad @ellenhuet.bsky.social exposed the manipulation driving it. Here she is in convo with Jules Evans (www.ecstaticintegration.org).

Empire of Orgasm: Sex, Power and the Downfall of a Bay Area Wellness Cult | KQED We talk to investigative journalist Ellen Huet about OneTaste, a company dedicated to “orgasmic meditation,” and hear about its cult-like nature through accounts from former clients and community…

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to investigative journalist and features writer @ellenhuet.bsky.social about OneTaste, a company dedicated to “orgasmic meditation,” and how its cult-like nature led to a criminal conviction.

❓ Did you have a connection with OneTaste? Tell us about it.

📻 Listen:

📖 Today, a Story Time episode featuring @ellenhuet.bsky.social reading from her new book, EMPIRE OF ORGASM: SEX, POWER, AND THE DOWNFALL OF A WELLNESS CULT (MCD Books).

🎧 Available wherever you get your podcasts.

thank you so much for reading this and so glad you enjoyed it chris!

Truly, it’s a bonkers story that you should absolutely read.

One charismatic person takes their trauma or extreme life experience and draws universal truths from it. Start charging money for those truths. Add in attachment theory/victim blaming. And gear everything towards getting young women to have sex with old men they are not attracted to.

Ooh boy, this is a wild one. It’s meticulously reported and compellingly written by @ellenhuet.bsky.social. I’ve read a lot about cults and this has all the hallmarks.

thank you for sharing this Leslie!!

They felt safe telling each other something most people wouldn’t understand: they kind of wanted to join a cult again, Audrey said, “because we’re bored and lonely.”
#SundaySentence from the riveting Empire of Orgasm by @ellenhuet.bsky.social
#Booksky💙📚

Just found out about this book via this post and IMMEDIATELY went to my library’s website to place a hold

whoa! did you ever meet him

The Chatbot Delusions: Is AI Contributing to a Novel Mental Health Crisis? Some users are losing touch with reality during marathon sessions with ChatGPT and other bots.

This deeply sad article by @ellenhuet.bsky.social and @rachelmetz.bsky.social made me think of Eleanor Rigby: All the lonely people. Where do they all come from?
www.bloomberg.com/features/202...

(Aside: Paul McCartney's songwriting always struck me as a depressive trying hard to stay cheerful.)

IT’S PUB DAY BABY HELL YEAH

Happy publication day @ellenhuet.bsky.social!!

Investigating a Sex Wellness Cult ft. Ellen Huet Podcast Episode · The Study Hall Podcast · 11/19/2025 · 54m

On the latest podcast episode, @ellenhuet.bsky.social discussed her book investigating the true story of OneTaste, a sex wellness cult.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i...

Ayyyy @ellenhuet.bsky.social

Brad Lander is shown being detained by federal agents in a courthouse. Lander wears a dark blue suit, blue shirt and blue striped tie. The agents wear sweatshirts and blue jeans. A headline reads: "Brad Lander Is Detained By ICE Agents at Immigration Courthouse." Photo by Olga Fedorova/Associated Press.

Breaking News: Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller who is running for mayor, was detained by ICE agents at an immigration court as he tried to escort a migrant out of the courthouse to prevent his arrest. nyti.ms/4jWkANE

most importantly, i got @bloomberg.com to print "these nuts"

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Scale AI’s Wang Brings to Meta Knowledge of What Everyone Else is Doing Scale AI co-founder Alexandr Wang is such an enthusiastic networker that his former roommate — OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman — once jokingly told him to tone it down a bit.

NEW from me: a quick profile of Alexandr Wang, who left his company Scale to become one of Meta's most $$$ expensive hires

with some fun details like
- why his name is missing an e
- how YC thought he "may be arrogant or brilliant"

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

‘I’m an American, Bro!’: Latinos Report Raids in Which U.S. Citizenship Is Questioned

“I was born here,” Jason Brian Gavidia shouted as a federal agent twisted his arm & pressed him against a fence outside his auto body shop in a working-class L.A. suburb. “I’m an American, bro!”

Vivid @nytimes.com reporting on the targeting of U.S. citizens of Hispanic descent.

The Spying Scandal Rocking the World of HR Software HR software maker Rippling accused Deel, a key rival, of hiring a staff member to serve as a mole. Things escalated from there.

GIFT LINK BELOW: 🎁 🎁 🎁 🎁

www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...

NEW: @kateclark.bsky.social and i went deep on the unhinged spying saga between Rippling and Deel for @BW (and this gif!!!)

two of the world's most valuable startups are volleying accusations back and forth

at the center is one alleged spy, who says he smashed his phone w an axe (!)

Mark Twain Died Famous, Not Happy In a new biography, Ron Chernow covers the sadness at the end of Twain’s life.

Ron Chernow’s new book about Mark Twain is more about disappointment than success

The Monastery Where Founders Meditate on Code and Profit HF0, a live-in program for startup founders in San Francisco, mixes New Agey spirituality with Silicon Valley-esque hypercapitalism.

NEW @bloomberg.com feature from me on @hf0.bsky.social, the 12-wk live-in startup accelerator that calls itself a "monastery for hackers"

at HF0, founders tune out all distractions and build. the coaching incorporates mindfulness (and cold plunges)

gift link 🎁:

www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...

paris, i've always admired your work -- so sad to hear this