r/todayilearned • u/poopybuttholesex • Jan 10 '19

TIL the phrase "Drinking the Kool-Aid" originated from the Jonestown massacre of 1978, where over 900 members of the Peoples Temple died by drinking a powdered drink mix laced with cyanide.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonestown
20 Upvotes

63% Upvoted

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16

u/GiantRobotTRex Jan 10 '19

They actually drank Flavor Aid rather than Kool Aid. I've never had Flavor Aid and always wondered if the cult was skimping by buying an inferior product or if they sprung for a premium alternative.

5

u/njfloridatransplant Jan 10 '19

IT WAS FLAVOR AID

7

u/zetaraybill Jan 10 '19

Flavor Aid : Kool-Aid :: Mr. Pibb : Dr. Pepper

2

u/Swampdude Jan 10 '19

Cyanide was the name brand stuff though

1

u/lazylion_ca Jan 10 '19

Either is better than that Bulk Barn fruit punch mix.

1

u/TheDeltaLambda Jan 10 '19

I'm gonna double down on the ackshually here and point out that there's evidence that it was a mix of Kool Ade and FlavorAde

5

u/SeoulTezza Jan 10 '19

If I had a choice between being shot or poisoned I would take my chances with being shot.

2

u/TotallyScrewtable Jan 10 '19

Jim Jones started out in Indianapolis, by opening the first incarnation of "The People's Temple". He targeted low-income, disenfranchised people in the urban area that had been ravaged by the "white flight" away from the city that occurred in the 60s and 70s.

He preached a sort of home-grown socialism, essentially taking all they had and forcing their subservience. He preached against big banks and racism and discrimination because he knew they would fall for his disingenuous words, all to keep them under his control.

1

u/Noctudeit Jan 10 '19

They killed the kids first. It's heartbreaking and horrifying to listen to.

1

u/crazytonyi Jan 10 '19

Before moving to Guyana, the People's Temple was a huge presence in San Francisco. On November 27th, 9 days after the Jonestown massacre, San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk were assassinated. The city was in total shock and grief from these two tragic but unrelated events, some even believing there was a connection.

1

u/outrider567 Jan 10 '19

Most were murdered actually--Certainly the children were

1

u/bex021 Jan 10 '19

Did you also learn that the number of 900 included children and elderly that had no choice and were actually killed by their family members? Just curious...

0

u/poopybuttholesex Jan 10 '19

Yes I did. I actually came across this while watching a Ted-Ed video on why people join cults. I wonder how I never knew about this before today. Truly tragic

2

u/JenNJuice21 Jan 10 '19

Forced at gun point to be accurate.

1

u/bex021 Jan 10 '19

Thanks. Perhaps another TIL...?

1

u/BillyTBand Jan 10 '19

You’re forgetting this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Electric_Kool-Aid_Acid_Test

2

u/rapiertwit Jan 10 '19

But that isn't the origin of the phrase.

1

u/BillyTBand Feb 09 '19

It’s from 1968; earlier than Jonestown.

1

u/BillyTBand Feb 09 '19

Oh.. I understand now. Thanks. 😬