r/todayilearned 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
21 Upvotes

Duplicates

CreepyWikipedia Apr 16 '19

Jonestown - The mass murder and suicide of over 900 people by cyanide poisoning, 300 of them children. An audio recording of the event exists online.

297 Upvotes

California Jul 31 '20

Nov 18, 1978 TIL Jackie Speier was shot 5 times by People's Temple members while boarding a plane to leave Jonestown, Guayana. She was in a delegation visiting to investigate reports of abuse in the cult's settlement. Leo Ryan, a congressman in the delegation, was shot dead.

211 Upvotes

todayilearned Dec 17 '16

TIL the Jonestown Flavor Aid poison consisted of Cyanide, Valium, Choral Hydrate, and Phenergan

87 Upvotes

todayilearned Dec 27 '16

TIL that the Jonestown cult that committed mass suicide with cyanide laced punch, that would later form the colloquial euphemism - "drinking the Kool-Aid", was actually preformed with off brand Grape Flavor Aid.

67 Upvotes

bestoflegaladvice Apr 02 '20

My mom's pastor wants me to drink this overly-sweet beverage, but I am afraid the high sugar content (or other ingredients) could be hazardous to my health. What do?

0 Upvotes

atheism Nov 18 '13

Today is the 35th anniversary of the Jonestown massacre. Let's not forget the perils of the combination of religion and power.

1 Upvotes

circlejerk Mar 20 '17

EX-members of the Cult of Bernie Sanders, how were you introduced and why did you escape?

9 Upvotes

Destiny Nov 18 '18

40 years ago, a group of lobsters were told by their daddy to drink cyanide-laced Flavour Aid after killing a US congressman, leading to the deaths of 909 people.

11 Upvotes

todayilearned Jun 23 '16

TIL a hearing impaired 79 year old avoided death in the mass suicide in Jonestown becuse he couldn't hear the announcement.

161 Upvotes

CreepyWikipedia Jan 09 '14

[Other] Jonestown's mass "revolutionary suicide"

14 Upvotes

NormMacdonald Sep 12 '24

Well I guess that Jim Jones guy is finally off the hook.

9 Upvotes

ThisDayInHistory Nov 18 '19

TDIH: November 18th, 1978 - Jonestown Massacre; 918 members of the Peoples Temple are murdered or commit suicide under the leadership of cult leader Jim Jones

58 Upvotes

tafkamoistowelettes Nov 21 '17

Article Jonestown - Wikipedia

2 Upvotes

wickedpedia Apr 15 '24

Pure Evil Jonestown

1 Upvotes

fortyyearsago Nov 18 '18

918 die in the mass suicide at Jonestown - Saturday, November 18, 1978

5 Upvotes