Journalist Max Read explains how a bunch of Silicon Valley computer scientists spun into a cult accused of killings. This episode was produced by Amanda Lewellyn with help from Travis Larchuk, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast Support Today, Explained by becoming a Vox Member today: http://www.vox.com/members A mugshot of Jack 'Ziz' Lasota, leader of the Zizians, after her arrest in connection with the killing of a Border Patrol Officer in Vermont in January. Image courtesy of the Allegany, MD County Sheriff's Office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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In late January, Vermont Border Patrol agent David Mayland pulled over a car near the Canadian border. While trading fire, Mayland was killed, as was one of the car's occupants. The other was injured. As the days passed, authorities realized that the people in that car had links to what's been described as a cult called the Zizians. Most of the Zizians are now dead or in jail.
But do their ideas still have purchase?
This isn't like the Manson family driving around every night looking for people to murder. But I do think, you know, it's possible that there are people out there who are influenced by Ziz or who were in fact fellow travelers, so to speak, who are, you know, still waiting for the final confrontation that they're going to have.
That's coming up on Today Explained.
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It's Today Explained. I'm Noelle King. The Zizians emerged out of a movement called the Rationalists. Max Reed has been following this story. He's the owner-operator of the Read Max newsletter on Substack. And so I asked Max to start by telling us what the Rationalists are.
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