Quora writings: Why are we captivated by cults?

Why are we so captivated by cult leaders? Why do we not understand that in the end, we'll have to help ourselves, and that nobody else can do so?

If we look at the current Indian election campaigns, everybody is expecting nothing less than miracles from some leaders. Why do we do so? Why do we not understand that in a country like India, which is so huge and diverse, things do not happen overnight or by miracles. It takes lots of time and effort to make it a reality. And please do not answer like "Indians are dumb." I am looking for objective answers from a psychological perspective.
Read Quote of Vijayraj Kamat's answer to Why are we so captivated by cult leaders? Why do we not understand that in the end, we'll have to help ourselves, and that nobody else can do so? on Quora