"Purity Spiral" describes what happens when people outdo each other to demonstrate greater and greater commitment to a movement or cause, usually as defined by a strong leader

Once the individuals come to rely on the cause for their position, advancement or income it increases the power of the strong leader immeasurably. Their vision and values precisely map on to those of the movement, such as to question the leader is to question the cause

By this means individuals can be corralled into supporting, being complicit with and even defending leaders and organisational culture that are going bad. It is always badged as "corporate responsibility" when in fact it is something quite different

I agree with corporate responsibility, but not in an unlimited way. It should not be used to indemnify the unjustifiable against scrutiny and critique, but when a purity spiral is in play that is what happens

This means that when things finally collapse they do so catastrophically. Many people find they have been complicit in covering up things they only realised with hindsight. Things that may have been visible from the outside but not from within

Cultures easily go toxic when they grow entirely in their own bubble or echo chamber and power is immune to examination or accountability. Often well-meaning people on the inside are the last to realise. Indeed they can have a vested interest in remaining in blissful ignorance