History Main / DrinkingTheKoolaid

* Parodied on an episode of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy''. Meg unknowingly joins a cult trying to be popular, wherein the leader of said cult tries to initiate a mass suicide through... You guessed it. It doesn't go too well.

* Film/{{Jonestown}}, as described above, is often invoked as an example of the manipulative techniques used by religious or political {{cult}}s. In the case of Jonestown, the ''literal'' Kool-Aid (well, [[BrandNameTakeover FlavorAid]]) had [[EverybodysDeadDave truly tragic results]].

The phrase originated with Creator/KenKesey's use of LSD-spiked Kool-Aid to entice people into the counterculture. It took on new meaning and popularity upon the Film/{{Jonestown}} massacre, where many members of the cult committed mass suicide or were murdered by means of poison distributed via a similar beverage called '''Flavor''' Aid, which thanks to this phrase is often [[BrandNameTakeover misattributed to being Kool-Aid]]. As a result, both brands, but especially Kool-Aid, [[NeverLiveItDown have to endure this fact even today]][[note]]In the U.S. at least, as that fact was rarely informed abroad and so, the brand didn't suffer about this as hard compared with the States.[[/note]]. It should also be noted that in the Jonestown incident, the victims knew the drink would kill them, and some were forced at gunpoint; today, Jonestown survivors consider the incident to be a mass murder, and [[DudeNotFunny really don't like it when this trope is invoked]].

For obvious reasons, this trope is mostly exclusive to the American and English-speaking culture, despite Kool-Aid is sold almost worldwide. In other languages, the closest, idiomless, analogy would be "drinking poison" instead (or whatever toxic liquid applied in context).

Phrase used to indicate that someone has bought into a proposition, with the implication that they really shouldn't have.

The phrase originated with Creator/KenKesey's use of LSD-spiked Kool-Aid to entice people into the counterculture. It took on new meaning and popularity upon the Film/{{Jonestown}} massacre, where many members of a cult committed suicide or were murdered by means of poison distributed via a similar beverage called '''Flavor''' Aid, which thanks to this phrase is often [[BrandNameTakeover misattributed to being Kool-Aid]]. As a result, both brands, but especially Kool-Aid, [[NeverLiveItDown have to endure this fact even today]][[note]]In the U.S. at least, as that fact was rarely informed abroad and so, the brand didn't suffer about this as hard compared with the States.[[/note]]. It should also be noted that in the Jonestown incident, the victims knew the drink would kill them, and some were forced at gunpoint; today, Jonestown survivors consider the incident to be a mass murder, and [[DudeNotFunny really don't like it when this trope is invoked]].

For obvious reasons, this trope is mostly exclusive from the American and English-speaking culture, despite Kool-Aid is sold almost worldwide. In other languages, the closest, idiomless, analogy would be "drinking poison" instead (or whatever toxic liquid applied in context).

This phrase, and related connotations, are commonly used on ''all'' sides of StrawmanPolitical arguments.

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': In ''Literature/{{Changes}}'', Harry uses the phrase in front of the Merlin, leader of the White Council, about the Senior Council [[spoiler:not directly meeting with a dangerous vampire as they don't trust her]]. He looks confused, until Captain Luccio says "the mass suicide in Jonestown last century," at which point he understands the term.

* It's kind of used as a joke in ''Literature/TheBabySittersClub'' snark community to say that the BSC are a cult and use drinking purple koolaid to control their members.

* The ''Series/VeronicaMars'' episode "Drinking The Kool Aid" sees Veronica investigating a commune/possible {{cult}}. Her SideKick, Wallace, eventually does an episode TitleDrop.

* Invoked on ''Series/{{Community}}'' during a discussion of Pierce's beliefs. Pierce's faith believes that when Buddha returns [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion everyone will merge into a shimmering ocean of knowledge that tastes like Hawaiian fruit punch]]. Lets hope it doesn't come to that.
* The ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode "Covenant" has [[SmugSnake Dukat]], who has set up a cult of the [[TheAntiGod Pah-Wraiths]] on Empok Nor with himself as "Emissary", eventually directing his followers to a mass suicide using special pills. This is thwarted in the end when Kira revealed that Dukat did not plan to kill himself along with them, but escape scot-free afterwards.

* "Jonestown" from ''Music/ThePerfectStranger'' by Music/FrankZappa is a haunting classical composition written about the Jonestown Massacre in 1978 where cult leader Jim Jones ordered his followers to drinking a cyanide cocktail. The end result were 900 deaths, including women and children.

* In the Going Rogue expansion for ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' there is Resistance graffiti stating 'Don't Drink the Cole-Aid', refering to Praetoria's emperor, Marcus Cole, and the beverage Enriche.

* ''Webcomic/ExterminatusNow'' has an arc named after this that starts [[http://exterminatusnow.co.uk/2012-11-11/comic/drink-the-cool-ade/the-smell-of-soda-in-the-morning/ here]] involving the investigation of a seemingly abandoned town. At one point, Eastwood jokes that some cult of crazies committed mass murder-suicide at the behest of their nutty leader, and that the team should look for records of mass import of Cool-Ade. [[spoiler: As it turns out, that's exactly what happened. The cult that spanned the entire town believed that if they were killed, freeze-dried, powdered, and mixed into the drink powder, the resulting liquid drunk by the last member would create 'some kind of gestalt psychic entity'. [[EpicFail It failed before the team even got there]]: [[RealityEnsues the drinker drank some of the drink, slipped into diabetic coma, fell in the vat and drowned.]]]]

* In the US Navy's Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) community, signing a contract to become a Department Head is often referred to as Drinking The Kool Aid. Department Head is the next step up after the entry job, Division Officer, and officers face the choice to re-commit for DH or resign after 4-5 years of service. It's also seen as one of the most stressful jobs in the Navy, and by signing up you're committing yourself to at least four years of it; so the implication is that if you sign on and take the bonus, you've fully bought into the "SWO Propaganda".
* Frequently used by comic book fans with regard to the corporate culture of Creator/CrossGen which, uniquely amongst comic book companies, expected writers and artists to come into the office like a 9 to 5 job; any writer or artist who agreed to such a system had obviously drunk Creator/CrossGen's Kool-Aid, as had fans of their highly diverse but closely linked books. By the time of Creator/CrossGen's collapse, one comics commentator discussing it lampshaded "Most of you are probably now waiting for the Kool-Aid joke."

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* Parodied on an episode of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy''. Meg unknowingly joins a cult trying to be popular, wherein the leader of said cult tries to initiate a mass suicide through... You guessed it. [[spoiler:Stewie kills him.]]

* In Episode 9 of ''WebVideo/HellsingAbridged'', after Integra describes Millennium as a "cult of nihilism", Seras declares that she will be "their fucking Kool-Aid!" The Major starts off his speech by telling them about how Jonestown's drink of death was actually Flavor-Aid, a less popular competing brand.

* Invoked on ''Series/{{Community}}'' during a discussion of Pierce's beliefs. Pierce's faith believes that when Buddha returns everyone will merge into shimmering ocean of knowledge that tastes like Hawaiian fruit punch. Lets hope it doesn't come to that.

* The ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode "Covenant" has [[SmugSnake Dukat]], who has set up a cult of the [[TheAntiGod Pah-Wraiths]] on Empok Nor with himself as "Emissary", eventually directing his followers to a mass suicide using special pills. This is thwarted in the end when Kira revealed that Dukat did not plan to kill himself along with them, as he'd said he would.

* The ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode "Covenant" has Dukat, who has set up a Pah-Wraith cult on Empok Nor with himself as "Emissary", eventually directing his followers to a mass suicide using special pills. This is thwarted in the end when Kira revealed that Dukat did not plan to kill himself along with them, as he'd said he would.
* ''Series/CriminalMinds'' episode "Minimal Loss": cult leader Benjamin Cyrus sets up one of these, using supposedly poisoned wine, as a bluff to [[SecretTest test the loyalty of his followers]].

* The ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode "Covenant" has Dukat, who has set up a Pah-Wraith cult on Empok Nor with himself as "Emissary", eventually directing his followers to a mass suicide using special pills. This is thwarted in the end when Kira revealed that Dukat did not plan to kill himself with them, as he'd said he would.

* The ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode "Covenant" has Dukat, who has set up a Pah-Wraith cult on Empok Nor with himself as "Emissary", eventually directing his followers to a mass suicide. This is thwarted in the end when Kira revealed that Dukat did not plan to kill himself with them, as he'd said he would.

* In the US Navy's Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) community, signing a contract to become a Department Head is often referred to as DrinkingTheKoolAid. Department Head is the next step up after the entry job, Division Officer, and officers face the choice to re-commit for DH or resign after 4-5 years of service. It's also seen as one of the most stressful jobs in the Navy, and by signing up you're committing yourself to at least four years of it; so the implication is that if you sign on and take the bonus, you've fully bought into the "SWO Propaganda".

For obvious reasons, this trope is mostly exclusive from the American and English-speaking culture, despite Kool-Aid is sold almost worldwide, see above for details.

* It's kind of used as a joke in the Main/BabySittersClub snark community to say that the BSC are a cult and use drinking purple koolaid to control their members.

* Film/TheSacrament, directly inspired by the happenings in Jonestown, appropriately ends with a mass suicide by poisoned Kool-Aid. [[spoiler:Only two characters make it out of Eden Parish alive]].

The phrase originated with Creator/KenKesey's use of LSD-spiked Kool-Aid to entice people into the counterculture. It took on new meaning and popularity upon the Film/{{Jonestown}} massacre, where many members of a cult committed suicide or were murdered by means of poison distributed via a similar beverage called '''Flavor''' Aid, which thanks to this phrase is often [[BrandNameTakeover misattributed to being Kool-Aid]]. As a result, both brands, but especially Kool-Aid, [[NeverLiveItDown have to endure this fact even today]]. It should also be noted that in the Jonestown incident, the victims knew the drink would kill them, and some were forced at gunpoint; today, Jonestown survivors consider the incident to be a mass murder, and [[DudeNotFunny really don't like it when this trope is invoked]].

* ''Webcomic/ExterminatusNow'' has an arc named after this that starts [[http://exterminatusnow.co.uk/2012-11-11/comic/drink-the-cool-ade/the-smell-of-soda-in-the-morning/ here]] involving the investigation of a seemingly abandoned town. At one point, Eastwood jokes that some cult of crazies committed mass murder-suicide at the behest of their nutty leader, and that the team should look for records of mass import of Cool-Ade. [[spoiler: As it turns out, that's exactly what happened. The cult that spanned the entire town believed that if they were killed, freeze-dried, powdered, and mixed into the drink powder, the resulting liquid drunk by the last member would create 'some kind of gestalt psychic entity'. It failed before the team even got there: the drinker drank some of the drink, slipped into diabetic coma, fell in the vat and drowned.]]

* In one of ''GaiaOnline'''s Evolving Item Reports, a cultist offers Timmy some nice, refreshing [[ShownTheirWork Flavor-Aid]] (Timmy suddenly [[UrineTrouble has to go to the bathroom very badly]] and doesn't have time for a drink). Gaians everywhere cried DudeNotFunny.