Yes curiously we went for a cult led by someone younger than most of us.  In my case as a a very immature 16 year old by only a couple of years. Like many perhaps I saw the similarity in age as perhaps more of a reason to trust and identify with him - an imprimatur of purity and innocence -- as in this kid can't possibly have made it all up  (because I knew that I couldn't have done so myself) -- and of course having no conception at all of the forces that had moulded him - the naivety of youth to think that we are all the same..

As he became an adult it appears that he lacked anyone to stand up to him and tell him what is what (though some tried in 1976 I believe - a watershed moment perhaps). But aside from the corrupting start to then continue on in life surrounded only by sycophants can't have helped.  Does he still even partly believe that he really is special in some way?  Who knows?  You can see how it might work psychologically - constant unquestioning applause for every mundane utterance, crap poetry or music -- providing ongoing validation - alcohol burying the doubts -- and so the shit show labours on over the years.  

You just kind of hope that it all crashes, burns and resolves at some point -- at which point everyone would benefit - even Rawat himself.  Anyway there would certainly be a great deal more of real  'self-knowledge' for everyone in the end -- which ironically would be no bad thing

Tim