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Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism Hardcover – June 15, 2021
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“One of those life-changing reads that makes you see— or, in this case, hear—the whole world differently.” —Megan Angelo, author of Followers
The author of the widely praised Wordslut analyzes the social science of cult influence: how cultish groups from Jonestown and Scientology to SoulCycle and social media gurus use language as the ultimate form of power.
What makes “cults” so intriguing and frightening? What makes them powerful? The reason why so many of us binge Manson documentaries by the dozen and fall down rabbit holes researching suburban moms gone QAnon is because we’re looking for a satisfying explanation for what causes people to join—and more importantly, stay in—extreme groups. We secretly want to know: could it happen to me? Amanda Montell’s argument is that, on some level, it already has . . .
Our culture tends to provide pretty flimsy answers to questions of cult influence, mostly having to do with vague talk of “brainwashing.” But the true answer has nothing to do with freaky mind-control wizardry or Kool-Aid. In Cultish, Montell argues that the key to manufacturing intense ideology, community, and us/them attitudes all comes down to language. In both positive ways and shadowy ones, cultish language is something we hear—and are influenced by—every single day.
Through juicy storytelling and cutting original research, Montell exposes the verbal elements that make a wide spectrum of communities “cultish,” revealing how they affect followers of groups as notorious as Heaven’s Gate, but also how they pervade our modern start-ups, Peloton leaderboards, and Instagram feeds. Incisive and darkly funny, this enrapturing take on the curious social science of power and belief will make you hear the fanatical language of “cultish” everywhere.
- Print length320 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHarper
- Publication dateJune 15, 2021
- Dimensions5.5 x 1.05 x 8.25 inches
- ISBN-100062993151
- ISBN-13978-0062993151
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Editorial Reviews
Review
A fascinating, enthusiastic narrative on the loaded language of cults. — Kirkus Reviews
“A rigorous and fascinating examination of the power of language to spellbind us all. Montell’s command over cultish language makes her as mesmerizing and charismatic as the gurus she dissects.” — Molly Ringwald, actress and author of When It Happens to You
“You will never think of cults the same way again—this is an unforgettable look at human nature and the power of language. I couldn’t put it down. Amanda Montell blends true journalistic sorcery with her trademark humor and intrepid curiosity to create a linguistic narrative so delicious and searingly smart, you will wonder, like I did, can we join her cult? If so, count me in as a follower for life. I’ll read anything this woman writes.” — Chelsea Bieker, author of Godshot
“Whip-smart, engaging, and utterly intriguing. Cultish is a witty and thorough examination of power, community, words, and the junctures between them.” — Alexis Henderson, author of The Year of the Witching
“A playful but canny exploration of the ways language can entrance and beguile us—sometimes past the point of no return.” — Elisabeth Thomas, author of Catherine House
“One of those life-changing reads that makes you see— or, in this case, hear—the whole world differently.” — Megan Angelo, author of Followers
“Compulsively readable and startlingly of-the-moment, this witty, slick, and self-assured book is as intriguing as the spellbinding groups it examines.” — Andrea Bartz, author of The Lost Night and The Herd
“At times chilling, often funny, and always perceptive and cogent, Cultish is a bracing reminder that the scariest thing about cults is that you don't realize you're in one till it's too late.” — Refinery29.com
“We’re all susceptible to coercion, and Montell’s phenomenal book that chilling point as clear as can be.” — Bitch Magazine
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Harper (June 15, 2021)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 320 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0062993151
- ISBN-13 : 978-0062993151
- Item Weight : 14.1 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.5 x 1.05 x 8.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #17,635 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #7 in Religious Cults (Books)
- #21 in Feminist Theory (Books)
- #35 in Communication & Media Studies
- Customer Reviews:
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Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism
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About the author
Amanda Montell is a writer, linguist, and podcast host living in Los Angeles. She is the critically acclaimed author of three nonfiction books, Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism, Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language, and The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality (forthcoming April 9, 2024 from OneSignal). She is also a creator and host of the hit podcast, Sounds Like A Cult. Amanda’s books have earned praise from The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Kirkus Reviews, and more. Cultish was named a best book of 2021 by NPR, was shortlisted for several prizes including the Goodreads Choice Awards and getAbstract International Book Award, and is currently in development for television. Sounds Like A Cult won “Best Emerging Podcast” at the 2023 iHeart Radio Podcast Awards and was named a best podcast of 2022 by Vulture, Esquire, Marie Claire, and others.
Amanda’s essays and reporting have appeared in The New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire, and elsewhere. She was born and raised in Baltimore, MD and holds a degree in linguistics from NYU. Find her on Instagram @amanda_montell.
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Cultish is a must-read especially in a day and age when we are bombarded with an overwhelming amount of information--much of it garbage -- along with oily influencers and shady "thought leaders."
I also appreciated Montell's pragmatism and sense of humor, including her explanation around the differences between a dangerous cult and a community that engages in cultish but overall harmless behavior.
An entertaining, well-researched read. I look forward to reading more from this author.
The good:
1. The author successfully made her point: Language has an incredible ability to inspire fanaticism. Full stop. Whether the organization is a cult, a MLM, a fitness org, or individuals on Instagram, Montell has successfully shown that they all use language in various yet similar ways to obtain recruits/followers.
I read through some of the other reviews and feel those that made negative comments did not fully grasp this. Some reviewers stated they felt she was alluding that all organizations and the individuals that participate in them are cultish in the worst connotation: this clearly isn't true if you read the book all the way through. The author even commented how some of them are good and inspire unity, friendship, and camaraderie. She points out the pros and the cons (or potential cons, in some cases).
2. As a 36 year old woman who made a decision to remove myself from all social media platforms many years ago, I realize I am completely out of the loop when it comes to virtual social activity. I looked up some of the figures mentioned in the book (Teal Swan, Heather Hoffman, Benhito Massaro) and I was shocked at what younger folks are watching/commenting on. It's completely foreign (and a bit scary to me), but this book has helped me understand the draw younger crowds have to it. I won't seek out this material myself but it helps to be able to communicate with and understand others better.
3. Overall, I was impressed with Montell's mastery of vocabulary and sentence structure. She's a talented writer.
4. If you're looking for writing that provides fundamentals to what a cult is, what an MLM is, how pyramid schemes work, and how money can (surprisingly) flow into an out of the hands of the powers that be, how religion and work ethic have created the American way of life, etc., this book gives brief but clear definitions and examples.
5. I like the definitions and examples given for the areas where language and psychology overlap: Montell provides understanding of concepts like "thought-terminating cliches", "confirmation bias", "sunk cost fallacy".
The bad (which is minor and thus minus only one star):
1. At times the author's sarcasm was off-putting. It was distracting and degraded the quality of the thought/meaning.
2. Montell's youthfulness shines through at times; I had to look up some of the portmanteaus or abbreviations. (Ex. Spon con = sponsored content). A little less cool-kid vernacular and abbreviations would be appreciated.
Overall, I recommend this book to understand the impact of language and fanaticism. I enjoyed it, and feel I learned some valuable information.
And yes, Montell comments on Trump a few times. So what. She dings Clinton, too. The woman has an opinion - I'm glad she shared it.
Top reviews from other countries
En cuanto al envío y empaque todo bien 👍🏻