Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism

Was interesting but due at the library. Would pick up again 

Wow, this book was addicting and insightful all at once. Montell dives deeply into the words used to trap people in cults and keep them there, and she's clearly researched the subject well. Coming out of a nonfic. having learned a lot with a lot of “aha” moments + enjoying the book too is just awesome, and on that front Montell delivers.

was hoping that it would focus more on the language than it did :(

The cover design is gorgeous, but the book is otherwise a bit too flip flor my tastes about very serious topics. I'm all for making history (of cults specifically) interesting, but this style doesn't work for me. Folks who enjoy Mary Roach's writing style may like this.

DNF @ 30%

Summary: Amanda Montell explores what it is that makes cults so fascinating and, to some, influential, and she argues that language is one of the best indicators and most effective tools of cults and “cultish” groups.

I was hoping this would be a little more engaging, like Wordslut was. It felt really repetitive and referred back to the same cults multiple times. I understand that the common ties are important but it was excessive and ultimately became boring. A lot of focus on influencer cult leaders toward the end. I was hoping for some more political references (coughmagacough) although there were a few. Ultimately, if you are fascinated by cults it is worth the read but it didn't WOW me!

A good look into the way language shapes our relationships to groups, mindsets, and each other. I would say this is an incredibly good primer, but not an all encompassing deep dive. It leaves you with a lot of directions to go in if you want to learn more, but a well rounded basic understanding if you don't.

I enjoyed this book. It was very interesting and I learned a lot. As far as non-fiction goes I think for me to read it that would have to be the minimum. I didn't disagree and think any of the points made were nonsense or incorrect, which is a plus. It was however very dark. I mean I don't really know what I expected when I picked up a book about cults but it when in with suicide cults immediately and the end of that chapter was quite a read. As with most of the non-fiction books I have read, though, it went on a little longer than I would have liked. 

Cultish traces a linguistic line from deadly cults like Jonestown or Heaven's Gate to multilevel marketing companies like Lula Rose and faddish health clubs like Soul Cycle. There are similarities in the words used to foster conversion, conditioning, and coercion of each group's members, although obviously some have more sinister intent than others. Montell doesn't present much new information beyond what can be found in any of the numerous recent documentaries about cults (Synanon, Twin Flames, Love Has Won, etc.), other than using professional jargon to describe cultish language technique. But she leaves the reader to ponder whether cult-like businesses such as Soul Cycle are today's version of organized religion, providing community to a largely alienated population.

I prefer the podcast, I think. The podcast has most of the same information delivered in a very similar way but with a little more zazz. The book is fine if you prefer books.

This book should be mandatory reading for everyone once they reach voting age.

This was a really intriguing read. Focusing on ???cultish??? language is a different tack from the other approaches I???ve seen other books taking, but I think this approach is way more personal because language is something we encounter everyday. We can read what people say on the internet, or we can listen to them talk, and have a variety of bells and whistles ping in our heads and tell us ???This is bullshit??? - or not, as the case may be.

One of the things I found valuable about this book was how it emphasized that it???s not education or ???smarts??? that make a person see through cultish language. In fact, in many cases it???s people who are considered smart and well-educated who are very susceptible to cultish language - and are often the hardest to shake out of it. On the sadder side of things, people who are optimistic and want to change the world are also some of the most susceptible to cult indoctrination, which just makes cults even more terrible because they take these genuinely good people and destroy them.

This book also tries to redefine some things we???ve come to associate with cults: things like brainwashing and mind control. By talking to scholars who actually study cults and cult-adjacent behaviors, the book actually points out that brainwashing and mind control just aren???t real. People can think for themselves, and are capable of resisting any kind of idea that they don???t agree with - which is also where the problem lies. If an idea is couched in the right words, or presented in the right way so as to make them agreeable to a person, then that person will be willing to adopt those ideas - even if they???re detrimental. Individual charisma certainly helps with this, but there???s also society as a whole: if a person is set up such that they come across as an authority figure to someone else, then their words will be more likely to be accepted with little to no questioning. Or for that matter, if a person is in desperate enough straits, they???ll be willing to accept a deal that they think will help them, even if it might turn out to be bad.

That being said, not all cultish language is necessarily bad. It all depends on context. For example: Alcoholics Anonymous apparently has a set of catchphrases and terms that their participants use to help them overcome their alcoholism. On the surface it can sound a little culty, but it???s being used for a good cause: to help people overcome their addiction. Similarly, a lot of marketing and advertising can use culty language, but that???s being done in a more ???neutral??? way because they???re trying to get you to buy a product or a service. If you don???t want to buy it, you can walk away, no one is going to pressure you to spend your money. Cultish language is dangerous only when it manipulates you into or encourages you to stay in a dangerous or destructive situation; or manipulates you into or encourages you to take dangerous or destructive actions (ex. the language of QAnon and Donald Trump - or, closer to home, the language used by Rodrigo Duterte and Ferdinand Marcos Jr.???s adherents).

Overall, this was a fairly fast and insightful read. By talking about ???cultish??? language, the book lays out of the case of what that language might sound and look like, and how its used in different situations. However, while learning to identify that language out in the wild is useful, the book also cautions the reader that context is always key: language that sounds cultish can be used in many different ways, ranging from good to bad. It also reminds the reader that, where anger for the use of such language is warranted, the target of that anger should always be the perpetrator/s and never the victim/s. 

2.5 stars. Interesting! But repetitive. Could have been edited down more. I got it as an audio book since that was the only version available on Libby, and I don't know if I would have finished it if I had the physical copy and wasn't able to multitask (like folding laundry and drawing in coloring books and cooking dinner, lol) while listening it.

An entertaining, somewhat surface-level read that leans more toward reader-friendly than a scholarly deep dive. Contains strong language.

I enjoyed this listen! It was only a little over 8 hours so it felt really digestible and quick to get through. For me, none of the information presented in the book was really new to me and it felt like surface level analysis of a topic with a lot of depth. I was expecting and wanted more of a deep dive into cultish language and culture. If you want to dip your toes into nonfiction, this is a good gateway, but if you want more in-depth analysis, I'd recommend looking for something a little different.

If you ever wonder what makes someone more susceptible to join a cult this is the book for you.

Cultish takes a deep dive into cults and the building blocks that makes one and what makes people join a cult. Montell goes into not only the infamous cults like Jonestown and Heavens Gate but the everyday cults we see in modern day. She breaks down the most important ingredient to a cult; language.

This book is incredibly interesting and Montell's writing style is so easy to digest and follow along with. She includes personal tidbits from her own experiences, friend's experiences, family's experiences, and the vast research she's done. While her own opinions are apparent throughout the book, she is balanced and relies heavily on research and studies. I find cults fascinating so I knew a lot of what was mentioned but also learned a lot. This is the most up front book I've read that gives the answers that we all ask when discussing cults.

I highly recommend this book!

3,5*
It was more about the cults and cult-like groups than about their language. I wish it went more in depth on the linguistic side of things

This book functions as an overview of cults and let's say cult adjacent communities and how they use language to entice and then insulate followers.

Its worth three stars alone for introducing me to the concept of “thought terminating cliches” which the author did not first identify but the naming of them is new to me nonetheless. One of the things that's fascinated me about talking to people who don't share the same belief system is you is how quickly they'll throw one of these bombs out to destroy a conversation. “Well everything happens for a reason.” “No one wants to work anymore.” “Someone has it worse than you.” It kills discourse and silences the person who asks why.

But this concept has of course existed and was posited by other scholars earlier and the book is actually kind of a mess.

I'd read it if you've never read anything about a cult before. But I have because I have a small obsession, lol.

3.5 stars

This was an interesting and quick read/listen! The author made some interesting points on things we likely take as normal, every day things, like Instagram profiles and catchy phrases. I do tend to agree with some of the reviews that this was a lot more about cults as a whole, rather than the language of cults, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but maybe the title is slightly misleading.

4/5 - A solid look into the language various types of cults use to attract and retain members into the ideology they are trying to promote. Although I would argue somewhat that this book was slightly more about various different types of cults more so than the language they use, but this wasn't something that necessarily bothered me.
From Heaven's Gate to Soul Cycle, Montell covers various different groups that use specific language to gain attraction and tries to aruge why this makes them “cultish”. The majority of time this is argued really well, however I was less sold on the “Exercise Cults” and more convinced it's just good marketing on the corperation's part.
Was overall a great insight into the world of cults, makes me want to be more aware of the things I buy into!

The title was very deceiving and overall this book was not what I was looking for.

Very interesting and informative while also being written engaging enough to not be boring. 

This was interesting and eye opening in parts but not too compelling. I guess I had different expectations. Not a bad book though.

Written in a witty, digestible style, though a little meandering in structure. The conclusion was so good it bumped it up a star rating for me

Great read, saved many tabs - only reason to dock a star is that I was less engaged by the final part.