Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism

by Amanda Montell

The New York Times bestselling author of The Age of Magical Overthinking and Wordslut analyzes the social science of cult influence: how “cultish” groups, from Jonestown and Scientologists 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.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Psychology, History, Sociology, Cults, Religion

309 pages, Hardcover

First published June 15, 2021

About the author

Amanda Montell is a writer, linguist, and podcast host living in Los Angeles. She is the 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 or Substack at amandamontell.substack.com.

Reviews

[Petra X · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is much more about actual cults than the language they use. The title indicated that there was a concentration on the linguistics of cults, but that, to me, was misleading. I don't know if there is a person left alive who actually needs scientology explaining to them so it comes across as filler. I would call Jonestown, Heaven's Gate and Scientology cults, but MLMs and other commercial companies, like SoulCycle and Peloton?

While there might be similarities in the idea of hooking a person by inclusiveness and perhaps special language into continuing to part with their money, this is not the same as cults which require belief as in 'faith', as in religion, both of which the Jonestown massacre and Scientology had as their base.

Special language is common to all groups of people in clubs and organisations, whether it is the Scouts, the sorority, music (eg heavy metal, or classical), youth subculture, sports. What about the fanaticism? Each group has its fanatics, but not everyone in them will be one. Most but not all cults have a charismatic leader, many businesses and clubs do too, but it isn't ubiquitious in any of them and is not an indicator of cult anyway.

So when is a business a cult and when is it a marketing technique that uses mind control, promises of self-esteem/improvement rewards and the addiction to it that if it is marketing is there to get money from you?

Starbucks is not an MLM, it is not a cult, but it uses many of the techniques. Coffee was made in the office before Starbucks generally, but then it became the epitome of cool to be seen walking with a Starbucks cup no matter it was ridiculously expensive for coffee which is one of the cheapest drinks in the world. That was the inclusiveness 'we are the cool, edgy, fashionable people those of us who carry our Starbucks cups with our names scrawled on them'.

Then there is the special language, all the weird invented names, and the options that took ordering a coffee into a realm only the afficianado would be fluent in. And the thrill of evangelising - introducing one's friends into this cool lifestyle choice. It became the place to meet, but it was not Kingdom Hall, or a church, it was a coffeeshop, as Soulcycle is the gym.

Not a cult, but a lot of the techniques were adapted not just by Starbucks, but by Peloton, SoulCycle, MaryKay et al. Including a special language, frappes, exercise names, inspirational words, in-jokes, etc. But they lack the base of belief, that makes cults quasi-religions. Marketing plus belonging plus emotional punisment on leaving Peloton or deciding you prefer Costa Cafe is not the same as trying to exit Scientology or NXVIM no matter how much the author seeks to persuade that it is.
____________________

Notes on reading. Is this really a book about cults or is it yet another (thinly-disguised) hate tome againtst the last US President, Trump? There are 41 mentions of Trump. The author says that Jonestown was a unique event, but that

policy makers and media professionals across the political spectrum have been guilty of tossing around “Jonestown” and “Kool-Aid” as omens to warn against all kinds of people they disagree with, from PETA members to abortion rights activists and right back at the anti-PETA and anti-abortion protesters screaming at them about Kool-Aid.

and then the author herself links Trump to Jim Jones at least 8 times, (so far)!

What was interesting in the book was this explanation of cancel culture which aims to demonise everyone who doesn't believe exactly what these people are shouting loudly, and which also aims, in schools and colleges, to not teach people to think for themselves but to teach them what to think.

There’s a companion tool to loaded language that can be found in every cultish leader’s repertoire: It’s called the thought-terminating cliché. Coined in 1961 by the psychiatrist Robert J. Lifton, this term refers to catchphrases aimed at halting an argument from moving forward by discouraging critical thought.

Ever since I learned of the concept, I now hear it everywhere—in political debates, in the hashtag wisdom that clogs my Instagram feed. Cultish leaders often call on thought-terminating clichés, also known as semantic stop signs, to hastily dismiss dissent or rationalize flawed reasoning. In his book Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism, Lifton writes that with these stock sayings, “the most far-reaching and complex of human problems are compressed into brief, highly selective, definitive-sounding phrases, easily memorized and easily expressed. They become the start and finish of any ideological analysis.

Examples of these "thought-terminating clichés": 'that person is brainwashed', 'boys will be boys', 'it's all God's plan', 'Don't let yourself be ruled by fear', 'everything happens for a reason', 'it is what it is', and latterly, 'this is my truth' and 'x is transphobic', 'this is offensive to me as a (insert any group you want to here)", "cultural appropriation' and you can think of many more. They are designed to present only one thought as being the correct one and to make anyone holding another view as being the promulgators and upholders of hate thought and speech. True, the person doesn't have to go along with it, they can argue back but they are intended to be 'thought-terminating cliches' (I love that phrase).

I should note that although the book didn't work for me, the writing was very good and that's always a plus. I don't enjoy author participation or criticism in the comments (now deleted). Reviews are for people who like reading reviews and might or might not get the book. This review is all over the place. Apologies, it's just one of those days.

Updated 3 June 2022

[Jossi · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is terrible, and I strongly advise not reading it. It seems to be an awful combination of poor writing and insufficient editing. As some other reviewers have written, it's all over the place and poorly organised. The author's relentless and pointless signposting is infuriating: nobody wants to read '(More on that shortly)' and '(More on that in a bit)' in any book, much less a short one. An index could direct a curious reader to all mentions of, say, Jonestown.

I take serious issue with the author's describing herself as a 'language scholar'. Of course, people who don't hold PhDs in linguistics are capable of researching and presenting language-related texts, but they should certainly have more than two books and some non-academic articles to back it up. More importantly, this book in no way holds up as a 'scholarly' piece – it's barely about language. (And I should know – after all, as someone who holds a BA in linguistics, I'm apparently a scholar in the field.) I was disappointed to have been misled by the subtitle to think that this was the focus of the book. It's not.

The book is a collection of personal stories, those from her immediate family and her friends – including from her former best friend and current best friend (any good scholar lets their reader know who their current bestie is, of course), somebody she met at a party in LA (because how that acquaintance was made added so much vividness), and people she spoke 'down the phone' to who gave their answers 'through the receiver' on phone calls (just an example of useless information that should have been edited out). Some anecdotes about cult-like behaviour are presented, either from friends or incredibly well-known stories like Heaven's Gate, Montell points out the words they use, and she jumps to unearned conclusions about them. They're the kind of conclusions one should reasonably expect to be presented at the end of a reasoned argumentation, but they're just opinions presented as fact, and the author doesn't bother trying to convince the reader of their veracity.

I got sick and tired of the references to Los Angeles County geography to let the reader know where the author was at a given interview or where she currently lives. This perhaps speaks to the fact that the author is far too present in the book that is ostensibly not about her, but about language (it's not) and cults.

To recap: this book is bad. It's barely about language. The author is overly present. She is not a scholar and shouldn't present herself as such. It's disorganised. It's poorly edited. Nobody cares where you were in LA if it's not related to linguistic or cult-related information in the book.

[Shawn McComb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gotta join this Q-Anon thing, I had literally no clue Hilary Clinton drinks the blood of children to preserve her youth… seriously why is nobody talking about this??!!??!!?

[Emily (Books with Emily Fox on Youtube) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you don't normally pick up non fiction books... this might be for you!

I really enjoyed this book. The talks about scientology, MLMs, CrossFit... but I don't think that the focus was on "the language of fanaticism".

I read "All About Love" by Bell Hooks earlier this month and this was a great follow up. In that book, Hooks mentions how capitalism and individualism make us lonely. Cultish shows exactly why. Money.

Would recommend!

[Andy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The topic is important but the discussion here was unfortunately often at the level of "let me tell you about my friend who was a Scientologist."

[emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

hey girlboss! are you looking for a side hustle? make some major $$$changes$$$ by reading this book!

anyway.

i'm not saying that the girls you had one class with in college who instagram-message you scam side hustles that start HEY GIRLYPOP are as bad as cult leaders...

but i'm not NOT saying that.

anyway again. this was fine to good. readable. my interest waned, but that's true of anything that isn't either a cookie or written by sally rooney, so we forgive.

bottom line: still desperately trying to be a nonfiction girl.

----------------
tbr review

joining the cult of this book

[Jenny · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author made sure to let us know right away that she isn't susceptible to cult tactics the way the average person is. She then patted herself on the back throughout the whole book for her ability to see red flags.

What she didn't do was tell me anything about how language truly influences smart, successful people into cults. There were some minor factual errors in her histories, and she glossed over the truly horrific events in cult history in a way that felt minimizing. Everything was surface level and the tone didn't work for me.

[BlackOxford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emancipate Yourselves From Mental Slavery

Bob Marley had some sensible universal advice: “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery.” Jesus had been slightly more explicit when he said, “The truth shall make you free.” Martin Luther King probably summarised the issue best, however: “No one is free until we all are free.”

Amanda Montell, like Marley, Jesus, and MLK wants us to be free. She wants to liberate us from the covert linguistic manipulation of QAnon, Trump, and the hundreds of other conspiracy theorists, politicians, religious leaders, and exploitative commercial ventures that are after our attention, our money, and our souls.

Montell has a lot to say about the most obvious instances of such manipulation, from the Jonestown self-immolation of over 900 hundred people to the aggressively threatening tactics of Scientologists. But she also argues effectively that the linguistic activities of commercial ventures like SoulCycle and 3HO are just less lethal forms of the same techniques. Her intention is to alert us all to the range of possible traps we might fall into:

“From the crafty redefinition of existing words (and the invention of new ones) to powerful euphemisms, secret codes, renamings, buzzwords, chants and mantras, ‘speaking in tongues,’ forced silence, even hashtags, language is the key means by which all degrees of cultlike influence occur.”

Montell is confident that simply knowing about these linguistic tactics, we will be safe from their insidious effects. “Once you understand what the language of ‘Cultish’ sounds like, you won’t be able to unhear it,” she assures us.

But Montell has a problem which is obvious from her own research: Cults speak to those who need them. The need could be friendship, attention, money, sex, a sense of belonging, a sense of superiority, spiritual completion, or literally thousands of other human cravings, many without names. So her claim to be able to unhear potentially destructive language may be valid right up to the point at which it is needed.

Face it: human beings are neurotic. It’s probably language that makes them so. We all have psychic deficiencies, flat sides, perversions, unwanted traits, gaps in our abilities, and unfulfilled aspirations. We are likely to be immune to the cultist palaver until it strikes home in one of these personal, and likely unconscious, flaws. Then, bingo, we may not be off to Jonestown but that rather pricey contract with SoulCycle looks awfully inviting.

So while I admire Montell’s epistemological ambitions, I think it only right to point out the self-referential character of her thesis. She’s likely to appeal most to just those folk who already have a horror of becoming any kind of groupie (You know who you are!). But Bob Marley’s follow-up line in the chorus of Real Situation is also an apt critique:

“Well, it seems like: total destruction the only solution
And there aren't no use: no one can stop them now
Ain't no use: nobody can stop them now”

Postscript 30Dec21: This popped up fortuitously today. Yet another set of theories of why America is so prone to conspiracy thinking: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation...

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book should've been called: "Oopsie: I Don't Really Know What I Want to Write About."

I guess I missed the red flags on this book's synopsis: "Though juicy storytelling and cutting original research, Montell exposes the verbal elements that make a wide spectrum of communities..." After reading this, I think the "cutting original research" is another way to say that Amanda Montell ran some Google searches, read a couple of articles leagues better than her own writing, and dumped in a heavy helping of her extremely opinionated "analyses" to the mixture. When that was all done, she threw in a pinch of "juicy storytelling," AKA Montell exhibiting her social/intellectual superiority to all her brainless readers because she is wise enough to identify the warning signs in cult recruiting tactics—and has second/third hand experiences with these cults, no less!

Oh yeah, and did I mention that this book barely talks about the language of fansticism? No, instead Montell spends an absurd amount of time educating her readers on Jonestown, Heaven's Gate, and Scientology—perhaps the most widely-covered cults in American history that almost nobody needs introduction to—and finishes the second half of her book by rambling about marketing schemes, motivational workout routines, and fan culture... Those aren't cults, but alright, let's spend 150+ pages talking about them! And, while we're at it, we can also forget that this book's original purpose was to explore the ins and outs of manipulative language.

This feels more of like a "Dummies Guide to Cults," rather than a compelling analysis covering the intricacies of cult-like language. When Montell does establish some of the basics of this unique syntax, she just repeats herself over and over and over...and over...to stuff her pages with pop-science junk in the hopes that her book will seem more educational (to no effect, unfortunately).

I honestly thought I was picking this book up to learn something new, but instead I read a tedious, boring, and bizarrely opinionated piece of nonfiction by a woman who's a self-identified "language scholar." (Montell only holds a BA in linguistics and has no other published academic research... By these standards, does this mean I'm also a "language scholar," as I hold a BA in English?)

Motell writes on the topic of cults with such deluded conviction and pomposity that Cultish reeks of a young author that was unready to tackle the incredibly abstruse subject matter she chose to write on.

[Rhiannon Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.



I've been recommending this book to everyone. I learned so much and I keep thinking about it--even weeks after finishing it! Cults, cultish groups, religions, cliques, and communities of all types fascinate me. I always think to myself "why are they drawn to this leader, lifestyle, or way of thinking"? When most people think of cults the images that come to their minds are usually horrific (mass suicide in Jonestown, the fires and deaths in Waco, the Manson murders, etc.) and they tend to use the term "brainwashing" as an all encompassing way of stating a massive change in someone's way of thinking. Charismatic leaders have used a variety of techniques to exploit people's desire for community and inclusion for millennia, the most powerful of which is language.

Before you think "I wouldn't fall for that" ask yourself about the language used in all of the groups you are a part of in your daily life. Mantras, jargon, acronyms, and group specific phrases, "all inspires a sense of intrigue, so potential recruits will want to know more; then, once they’re in, it creates camaraderie, such that they start to look down on people who aren’t privy to this exclusive code." Some psychologists call this "loaded language" and it is present far beyond the groups that many would be quick to label as a cult.

Author Amanda Montell shows how cultish language is present in many common groups in our current society, from SoulCycle and CrossFit to the self-proclaimed Instagram gurus and #bossbabes in multilevel marketing groups (MLMs.) This book really got me thinking about all the ways language can form a community and how any community can quickly become a cult.

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[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cultish- The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell is a 2021 Harper Wave Publication.

I have not read, ‘Wordslut’, so this is my first experience with Amanda Montell. As a person with a genuine concern, and curiosity, about cults, how they operate, and what draws people to them, this book was a no -brainer for me.

It did not surprise me one bit that language is a foundation upon which cults are built. In order to understand how the cult gains its momentum, one must look at the language employed to lure people into making a dedicated commitment to whatever activity, group, organization, or religion is being promoted.

Today, the word 'cult' is used in a variety of ways, and it doesn't necessarily conjure up a sinister connotation- Like 'cult' movies, for example.

I grew up in an age of cults-and the word was not tossed about so glibly. Cults got lots of press, for good reason, and it was serious stuff.

It's a phenomenon, under any guise, that never ceases to amaze me. A con man- like Charles Manson could convince people to commit murder, Jim Jones could coax, ( or force), people into drinking poison.

Now, though, as religion has diminished in our country, instead, of the usual cult behavior centered around a religious-like belief system, no matter how fundamental or far-fetched- that same cult-ish language is showing up in other places- like in exercise and fitness groups, online influencers, and QAnon, for example.

Other than language, the biggest lure is being a part of a group or filling a need for a sense of belonging. It’s also on some level a desire to better oneself – spiritually, intellectually, and physically.

Nxivm started out as a self-help group. Synanon started out as a drug rehab program. Today’s ‘wellness’ gurus and influencers zero in health and well-being.

People who ‘follow’ and participate in the rituals of these groups, teams, or clubs- spout off a specific jargon unique to them, they wear the clothes, eat the food, and adhere to rigid rules- all without realizing, in the moment, they are exhibiting the same cult-ish loyalty as those fanatical religious cults in the seventies.

This book makes a strong case for the way people fall into these patterns, how language plays a role, and the way the cult-ish vernacular has invaded seemingly innocuous groups or organizations- and are often heard in motivational or marketing speeches, in our everyday world.

While, in the past, we have often dismissed cult members as having been brainwashed- the author cautions against thinking in those terms. While I can see her point, I still think people can be mentally conditioned over time.

It’s a fascinating book, and certainly gives one pause. I still think people are searching for something – but are looking in the wrong places for it. I did learn about some disturbing behaviors I had not heard of and took into consideration some phrases we toss about that are offensive, if you think about it.

The author has recommended some further reading as well- so I’m off to look for Tara Isabella Burton’s ‘Strange Rites’- so stay tuned…

Meanwhile, I'll stick to self motivation- on my elliptical- at home- no instructor needed- and nothing cult-ish about it.

4 stars

[Dea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Update: I had a bit of a think, and I feel justified in taking away another star. The 'cultish' organizations that are covered in the book seem to be 'girly'. (I hate to use that word but I could not think of another one.) MLMs and spin classes and Swifties are all domains occupied predominantly by women, but what about male spaces that are cultish? Sure there was talk of CrossFit but what about MRAs and Incels and MGTOWs? What about the Proud Boys, the initiation into which requires getting beaten up until you recite cereal brands? That would make great copy, and yet not even a mention?

So yeah, disappointed and won't recommend this as a fun read either.

--

A pleasant but ultimately shallow read. I expected a deeper look at specific words and phrases used by cults, so I could brush up on up-and-coming toxic groups lingo. Saving that, a detailed comparison between cults and groups we do not consider cults but may as well be. Maybe some personality cults that were mentioned at the beginning but then did not really make an appearance.

Entertaining, but ultimately felt like a product of a surface internet search and some interviews.

[Andrea Bartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witty, slick, and self-assured, CULTISH will change the way you view the interplay between language and power. Yes, it sparkles with muscular prose and snappy asides, but this book's true wizardry is how Montell peels back the veneer over topics we're confident we already understand—brainwashing, indoctrination, even the term "cult" itself—and demonstrates how a few potent verbal tricks, wielded correctly, render us more susceptible to cultish influences than we'd like to think. Compulsively readable and startlingly of-the-moment, CULTISH is as intriguing as the charismatic leaders and spellbinding groups it examines.

[K.J. Charles]

Interesting dive into how cults are primarily language-driven, and how language both draws us in and keeps us in. Particularly good on Internet cults (QAnon) and on the things she calls cult*ish*, like MLMs and CrossFit, that use those techniques. It's entirely American, as she acknowledges, linguistically and culturally (USians are apparently suckers for the prosperity gospel in its many forms), and I would have really liked to see some more wide-ranging examples covering a broader cultural spread, and to see how that might affect the language and techniques. Very much worth reading anyway, if only to get a heads up on what the apparently bizarre language choices are doing.

[Jess Owens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will be processing thoughts but this was fine.

We discussed it here: https://youtu.be/jrraYjfPjgY

TL; DR: great place to start with nonfiction. It’s very accessible and easy to read. I don’t know a better phrase but it’s very surface level on the topic of cults and language. I wanted more of a deep dive but this was a fine read.

[s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all]]

Linguistics, cults and dunking on marketing? This is hyper-specifically my shit.

[Denise Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A page-turner! This book is important. Montell breaks down the psychosocial influences that entice and reward people for joining communities that promise enlightenment and self-improvement. While most provide some sort of tangible rewards, others strip followers of money, autonomy, and even their lives. How can you tell a relatively benign self-improvement program from a suicide cult? How can you protect yourself without giving up on humanity? Cultish spells it out. Critical knowledge for everyone because we are surrounded by cultish language and influences and we need to see clearly what our would-be gurus are really up to.

[casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

reminded me a lot of a religion course i took in uni that i loved (lmfao). was interesting to see a lot of the elements of non religious (in the traditional sense) communities (i.e soul cycle, mlms) used to draw the conclusion that they’re cults whereas in that course it’d been seen more as showing how elastic the concept of religion is + how it can be used when you strip it down to the main reasons people are so tied to it (community, purpose, enrichment etc). if im being honest i think i lean more toward the latter conclusion than the former that this book tries to argue.

if you’re someone who is obsessed with reading about cults/fanatic companies this might feel redundant (i felt this most during the mlm portion as i went through a phase of spam watching documentaries about herbalife + lularoe), so the breakdown of how it works + why people do it felt a bit tedious but i feel like it’s not fair to slight it for that. i would just go into this knowing that the author is writing as if the reader doesn’t know anything about the companies + cults it talks about. regardless it’s a good range of different dynamics and they’re all balanced well. 4am me thought 4 stars but the longer i sit with it i feel like this is more of a 3/3.5 🫡

[Kasia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I find it quite shocking that a book written by linguist can be so unpleasant to read - and I am not talking about the topic of this book but about the way it is written. Apart from bizarre phrases like "[they] trade their whiteness", "gigaparsec-length eyelashes" or "regrammable" I found it very chaotic and often loosing train of thought.

I picked up this book hoping for a good insight into the language of fanaticism because this is literally what the title of this book promises. First couple pages try to adhere to this promise and provide you with some basic knowledge about the most common manipulations used by questionable gurus (like love-bombing, loaded language, thought stopping cliches, creating "us vs them" mentality, developing an insiders lingo and so on) but then suddenly it's not about language it's about why Donald Trump was a horrible president. Or whats the story of the MLM. Or how CrossFit was horrible because it was discriminating against race. Everything is tied together by this vague idea of "cultish" language but frankly what was described as a signs of "cultish" was so broad that you could fit there basically anything. Including my marriage.

I also do not like how the bibliography is added (not to mention that it has reddit on the list) - there are no marks of reference in the text but rather there is a list including begining of the sentence and then the source on which it is based. I had a really hard time finding out where the sentences like "Most succesful brand founders agree that having a "cultlike company culture" is simply necessary" or "It is in our DNA to want to believe in something" are coming from. They do sound to me like a generic comments that author added to make narration more engaging but as a part of non-fiction book I found them pretty annoying. There is also this moment when author explains why "brainwashed" is a wrong term to use to describe cult followers but then she proceeds to use it anyway but in quotation mark as if to signal that she knows its wrong but decides to use it in a wrong way anyway.

The final straw that made me lower my rating from 3 to 2 stars was hiding in this sentence:

[...] but it's nowhere near as spooky as yoga studios full of rich white woman wearing the same overpriced athleisure, possibly embellished with bastardized Sanskrit pun

Cast a stone if you have never bought an overpriced piece of athleisure/garment.

It had a potential to be great.

[Rachel L · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Cultish is a broad examination of the language of cults by linguist Amanda Montell, and this book really focuses more on the language of cults. Whether it be the language of an actual cult like Heaven’s Gate or groups that use cult like language such as soul cycle. Montell is not saying all of these things are actual cults, but their rise and everyday use of language is cult like.

I thought this book was incredibly fascinating and I thought the author did a wonderful job of keeping things broad on the subject and using specific examples to emphasize her points. I think what a lot of people misunderstand when reading this book is she’s not calling things like Soul Cycle or Crossfit cults, but instead pointing out where their success follows cultish language.

This book really made me think about the use of the word “cult” and how it can used to add malicious tones to something that really isn’t. It’s also not a bad thing for there to be a group mindset on something as long as people aren’t getting hurt. Despite the author kind of pointing out that people are not necessarily “brainwashed” when entering a cult, I do think there’s a level of reconditioning that happens to people when they do. Just because someone is intelligent doesn’t mean they aren’t vulnerable to their wants and needs.

One of the more interesting books I’ve read recently, I think this is a great nonfiction book for people who don’t normally read the genre. It gives a good scope of the topic but doesn’t become dry or dull with the finer details of the subject.

[Anna Bartłomiejczyk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nie ukrywam, chciałabym więcej językoznawczego mięsa, ale z językoznawstwem jest tak, że ma często wysoki próg wejścia. Zatem jest to taka analiza na poziomie łatwym, co też jest fajne, bo dzięki temu szersza publiczność ma do niej dostęp.

[Ashley Rossetto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Montell writes in a language that is both scientific but accessible to someone like me, a complete lay person who has no background in anything discussed within the book. As someone who generally DNF non-fiction books, I found myself unable to put this one down. The connections that Montell drew between seemingly every day things like social media influencers and the language of cults, as just one broad example, (or cult leaders/recent world leaders and the idea that say-it-like-it-is honesty leadership is really just having a lack of filter) made sense in the way she presented them. I really enjoyed this book and took copious notes throughout the whole thing. I'm looking for thought-terminating cliches in everyday conversations everywhere I turn now. I can't wait to read more of Montell's writings.

[Brandice · Rating 4 out of 5]

My nearly life long fascination with cults is inexplicable — Why do I find them so interesting?

In Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism Amanda Montell explains how cults establish their influence using the power of language. As someone who has long been intrigued by the idea of cults, I knew I had to read this book. I’m a skeptic by nature and quick to drop a polite yet firm “No” when solicited for anything I’m not interested in, but recognize, of course, not everyone operates this way.

Montell talks about traditional cults like Jonestown, Heaven’s Gate, and Waco, in addition to modern forms of cults like SoulCycle, MLMs (aka pyramid schemes), and more. The stakes may not be as high as they once were, but the cultish principles remain. She highlights the influence language has on people and how cults have continued to use this to their advantage from recruiting to establishing power, and who the ripe targets tend to be. If you, like me, loathe the demeaning terms of “boss babe” and “girl boss”, you may find the latter chapters about cultish behavior in its more contemporary forms especially interesting.

“Rather, because words are the medium through which belief systems are manufactured, nurtured, and reinforced, their fanaticism fundamentally could not exist without them. ‘Without language there are no beliefs, ideology, or religion … these concepts require language as a condition of their existence. Without language, there are no cults.’”

Cultish was great book and one I know I’ll continue thinking about.

[Trevor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here’s the thing – normally, when I read two books by the same author in quick succession, one of the books is really very good and the other one is something of a letdown. I’m glad to report that I enjoyed this book at least as much as I did her other one. I’m not really suggesting that you should rush out and get either of these books – they are unlikely to really change your life – but if you do read them, I don’t think you are going to be disappointed.

Now – I think I’m going to be more critical of this book than might even be justified. Not that I didn’t like it. Really, the argument behind this one can be pretty quickly said. Cults are much more prevalent than we generally assume. We normally think of them as crazy religious groups who brainwash people who become followers and essentially ruin their lives. And lots of this book discusses exactly that. You’ll learn more than you ever really wanted to know about Jim Jones, Jonestown and Kool-Aid (fun fact, it was actually not Kool-Aid, but rather Flavor Aid) and about Scientology and assorted other nutcase religions. But also why, by joining a gym, you might also end up learning to speak Cultish too.

This is her main point. That you essentially know you are in a cult once you start speaking the language. That the language is basically indecipherable to outsiders. And that the language is used as the main tool to hold you in the cult. All of which is as true, as she shows, of Amway as it is for the Branch Davidians. And I think this is all true enough in itself.

I should have no problem at all with this thesis. I’m a kind of language guy and so being told language is powerful – although, she does stress that ‘brainwashing’ isn’t really a thing, so, I should be even more on side – ought to have been enough for me to be a convert. The problem is something I’ve become increasingly aware of over the years. That language alone isn’t enough. The path to becoming a cult isn’t just linguistic – as important as that is – but it is also embodied. Cults often play with our bodies in ways that separate us off from the rest of society. Whether that be food taboos, fasting, sexual practices or leg days – so many of the things that keep us in cults are the rituals that they construct that become embodied and then feel impossible to break.

Reading this book will give you more information about various cults than will make you feel comfortable – worse still since she makes it clear that the techniques used by cults aren’t in the least bit limited to what we generally regard as cults – yes, I’m looking at you Alcoholics Anonymous. This book probably isn’t as funny as the other one, but it is just as compulsive once you get started.

[Mari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this as a combination of a lot of my different interests. This was about language, it will appeal to fans of studying pop culture, and of course it dives into fanaticism and cultish behavior. I wouldn't say that any one part got particularly deep. It reads like a primer and isn't particularly well organized, though that lent to a readable and conversational sort of tone. I feel like if you well versed in cults, this might not appeal much to you, but for anyone curious about how language is used to organize and control, this is and interesting and fast read.

[Kelly]

I think what I especially loved about this deep dive into how language drives people to behave/engage with "cult-like" and actual cult organizations is how it's not judgmental. It's a linguistic approach to how our brains are wired to build connections and ideas through words and it's through immersion in these words and ideas we find places we want to be . . . thus why SoulCycle or Peloton have such fanatics, as do actual cults themselves.

A really interesting look at "cult-like" language and behavior, from Jim Jones to MLMs to indeed, fitness programs.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first encountered Amanda Montell‘s work a year or so ago, when she dissected the world of language and how it has inherent gender pitfalls. In this text, Montell unwraps how language is used to develop strong followings or serve to persuade people into various collectives. After some great background, Montell labels this language as ‘cultish’, right up there with English, Spanish, and even French (yes, I see that the last breaks the fluidity of examples). Montell effectively argues that language can be used in subtle or blunt ways to coerce or convince the population to believe or disbelieve certain things. While many people are surely visual learners, the means by which language is used can have a major influence on decision making, something Montell shows repeatedly throughout the tome.

While the word ‘cult’ has morphed into something quite negative, for a long time it was not given the same eerie notion. Montell effectively argues that it was the rise of Jim Jones and his Jonestown commune in Guyana that sullied the word and permitted the world to make negative associations with the word so freely. Montell explores not only the group, but also how Jones used words and various phrases to really drill home his views to followers. It it so very intriguing how words and phrases, usually tied to salvation or persecution, can drum up such emotion in people. Montell’s exploration of the religious cult movement may not have been entirely unique to me (as in, I had heard some of the discussion before), but its presentation and analysis brought a much-needed new look to the subject matter.

Another way in which groups can be called cults is a use of insider language, keeping those who are not ‘in the circle’ completely ostracised. While the primary example of this is the Church of Scientology, it can be extended to other groups, usually those in the world of fitness or other health movements. The ‘us versus them’ mentality fuels a separation between those who are actively supporting the group and non-believers. Montell exemplifies that there is usually a push to ‘get more insiders’ in a variety of ways, but that those who refuse to believe should be left to perish. Language to create this inner know is essential to success and failure, something that Montell presents repeatedly.

Just as in many other realms, language can be key to bullying others, even within an organization. Multi-level Marketing (MLM) groups use it to keep their members motivated and trying to keep pulling more inside the circle, making it clear that those who cannot meet the standards are forced out and will likely be shunned for good. Montell explores many groups, usually popular sales from home companies, and how they use buzz language to promote continued growth, but also harsh critiques for those who are not able to succeed. While I am not working within an MLM, I know that sort of pressure, to a degree, in my current field of employment, where I work from home and try to liaise with the general public to help them protect themselves and their families. I see the strong verbiage that is used and the buzz language, which was only further highlighted at as I read this section of the book. Language can be a tool, though it is not always a building block, but rather a club to keep people in line.

Montell offers many other examples, but it is up to the reader to take the time to explore this book to see things for themselves. The book was paced well and tackled a number fo areas of interest. While there may be moments of ‘soap box’ preaching, it almost needed to be done to shake the trees and allow the reader to see what’s going on around them. Montell’s detailed chapters are full of evidence to suppose her thesis and is also written in such a way as to entertain while surely educating. Amanda Montell is a vibrant personality and this comes through in her writing, but she is academic when the need arises. This is no fluff piece or a means of debunking things that others have already espoused as troublesome. She seeks to devise her own arguments and presents them in a clear and succinct manner, permitting the reader to come to their own conclusions. This is masterful and just what I needed to keep my mental muscle flexed throughout this captivating read.

Kudos, Amanda Montell (for you taught me never to call you Madam), for this great book. I loved the hype leading up to its release and can say for a fact... it was well worth the wait.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

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[ra · Rating 2 out of 5]

i think whatever i have to say about this has already been said (mainly that i found it superficial & repetitive, and hardly about language after a point) but what was most surprising to me is the fact that she never really addresses the fact that a lot of her examples of cultish language + cults deliberately misuse the language of eastern religions, especially hinduism and buddhism.

[Sadie Hartmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

this took me like a month to read and it's not because it isn't good--I just struggle with wanting to read nonfiction when I have so many fiction books to read. This was enjoyable--I learned a lot about the language of cults and fanaticism--how it's used to manipulate very specific people groups depending on what's needed.

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This felt like the more formally researched and argued version of a lot of TikToks I've enjoyed... and I mean that in the best possible way. This was a distillation of many disparate ideas floating in the internet zeitgeist, and it was interesting to see those ideas brought together in a cohesive, persuasive format. Definitely interested in more from this author, as an intersection of linguistics and pop culture seems to be her thing