Frieda Westphalen’s Reviews > Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism > Status Update

Some say people who join cults are "lost". But all human beings are lost to some degree. A more thoughtful way to think about how people find themselves in precariously cultish scenarios is that these folks are actively searching to be found, and ... they're more open than the average person to finding themselves in unusual places.

The internet scammeth, and the internet fact-checketh away.

... America's frightfully low standards for men's charisma. As long as someone is white, male, and telling us to pay attention to him, we'll follow even "the most obviously bumbling con artist dumbass ever birthed by the universe."

For those who bristle at the idea of comparing workout classes to religion, know that as tricky as it is to define "cult," scholars have been arguing even harder for centuries over hoe to classify "religion." You might have a feeling that Christianity is a religion, while fitness is not, but even experts have a tough time distinguishing exactly why.