Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

 

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

Title: Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism 
Author: Amanda Montell
Release Date: 6.15.21
Publisher: Harper Wave

Publisher's Summary
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.


My 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.