Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism

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.

This book gave me a better perspective on how cults and cults groups (MLM's, SoulCycle, and other intense groups and organizations) use language to keep you in. I enjoyed exploring the different dialects of cultish language that was explored throughout the book, and especially gaining so insight into how politicians and those involved in our government can use the word cult as a tool. I will likely read this again one day.

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.

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.

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. 

Genuine “it was okay” rating (perhaps 2.5 stars). To me, this book felt like the idiom - “50 feet wide but 2 feet deep”.

I was hoping for a book that dove deeper into the genuine linguistics behind cults, and how they entice and operate. It covered these ideas loosely, but the book was far more filled with first hand accounts from interviewees (who spent time in cults) or anecdotes from the author.

Unfortunately, it felt like the majority of the content was just... obvious? I'm not even a “cult fanatic”, I haven't read other books, I don't watch the documentaries, and I don't even listen to podcasts - but even for me, a lot of the content felt so surface level. Do I really need a general description of the Jonestown massacre, or how a Soulcycle class operates? Isn't this just baseline common knowledge?

The book was well written, and if the previous topics are something you're interested in I think you'll probably enjoy it – I just felt like it was advertised as one thing, and delivered another.

Very engaging and readable and highly recommended. However, I was turned off by the author's use of pop-culture references (using season 18 of The Bachelor as a date/time reference was the most irksome cause who the fuck knows when that was?!) and such things only make the book dated. Also, I find the lack of an index troublesome.

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!

First, the title Cultish should be read as in English, Swedish, not as cult-like. Amanda explores the languages cults use - everything from Jonestown, Heaven's Gate, and Scientology to SoulCycle, Peloton, Amway, and QAnon. If you're into cults or communication, you'll enjoy this book.

What was most profound to me was the term “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. Cultish leaders often call on thought-terminating clichés, also known as semantic stop signs, to hastily dismiss dissent or rationalize flawed reasoning.

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 inspire 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.” It is present far beyond the groups that many would quickly label as a cult.

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.

So yeah, a fascinating book, and certainly a topic I want to explore more.

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.

This is the latest book I'm going to shout at people to read. It was so fascinating and some of the concepts, like “thought-terminating cliches” are going to stick with me forever.

Pick this up if you like learning about why and how cult leaders do their culty things but also if you are weirded out by things like MLMs, crossfit, and social media influencers.

Multiple people recommended this to me and I was secretly like “IDK I already know a lot about cults” but I really appreciated the specific linguistic arguments being presented about the power of language in cults. I liked the bit of backstory from Amanda revealing that her dad had been raised by a cult and I think that contributed to the very empathetic way she writes about people who have joined cults. Really smart and compelling!