Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

9 reviews

aliciaofalaska's review against another edition

informative mysterious medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Torture

alsoapples's review

dark funny informative fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Trafficking, Confinement, Gaslighting, Murder, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Racism, and Torture

siriface's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny informative relaxing sad medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Death, and Suicide

siebensommer's review against another edition

dark informative lighthearted medium-paced

3.75

the conditioning to automatically trust the voices of middle-aged white men. Over the centuries, we've been primed to believe that the sound of a Jim Jones-type voice communicates an innate power and capability — that it sounds like the voice of God.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, Religious bigotry, Cultural appropriation, Body horror, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicide, and Sexism

mari_books's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.25

This book really surprised me. I didn’t expect to be as engrossed as I ended up being. I thought the authors focus on language, optimism and human curiosity made it easy for the secular reader to bite into what she was explaining. For me, the only negative points were she spent way too long talking about Soulcycle when there are other better examples. I felt that within chapters sometimes her focus was unequal and glossed over important connections to move on to the next topic (ex: QAnon to Instagram quote accounts). The ended for me didn’t do the research of the text justice in my view, but could just be me. But over all, I loved the interviews with cult/ group members. This book raised a lot of important questions and I look forward to reading more from this author. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, and Torture

katiebowers's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative sad medium-paced

5.0

This was a really fascinating look at the language we use to build a community and how that language gets used to isolate or empower. There’s a solid discussion in the latter half of the book about the differences in language and practice between the damaging things we traditionally think of as cults (Jim Jones, Scientology, etc), and the capitalist building of intentional, mostly harmless cults (fitness cults, fandoms, etc). It gave me a new, deeper understanding of the way building community - good ones and bad ones - happens, and that feels really valuable today.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Violence

Moderate: Sexual violence and Torture

toffishay's review

dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.25

Really interesting and engaging read! Dives into heavy stuff and still leaves room to embrace the unknown 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Classism, Death, Murder, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Suicide, and Cultural appropriation

yeojinqueen's review

informative reflective slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Drug use, Misogyny, Rape, Addiction, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Murder, Pedophilia, Slavery, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Mass/school shootings, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Self harm, and Toxic relationship

themeggreig's review

dark funny informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

I have a soft spot for scams, cults, and mysterious movements -this book hit every mark and was thoughtful and lighthearted - all I wanted to do was keep reading. Absolutely would recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Suicide, Torture, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting