Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

148 reviews

jtpgdavey's review

informative medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Bullying, Murder, and Gaslighting

mi7sma's review

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

4.0

It was a very insightful book. You know those types which you're intrinsically aware of the things being discussed but you don't actively think about when it actually happens irl. Amanda retold a very profound series of accounts from survivors of various cult groups and presented them in a very digestible manner. The premise of the entire book revolves around cult affiliation(group affiliation), human psychology, brainwashing, unjustified prejudice, glossolalia, genocide and language performativity theory. It also tells us how everyday people end up in cults just to find a meaningful connection as we(humans) are programmed to be seekers of the unknown and social communes are a way to satisfy our emotional and religious needs. The book was written in the light of the writer's father's experiences which gave it a personal and professional outlook. Overall it was a good read but it was long overdue due to uni. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Murder, Emotional abuse, and Genocide

Moderate: Confinement, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Cursing, Mental illness, Sexual content, Body shaming, Bullying, Classism, Gaslighting, and Racism

kimib79's review

This author seems clueless. She has very little life experience, which is extremely problematic since many of her examples appear to be anecdotal. She has far left-leaning beliefs which seem to taint her perception of the information presented. Basically, she doesn't present anything new or useful. The reason this book is even tolerable is that the subject of cults is interesting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting

cassiebartelme's review against another edition

informative medium-paced

3.0

An interesting look at how language is the driver behind cults from Scientology to Tupperware all the way to Soul Cycle. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting and Suicide

courto875's review against another edition

dark informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mass/school shootings, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Cultural appropriation, Death, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse

zoinkie's review

challenging funny informative reflective slow-paced

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting

Moderate: Suicide and Death

Minor: Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Body shaming, and Bullying

hmetwade's review

emotional funny hopeful informative fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship

mengzhenreads's review against another edition

informative medium-paced

3.5

highly entertaining about how cults get people to join and stay in them, nothing TOO deep but it's a good read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, and Suicide

Moderate: Death and Murder

Minor: Sexual assault

zosiablue's review

informative medium-paced

3.0

I think the author's thesis was: Cults (like Heaven's Gate) and cult-feeling orgs (like SoulCycle) are different, but share similar language, and listening for cultish language is our best chance at not getting sucked in. Which is a cool premise but she doesn't land it. There are a lot of contradictions, tons of meandering,  and occasional strong political statements that I enjoyed but were then dampened by weaker language. It was messy but it did get me thinking about how pervasive cult language is. I think this book would be most eye-opening for anyone who feels conflicted about MLMs or Instagram influencers and things like that (this will talk them out of following). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Cultural appropriation, Murder, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Mental illness, Classism, Child death, Drug use, Kidnapping, and Suicide

bashsbooks's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

This is an extremely cool linguistic exploration on how language impacts how people decided to join and stay in manipulative groups (broadly termed 'cultish'). From murder-suicides like Jonestown and Heaven's Gate to MLMs to fitness groups like Soul Cycle, the spectrum is wide, but Montell convincing demonstrates on how all these groups employ similar rhetorical strats to recruit people.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Murder, Religious bigotry, Racism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Death, and Child death

Moderate: Antisemitism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Addiction

Minor: Adult/minor relationship