Reviews tagging 'Trafficking'

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

23 reviews

danimacuk's review against another edition

dark funny hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Suicide, Death, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Physical abuse and Sexual assault

Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Trafficking, Confinement, Kidnapping, Pandemic/Epidemic, Rape, and Racism

katie0528's review against another edition

challenging dark informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

An exploration of language. The first half discusses how cults and religious groups use language tactics like "us vs. them" language creating their own codes/abbreviations to entice  followers and keep them in line. The second half focuses more on "Cultish" language in everyday life, from brands and movies with cult followings, to passionate communities like fitness clubs to social media influencers to QAnon, and how "Cultish" language can be used to build solidarity for good and for ill and ways to recognize and interrogate it.

I did listen to the audiobook and wish it was read by the author. The narrator was fine, but Amanda Montell hosts a podcast called Sounds Like a Cult, and she is so much more engaging when discussing these topics.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Trafficking

Minor: Emotional abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Abortion, Misogyny, Antisemitism, Classism, Cultural appropriation, and Suicide

sholtie's review against another edition

funny informative medium-paced

5.0

 Not capitalism exploiting our basic human desire for community.... damn 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Trafficking

Minor: Sexual violence

stardustdreamer's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Classism, and Murder

Moderate: Child death, Suicide, and Racism

amandamethot's review against another edition

informative fast-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Trafficking, and Murder

alsoapples's review against another edition

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

orchidd's review against another edition

informative fast-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Suicide, and Gaslighting

butlerebecca's review against another edition

funny informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Death, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Murder, and Genocide

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Racism, Alcoholism, Addiction, and Trafficking

librarymouse's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

Well written and engaging, the narrator's voice is conversational while giving factual information and leaving space for herself to reflect on what she's learned. Amanda Montell comes at this information from an interesting perspective, being the child of a father who was raised in and resisted a cult before escaping as a teenager. The content centered around religion, belief systems, and process 1 and 2 thinking specifically really interested me. As a former catholic, I always thought that I was just a very cynical child because I didn't quite mesh with the religion in a way I thought my peers could. The author's explanation of prayer as perceiving one's own post-prayer thoughts as answers from God really put how I've relied on process 2 thought in religious spaces into perspective. This is a book that begs reflection from readers, but doesn't condemn piety or belief in any form it may take so long as it doesn't cause harm.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Death, Fatphobia, Trafficking, Suicide, Bullying, Grief, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Toxic friendship

twilightfan420's review against another edition

funny informative medium-paced

4.0

This book rocks. I love the blend of personal anecdotes with interview-reporting and sociological research. It reads seamlessly and offers such a new take on cults. As a writer myself, I can’t believe I hadn’t looked into language like this before! Thank you Amanda Montell for making me do so. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Trafficking, Suicide, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Emotional abuse