krowkid 's review for:

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

4.0

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“That’s because language doesn’t work to manipulate people into believing things they don’t want to believe; instead, it gives them license to believe ideas they’re already open”

Montell breaks down how cultish language shows up not just in tragedies like Jonestown but also in everyday settings like workout groups and Alcoholics Anonymous. What stuck with me most was how she portrayed cult members as smart, hopeful, and often just searching for community rather than as brainwashed or broken. It’s a perspective that made me see them, and the forces around them, in a more human way.