A review by megancortez
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

4.0

Really remarkable collection of anecdotes and arguments about the power of language, written, spoken, thought, and felt - and how nefariously the power can be abused. Cultish (itl) explores the dangers of setting aside logic, critical thinking, and a healthy dose of skepticism can allow for narcissists and sadists to take advantage of innocent, ordinary people who simply want connection, understanding, and purpose in this crazy world, advantage that can result as variously as hemorrhaging money for an essential oil MLM to irrecoverable kidney damage from CrossFit to chosen and forced suicide at Jonestown. "Human beings are, to their advantage and their detriment, physiologically built to be more mystical and communal... it's in our DNA to want to believe something." The desire to find community and religiosity is perfectly normal. But when that desire is co-opted by someone's desire for power, influence, authority, money, or any other self-serving motivation, the remarkable power of language to communicate and cultivate ideas, ideals, and intentions can be corrupted. "Tune into the loaded language, us versus them verbiage, thought terminators, and verbal abuse that make up the language of cultish influence and the leader's intentions will ring loud and clear." Sometimes it felt like the author strayed a bit from the conceit of this book, so I'm giving it 4 instead of 5 stars, but the information and analysis she provides are so profoundly impactful to my view of how and why people are either sucked into a cult or aren't that I can't possibly award it any less. I will keep my ears open, my mind clear, and a "vigilantly judicious twinkle in [my] eye ✨ " as I evaluate my own intentions and the influences of my own life and whether or not I am really speaking my own words or if I'm really alright speaking someone else's. Really superb book.