Book Review: Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell
Publisher: Harper Wave
Publication Date: June 15, 2021
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Publisher’s Description:
The author of the widely praised Wordslut analyzes the social science of cult influence: how cultish groups from Jonestown and Scientology to SoulCycle and social media gurus use language as the ultimate form of power.
What makes “cults” so intriguing and frightening? What makes them powerful? The reason why so many of us binge Manson documentaries by the dozen and fall down rabbit holes researching suburban moms gone QAnon is because we’re looking for a satisfying explanation for what causes people to join—and more importantly, stay in—extreme groups. We secretly want to know: could it happen to me? Amanda Montell’s argument is that, on some level, it already has . . .
Our culture tends to provide pretty flimsy answers to questions of cult influence, mostly having to do with vague talk of “brainwashing.” But the true answer has nothing to do with freaky mind-control wizardry or Kool-Aid. In Cultish, Montell argues that the key to manufacturing intense ideology, community, and us/them attitudes all comes down to language. In both positive ways and shadowy ones, cultish language is something we hear—and are influenced by—every single day.
Through juicy storytelling and cutting original research, Montell exposes the verbal elements that make a wide spectrum of communities “cultish,” revealing how they affect followers of groups as notorious as Heaven’s Gate, but also how they pervade our modern start-ups, Peloton leaderboards, and Instagram feeds. Incisive and darkly funny, this enrapturing take on the curious social science of power and belief will make you hear the fanatical language of “cultish” everywhere.
I’ve always been intrigued by cults and wondered why seemingly normal, intelligent people join them. Cultish explains how language has a lot to do with it. Each cult has its own language. A good example of this is Scientology with their “pre-clears” and “Thetans” and whatnot. Members feel special because they are in the know. They have been chosen to learn this special language that not everyone knows.
What I found most eye-opening is the chapters on multi-level marking companies (MLMs) and workout organizations like CrossFit. They both use the same language strategies that cults do. Some might argue that they are cults or at least as the book title says, cultish. Having been briefly part of an MLM myself, I can attest that they used every single ploy that Montell outlines in that chapter.
Cultish was a fascinating look at cults and their language. What I learned stuck with me and I think about it often.
Highly recommended.
