Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism (Paperback)

$32.00
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by Amanda Montell

Description

This book analyzes the social science of cult influence: how “cultish” groups, from Jonestown and Scientologists to SoulCycle and social media gurus, use language as the ultimate form of power.
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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 . . .

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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.

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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.

About the Author

Amanda Montell is a bestselling author and iHeart Radio Award-winning podcaster. Her nonfiction books have been praised by the Atlantic, the Economist, NPR, and others. Along with hosting two top-charting podcasts, Sounds Like A Cult and Magical Overthinkers, Amanda’s writing has been published in the New York Times, the Guardian, Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, and elsewhere. Amanda holds a degree in linguistics from NYU and lives in California.

Product Details

Category: Nonfiction

Language: English

Format/Binding: Paperback

Book Condition: New

ISBN-10: 006299316X

ISBN-13: 978-0062993168

Publisher: Harper Perennial

Date Published: May 27, 2025

Pages: 320

Terms of Sale

All book sales are final. No returns or exchanges.

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