Cultish

by Amanda Montell (2021)

Check it out on Goodreads

Another nonfiction! Cultish is absolutely delicious. Montell weaves her argument about the language of fanaticism and the seemingly invisible ways cultish language slithers into your mind in such a compelling and conversational way, I felt like I was sitting across from a friend at a coffee shop while she spills the craziest drama I've ever heard.

From Jonestown to Scientology to Peloton, Montell explores how language is used to entice unassuming people and psychologically trap them in the social confines of the cult. While cults operate in a wide variety of ways with a vast array of motives, none of it would be possible without a leader who can tell their people what they want to hear. Starting with the largest cult tragedies (with a much-needed criticism of "drinking the Kool-Aid" as a colloquial saying) and zooming all the way out to the cult-like nature of new fitness gyms such as CrossFit and a number of yoga studios, I found every word in Montell's argument genuine, entertaining, and a bit haunting.

Consider your own language, just for a moment. Is there a word you share with a friend that anyone outside of your pairing wouldn't understand? Does that create and further strengthen the bond between the two of you? What if you had that same externally undefinable term shared with one hundred people? An "inside joke" that separated those who "get it" from those who don't? It expands so quickly.

Cultish changed the way I think about any and every group of people. Film school? Pretty cult-like. Terms like "sticks," "crafty," and "martini" that have entirely separate meanings from what the non-film majority would know. My yoga studio? Cult-like. The distinct names of every pose, the guided breathing in unison, the "uniform" of head-to-toe Lululemon. I don't say this to cause any panic, I just found it to be a fun exercise. Think about your place of work, your sport, your field of study, and all the words you use regularly that likely wouldn't make sense to someone who wasn't engaged with that world in the same way.

I highly recommend Cultish to anyone who is interested in cults or has ever shared an inside joke with a friend. If you need more cult content after that, I highly recommend a recent episode of my favorite true crime podcast Mile Higher and their coverage of the confusing and deadly Zizians. It goes hand-in-hand with Cultish's analysis of language, as well as introduces new concerns surrounding online-only cults and how twisted ideologies can spread all over the world without anyone ever interacting in person.

Happy reading and happy watching! This one is for all the true crime fans out there. Check out my Goodreads to see what I've read and what I'm reading now. I am also on Fable, so be sure to check in with me there! As always, let me know your thoughts in the comments, and whether or not you could be convinced to join a cult.

★★★★★

Cultish by Amanda Montell (2021)

-Cheyenne