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.
