Welcome to Litsy!

The text is once again not showing (thanks, litsy's image processing plugin), but it's talking about system 1 vs system 2 thinking which I deal with daily at work but hadn't through of from this angle.

"[AA] was changing my friend's life for the better."
Was it, though? Research has shown that AA's methods really only works if you're a middle age or older white professional, male, christian, who binge drinks alcohol.
Anyway, this book so far is more "magazine story" than serious non-fiction, and I need my facts to be presented academically to take them seriously at this point. Not terrible so far though.

How fitting that I started tagged book today which discusses the Jonestown event.

This was a rather lighthearted look at cults and specifically the language and tactics they use to attract followers and more importantly, convince them to remain in a cult. My issue is I wanted more….specifically about cults! A large portion of the book is spent examining other cult-like groups to include multi-level-marketing companies and fitness programs. It was fun, but I would have preferred a more detailed exploration on this subject.

Finished February 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Without language, there would be no cults. I‘m so happy this is my book club‘s June nonfiction pick! I‘ve now read it 3x. Linguist Amanda Montell delves deep into fanatical language and how it plays with our brains: thought-terminating cliches, love bombing, code switching, etc. I listened on audio this time, and it would be much better if Montell narrated. She‘s fantastic on her podcast Sounds Like a Cult.

Three-mile audio greenway walk with my boy. 🎧🐾

#audiowalk #reread #bookclub #dogsoflitsy

Brilliant AND funny AND very insightful. Loved it.

I really enjoyed this read. A non-fiction study on how language plays a role in community and ideology. Do you ever challange your own beliefs and thoughts? Has language ever manipulated, deceived, guided or inspired you?

I finished this one quite quickly! But let's be honest I mostly picked this one up for the cover. Lol. MaybeI should read a book on how marketing manipulates you sometimes more than language itself. Ha!

I was pretty disappointed with this. I did enjoy when it focused on the actual premise (cultish language), but the author goes on a lot of tangents with personal anecdotes that really distract from that in an only 300 page book. The author also seemed more interested in vilifying cultish aspects of MLMs like AmWay & making a connection to subcultures like SoulCycle and CrossFit than exploring the cognitive dissonance inherent in true cults.

I‘ve always had a weird fascination with cults and the psychology behind them. I loved reading about the impact language has. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was interesting, but not surprising. Maybe I‘m just more skeptical than your typical American, but so much of this information seemed pretty obvious to me. The book focuses on the power cults and cultish groups have over others in the language they choose.

The author seems to have compassion for people who become embroiled in cults and also to recognize that there is varying degrees of harm. I feel more enlightened as to why people join. We're all more susceptible than I would have thought, Littens. 🤣

Utterly fascinating.

Listening to this one while I work the bookshop today 🎧

Interesting

Bedtime reading. Good-night.

My library just got Hoopla, so I'm trying it out with this audiobook.

#audiobook

An eye-opening read that balances being aware of the language utilized by cults to lure people to follow them and the need for genuine human connection.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love anything that analyzes how the use of language has a very real impact on our daily lives, our decisions, and our way of viewing the world. Overall, this book did not disappoint. I was fascinated by Montell's comparison of actual cults to cult-like organizations such as MLMs and exclusive gyms. I may be slightly rounding up to 4 stars, but I'm cool with that.

Not as quick a read as I was thinking it might be, this was still an interesting look at all the different “cults” that exist…including “cultish” groups that we might not have realized use the same rhetorical language as religious cults do to “hook” their members.

Not sure, but I think I found this through a friend on GR. Audio version was great. Learned new info & was gratified that I was proven right about my opinion of MLMs (specifically Mary Kay because a couple of friends were involved years ago). Definitely recommend.

Interesting. Examines the language that cults and other groups use.

A fascinating look at how language can persuade someone to join a group. The word “cult” has multiple connotations, used to describe fitness groups, financial trends, movie fans, any subculture interest group, and of course extreme religious cults. The author explores all of these, with her focus on the words that may tempt one to get involved.

Read for a bookclub, and loved it.

The bookworms were sick and now I‘m sick. This is not how I meant to spend Father‘s Day. But it‘s how the cookie crumbled this year.

Next row of my #readinglogsnake is for a #rplbooksandbrews read - Cultish by Amanda Montell. This book doesn't just examine notorious religious cults, it also examines the language used by MLMs and extreme exercise groups. I found this to be a very fascinating read and recommend this to anybody anyone who wants to examine the 'why' people join cultish groups. 4/5 ⭐️ #BooksAndCrafts #ARRCReads

Cultish aims to examine the linguistic aspects of cult groups and the nature of fanaticism in general, and how language can be used to organize and control. It‘s very readable and written conversationally, but for that reason it felt kind of shallow, and didn‘t actually focus on the language as much as I thought it would. I did learn some new things and enjoyed it overall, but was left wishing it went a little deeper.

My current read feat. Miss Eloise 🥰

Fascinating listen about cults and groups that aren‘t cults but kind of act like them - cult ish. Definitely makes you second guess everything you belong to 😅 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Currently listening 🎧

I really enjoyed this! My #bookspin for March @TheAromaofBooks

I'm not completely sure how I feel about this. On the one hand I found it interesting on an entertainment level. But on the other hand, the book seems to be more about the author than about the various "cults" she examines & there didn't seem to be much scholarship about the language used. She relied heavily on comparisons and personal anecdotes where she regularly congratulates herself on being above being taken in by any inclusive language. ⬇️

My favourite of the year so far! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟

Really excited for my #bookspinbingo picks this month! @TheAromaofBooks

While I picked this up primarily for the focus on language, what really grabbed me was the effort the author went to to temper the black-and-white, moralizing interpretations and usage of words like cult and cult followers, detailing the dangers of those assumptions. 1/?

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Context! 😬

"The most important thing to remember is that if something is legitimate, it will stand up to scrutiny." ?

Etymology goodies!

I'll just leave this here. In case anybody needs it.

💅

Memorable alliteration.

Aaaaaand here's where I piss off everybody except my fellow atheists.

3 out of 5

This book was fascinating to me! I stayed up all night to finish it and don't regret the lack of sleep. I used to sell essential oils for one of the companies named in this book and Montell absolutely nailed the tactics the company promoted.

This is a totally captivating audio book that spans Scientology and Jones Town to Peloton and Multi Level Marketing and all the in between uses of Cult Speak. Humans are hard wired to want to belong to something and many a charismatic person has founded a company, ‘religion‘, organization to gather them into.
This is really a book that makes you go “hmmm”

“A cult is like porn, you know it when you hear it”