Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism Contributor(s): Montell, Amanda (Author) |
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ISBN: 0062993151 ISBN-13: 9780062993151 Publisher: Harper OUR PRICE: $27.00 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: June 2021 |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - Language Arts & Disciplines | Linguistics - Sociolinguistics - Social Science | Feminism & Feminist Theory - Language Arts & Disciplines | Communication Studies |
Dewey: 306.44 |
LCCN: 2021002199 |
Physical Information: 1.3" H x 5.6" W x 8.3" (0.85 lbs) 320 pages |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher 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. 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. |