Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

15 reviews

mateoj's review against another edition

challenging dark informative medium-paced

4.75

at once informative and genuinely funny (but never disrespectful), Cultish is right at the intersection of two things I've pondered studying seriously: sociolinguistics and religious studies. such a fascinating, engrossing book and a rare look at cults of all types with both criticism and empathy. 
also learned that the mom of one of my childhood friends, who is a well-respected professor with a PhD, was involved in an MLM scheme (LuLaRoe), which I think cements Montell's thesis that it isn't only the uneducated who fall prey to "cultish" schemes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Gaslighting

Minor: Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Cultural appropriation

toffishay's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.25

Really interesting and engaging read! Dives into heavy stuff and still leaves room to embrace the unknown 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Murder, Cultural appropriation, and Classism

yeojinqueen's review against another edition

informative reflective slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

okarenhelena's review against another edition

dark informative reflective tense medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Cancer

eldritch_flower's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

 I've always had an interest in cults. Not joining one, so don't freak out. But I am an active listener of the Cults podcast and I spend a lot of my free time watching documentaries on cults in general.

This book does talk about some of the more well known cults to give foundation to the points Montell makes later in the book, but what I found most interesting was the parallels between those cults and the groups she brings up as "cultish" like MLMs and certain gym groups, and even some influencers.

The book has a heavy focus on language, which I'm sure you can gather from the title. The language of conversion is incredibly compelling and interesting.

But beyond that, the book is topical as it was written and released after June of 2020, so the anti-masker idiocy and QAnon bullshittery is also included in this with poignant commentary.

If you have ever had even a passing interest in learning about cults, it's worth the read. I definitely had fun with it and I feel like I came out of it with new knowledge(as someone who's been reading about cults for more than a decade, I think that's a pretty big feat). 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, and Gaslighting