Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

126 reviews

sa_aurum's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

4.0

It was a very insightful book. You know those types which you're intrinsically aware of the things being discussed but you don't actively think about when it actually happens irl. Amanda retold a very profound series of accounts from survivors of various cult groups and presented them in a very digestible manner. The premise of the entire book revolves around cult affiliation(group affiliation), human psychology, brainwashing, unjustified prejudice, glossolalia, genocide and language performativity theory. It also tells us how everyday people end up in cults just to find a meaningful connection as we(humans) are programmed to be seekers of the unknown and social communes are a way to satisfy our emotional and religious needs. The book was written in the light of the writer's father's experiences which gave it a personal and professional outlook. Overall it was a good read but it was long overdue due to uni. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Murder, Emotional abuse, and Genocide

Moderate: Confinement, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Cursing, Mental illness, Sexual content, Body shaming, Bullying, Classism, Gaslighting, and Racism

kimib79's review against another edition

This author seems clueless. She has very little life experience, which is extremely problematic since many of her examples appear to be anecdotal. She has far left-leaning beliefs which seem to taint her perception of the information presented. Basically, she doesn't present anything new or useful. The reason this book is even tolerable is that the subject of cults is interesting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting

maximauve's review against another edition

informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Emotional abuse, Death, Mass/school shootings, Police brutality, and Suicide

courto875's review against another edition

dark informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mass/school shootings, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Cultural appropriation, Death, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse

hmetwade's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship

wright_rendon_reads's review against another edition

challenging funny informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

I'm not a true crime girly, but I AM a cult girly. So when I heard about this book my interest was peaked. 

This book combines two of my special interests: language and cults. This book is split into sections covering cults and cult(ish) groups: religious groups, self-help groups, MLMs, fitness groups, and online influencers/political groups. The book doesn't claim all of these are cults but that they do use language that cult groups tend to use like thought terminating cliches and love bombing. 

This book was interesting, thought provoking, funny, and informative. I found myself turning it on even for a short drive to pick up food. (I listened to it on audiobook). I greatly enjoyed this as my last summer read before school started. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Suicide, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault

Minor: Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Body shaming, and Racism

These content tags are based more on frequency of mentioning rather than going into detail.

backyardroses's review against another edition

informative medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Murder

bashsbooks's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

This is an extremely cool linguistic exploration on how language impacts how people decided to join and stay in manipulative groups (broadly termed 'cultish'). From murder-suicides like Jonestown and Heaven's Gate to MLMs to fitness groups like Soul Cycle, the spectrum is wide, but Montell convincing demonstrates on how all these groups employ similar rhetorical strats to recruit people.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Murder, Religious bigotry, Racism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Death, and Child death

Moderate: Antisemitism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Addiction

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

nykolereads's review against another edition

informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Pedophilia, Drug abuse, and Death

aliciaofalaska's review against another edition

informative mysterious medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Torture