Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

64 reviews

beccasova's review against another edition

informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual assault and Suicide

Discusses the influence of speech and language in cults, and how it has been used in modern marketing today.

aysha_blake's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Rape, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Racism, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, and Police brutality

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

mengzhenreads's review against another edition

informative medium-paced

3.5

highly entertaining about how cults get people to join and stay in them, nothing TOO deep but it's a good read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, and Suicide

Moderate: Death and Murder

Minor: Sexual assault

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.

lazers28's review against another edition

informative medium-paced

4.5

As a person who has been involved in 4 groups named in this book I found this to be an accurate, thoughtful and thought provoking book. I appreciate the balanced look at what "cultish means all along it's spectrum and the focus on the HOW these groups work. Knowing the techniques can help you notice red flags and make an informed choice on how and where you participate in groups. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Violence

Moderate: Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, and Suicide

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

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

divine529's review

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

Cults are something I've been finding myself fascinated by more and more lately, especially given how much we hear about them on a regular basis. This is an absolutely fantastic book and a topic I've been interested in for awhile - language. This book really opened my eyes to a variety of things, expanded upon things I've believed, learned about and understood for awhile, and allowed me to view choices and experiences I've made and had in a different way. 

That said, tread lightly if you have triggers as this book deals with heavy and difficult topics at times. 

I highly recommend this to everyone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Murder, Racism, Confinement, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

remimicha's review against another edition

funny hopeful informative lighthearted mysterious reflective fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Gaslighting, Murder, Mental illness, Homophobia, Violence, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Racism, Suicide, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, and Fatphobia