Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

42 reviews

komiification's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny informative reflective medium-paced

4.75

Only thing stopping me from giving this 5 stars because I LOVED this, was it definitely needed to go through a final edit. Way too much of 'more on this later'. But other than that, I thought it was super insightful all around. One of my favs! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Homophobia, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

ashlynregan's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.5

REALLY loved the writing style of this book (it read like a long-form collegiate essay with online colloquialisms interspersed) and cults are always a huge interest of mine. ILY AMANDA MONTELL.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Pandemic/Epidemic

katie0528's review against another edition

challenging dark informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

An exploration of language. The first half discusses how cults and religious groups use language tactics like "us vs. them" language creating their own codes/abbreviations to entice  followers and keep them in line. The second half focuses more on "Cultish" language in everyday life, from brands and movies with cult followings, to passionate communities like fitness clubs to social media influencers to QAnon, and how "Cultish" language can be used to build solidarity for good and for ill and ways to recognize and interrogate it.

I did listen to the audiobook and wish it was read by the author. The narrator was fine, but Amanda Montell hosts a podcast called Sounds Like a Cult, and she is so much more engaging when discussing these topics.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry and Gaslighting

Moderate: Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Trafficking

Minor: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Suicide, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Abortion, Cultural appropriation, Sexual harassment, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

growintogardens's review against another edition

medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

sholtie's review against another edition

funny informative medium-paced

5.0

 Not capitalism exploiting our basic human desire for community.... damn 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Trafficking

Minor: Sexual violence

victoria_plural's review against another edition

informative medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Sexual violence, and Suicide

readwithev's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

My only (very minor) complaint is that I wish there were more first hand accounts/interview snippets. I appreciated the informative, introspective, and curious approach while maintaining and understanding and empathic tone. The book is informative without sounding repetitive or preachy. I also liked that Montell researches “cult-like” language in non-violent spaces like MLMs and fitness clubs. They explain how ”cultish” language can build strong community and emotional connection in a digestible way. (Honestly I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who thought SoulCycle has a weird ring to it). 

⚠️Trigger warning ⚠️ Montell does discuss violent dangerous cults that participate(ed) in emotional, physical and/or psychological abuse.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Drug use, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Vomit, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

cpsawcd's review against another edition

funny informative medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, and Cultural appropriation

unluckycat13's review against another edition

informative medium-paced

4.0

This is not a true crime book, this is a sociological look at how cults and the rhetorical/linguistic techniques affect the average things in life; and when it becomes a problem. 

I'm unsure what people want in regards to intersectionality. You could probably go into depth in a lot of topics, but the author does talk about a lot of things that affect minorities of all sorts even when she's not directly shouting that group out. She does directly shout out minority groups often though.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Body shaming, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

courto875's review against another edition

dark informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

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