Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fascinating look into the cultivation of language used by the leaders of extreme groups to lure and detain members. Amanda Montell describes how these leaders, whether they're Jim Jones or the latest Instagram influencer, use similar language techniques to bait followers into believing their message. The "cultish" language pervades our society and after reading this book, you'll begin to see evidence of these techniques throughout our culture. It's a must read for anyone interested in how someone might join not just extreme groups but any social group that has it's own language and charismatic leader.

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