The cornerstone of cults, as it turns out, is the master manipulation of words.  Such skill is a common strength of your most tragically successful demagogues.  Language is the glue that binds together a cult- an insider shorthand which others outside detractors, structures exclusivity, and staunches objection.  As advertised, that’s the focus of linguist and podcaster Amanda Montell’s bestseller, Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism.

Exhibit A: The thought-terminating cliche

The usual suspects are represented here: Scientology, Heaven’s Gate, and Jim Jones.  However, you’ll learn sundry gyms and workout plans, current political movements, and multi-level marketing scams utilize precisely the same techniques.  If you are into the power of words and baffled by the malleability of bright citizens, this is the book for you.  But, please don’t expect the thrilling page turner perspective among similar nonfiction bestsellers.  For those that Dewey, this is far more of a 400 than 364.

As it turns out, the vast majority of this book focuses on linguistics with minor treatment of true-crime tidbits.  I accept full responsibility.  Focus on the title words in boldface and a cool cover like this reader did and you may also fall down that well of naivete.  We truly need a truism warning readers of such haphazard browsing.