In the age of social media and wellness trends, the comments section is as good as a cult compound, says linguist and cultural commentator Amanda Montell. Using Taylor Swift's throng of devoted Swifties as her guide, she exposes three sneaky language tactics that cults use toâŚ
Short of time? Read the key takeaways. đĄ People rely on relational dynamics to judge cultishness. When people rate groups as cult-like, they focus most on signs of control, isolation, and suppression of outside information rather than on unusual predictions or strange practicesâŚ
Scientific research and historical accounts can help us identify and dissect the threat of âcoercive persuasionâ
According to Amanda Montellâs new book, âCultish,â the jargon and technical language of fanaticism is surprisingly common.