Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism

The subtitle of the book, “The Language of Fanaticism,” isn’t a catchy clarification or academic performance. It’s a necessary descriptor of what it means to be “cultish” and hints at a major theme of the book, the power of language.

Language isn’t a mere tool used by cult leaders to indoctrinate followers or a means of communication to share ideas; Montell argues that “language is the beginning and the end of everything. In a sense, it’s God itself” (122). While this assertion may seem grandiose, it is true that language gives voice to ideas that may have otherwise existed but couldn’t be shared in concrete, precise ways between groups. Language shapes reality and can form a basis for shared understanding.

One way language is used to develop controlling bonds between cult members is through the establishment of common lexicons by either inventing new words through blends of spiritual and scientific/technical terms or reappropriating existing terms to have a specific meaning that would not contextually make sense to outsiders. Another toxic practice is the mandatory participation in extreme truth-telling, a method of unpacking traumatic experience in unhealthy ways that force members to build quick, unstable bonds.