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Content warning: suicide. Drawing on the book Cultish by Amanda Montell, we discuss the rhetorical strategies used by cult leaders such as Jim Jones (People’s Temple) and L. Ron Hubbard (Scientology), and how we see similar strategies used today in less extreme but still potentially dangerous contexts like multi-level marketing and fitness crazes. We hope you come away from the episode with a better understanding of why people join cults and how to recognize your own weak spots when it comes to cultish rhetoric.
Sources and further reading
- Berman, S. (2021). Don’t Call it a Cult: The Shocking Story of Keith Raniere and the Women of NXIVM. Steerforth Press.
- Friedlander, L. (2020, September 4). Proper Preparation and Planning (Season 2, Episode 2). In The Boys. Amazon Prime.
- Furst, J., & Nason, J. W. (2021, September 10). LuLaRich [Documentary]. Amazon Prime.
- Hill, J. M., & Pulitzer, L. (2013). Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape. HarperCollins.
- Jim Jones—Death Tape 1978. (2018, October 14). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofbGZDbbUsE
- Montell, A. (2021). Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism. HarperCollins.
- Peele, J. (2017, February 24). Get Out [Horror, Mystery, Thriller]. Universal Pictures, Blumhouse Productions, QC Entertainment.
- Putnam, R. D. (2000). Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. Simon and Schuster.
- Sagan, C. (1997). Contact. Simon and Schuster.