Take a walk with us along the paths behind the library (weather permitting—otherwise we’ll use the track inside the Millcreek Recreation Center); then join in our book discussion.
Come join our monthly meeting of the Millcreek Walking Book Club, a collaboration between The Millcreek Branch of the County Library and The Millcreek Recreation Center. We will meet in the Storytime room of the library then take a walk along the paths behind the library (weather permitting—otherwise we’ll use the track inside the Millcreek Recreation Center.) We will then meet back in the Storytime room to discuss the book.
Journalist Montell argues in this vivid study that “language is the key means by which all degrees of cultlike influence occur.” Uncovering commonalities in the use of “secret mantras and code words” to attract and retain followers, Montell surveys the indoctrination techniques and conformism of cults such as Heaven’s Gate and the Peoples Temple, as well as “woo-woo wellness influencers,” QAnon, and fitness groups such as Peloton and CrossFit. Combining personal anecdotes (her father was partially raised in Synanon, a San Francisco drug rehab center turned church), interviews with former cult members, and anthropological analysis, Montell documents how cult leaders including “spiritual guru” Bentinho Massaro employ “thought-terminating clichés, intended to gaslight followers into mistrusting science, as well as their own thoughts and emotions,” and argues that understanding the rhetoric of cults can help to distinguish between benign and dangerous communities, and reduce the stigma that can further entrap people in cults. Montell is an engaging and well-informed tour guide through the world of “cultish scenarios.”
Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and bring a water bottle.
