A podcast about knowing when it’s time to break free
Group affiliations make up the scaffolding upon which we build our lives, writes linguist Amanda Montell in her 2021 book Cultish. She also co-hosts the Sounds Like A Cult podcast with Isabela Medina, a stand-up comedian and documentary filmmaker.
They see cults as thriving in periods of sociopolitical tumult. So when a pandemic has pulled us away from traditional sources of community, seeking to fill the void by stanning Elon Musk or marathons or astrology or veganism or 12-step programmes is understandable and zeitgeist-y. The podcast is appreciative of a lot of this cultish behaviour but also attentive to red flags for when it tips over into dangerous brainwashing.
They see cults as thriving in periods of sociopolitical tumult. So when a pandemic has pulled us away from traditional sources of community, seeking to fill the void by stanning Elon Musk or marathons or astrology or veganism or 12-step programmes is understandable and zeitgeist-y. The podcast is appreciative of a lot of this cultish behaviour but also attentive to red flags for when it tips over into dangerous brainwashing.