Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism

white feminist #girlboss messaging that can be found in MLMs.

the language of cleansing and purification can condition listeners to believe that achieving “perfect fitness” is possible, if you try hard enough, and that it will in turn “perfect” their whole life.

at the general vocabulary we use to talk about fitness: cleanse, detox, purify, obedience, discipline, perfection.

some churches nowadays actively condemn modern gym culture as an overcelebration of the self as opposed to God.

disciplining the flesh through grueling strength training and fasting was a sign of virtue.

some of the only groups that devoutly exercised were Christian Pentecostals, who promoted fitness as an overtly religious purification process.

(Research consistently shows that something like one in five CEOs has psychopathic tendencies.)

And for better or for worse, so does being in a bad mood. In several experiments, researchers found that when someone is in a good mood, they become more innocent and unsuspecting, while feeling grumpy makes one better at sensing deception.

higher education and training in the scientific method generally make people less gullible.