How Cults Use Language to Control | Otherwords

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If there's one thing cult leaders do, it's talk. A LOT. Language is an integral part of how cults keep their members bonded, isolated and obedient.

Otherwords is a PBS web series on Storied that digs deep into this quintessential human trait of language and finds the fascinating, thought-provoking, and funny stories behind the words and sounds we take for granted. Incorporating the fields of biology, history, cultural studies, literature, and more, linguistics has something for everyone and offers a unique perspective on what it means to be human.

Host: Erica Brozovsky, Ph.D.
Creator/Director: Andrew Matthews & Katie Graham
Writer: Andrew Matthews
Producer: Katie Graham
Editor/Animation: Andrew Matthews
Executive Producer: Amanda Fox
Fact Checker: Yvonne McGreevy

Executive in Charge for PBS: Maribel Lopez
Director of Programming for PBS: Gabrielle Ewing
Assistant Director of Programming for PBS: John Campbell

Stock Images from Shutterstock
Music from APM Music
Otherwords is a production of Spotzen for PBS Digital Studios.
© 2024 PBS. All rights reserved.

sources:
"Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism" by Amanda Montell. 2021.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/0...
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...
https://oxfordre.com/communication/di...
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/...
  / how-you-can-persuade-control-and-exploit-p...  
https://www.esquiremag.ph/culture/boo...
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ...
https://www.vox.com/culture/24062406/...
https://conceptbureau.com/21-the-secr...
   • Dr. Steven Hassan Explains How Cults ...  
https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/a...
https://leading.business.columbia.edu...
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...
https://www.thecut.com/article/amazon...