Cults Like Us
Why Doomsday Thinking Drives America
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- $22.99
Publisher Description
An “engrossing, unputdownable” (Amanda Montell, New York Times bestselling author) pop history that explains why the eccentric doomsday beliefs of our Puritan founders are still driving American culture today, contextualizes the current rise in far-right extremism as a natural result of our latent indoctrination, and proposes that the United States is the largest cult of all.
Since the Mayflower sidled up to Plymouth Rock, cult ideology has been ingrained in the DNA of the United States. In this eye-opening book, journalist Jane Borden argues that Puritan doomsday belief never went away; it went secular and became American culture. From our fascination with cowboys and superheroes to our allegiance to influencers and self-help, susceptibility to advertising, and undying devotion to the self-made man, Americans remain particularly vulnerable to a specific brand of cult-like thinking.
With in-depth research and compelling insight, Borden uncovers the American history you didn’t learn in school, including how we are still being brainwashed, making us a nation of easy marks for con artists and strong men. Along the way, she also revisits some of the most fascinating cults in this country—including, the Mankind United and Love Has Won—presenting them as integral parts of our national psyche rather than aberrations.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
For most, the word “cult” conjures up scary images of Jonestown or Heaven’s Gate. But in this provocative and enlightening history, journalist Jane Borden argues that cults are at the root of American history. After all, the Pilgrims first landed at Plymouth Rock mostly because the rest of England didn’t like their religious beliefs, and once they settled in New England, spiritual infighting meant they kept splitting off into new settlements. Borden explores the apocalyptic, conspiracy-driven mindset throughout American history, from 19th-century doomsday Christian communities all the way up to recent fringe groups like the Black separatist group the Nuwaubians and the science-fiction-inspired New Age sect Love Has Won. Politics and even consumerism fall under her watch as well, especially when she gets into pyramid schemes and multi-level marketing. You don’t need a background in history or sociology to enjoy Borden’s impressively researched arguments. Cults Like Us is a smart, intriguing read.
