The Culting of America: What Makes a Cult and Why We Love Them

You're probably in a cult. You just don't know it yet. Most of us think we'd never fall for a cult. We picture robes, chanting, and remote compounds. But toxic groups don't just exist on the fringe. They thrive in boardrooms, group chats, fitness classes, political rallies, religious groups, and corporate retreats--anywhere we seek identity, purpose, and belonging. The Culting of America reveals how cultish behavior isn't just thriving in modern life--it's hiding in plain sight, woven deep into the fabric of American identity. In The Culting of America , cult survivor, scholar, and former Army intelligence officer Daniella Mestyanek Young--author of the bestselling memoir Uncultured --teams up with award-winning writer Amy Reed to dismantle the illusion that cults are rare or easy to spot. Blending gripping personal narrative, cultural critique, and deep research, they introduce the cultiness spectrum: a ten-part framework that reveals how coercive group behavior shows up across all kinds of groups--from extremist movements to our most trusted institutions--exploring the fine line between community and control, devotion and exploitation, and leadership and manipulation. Whether you're part of a church, company, fandom, or political movement, the question isn't if you're in a cult. It's how much of yourself you've already lost.