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The Sneaky Language Tricks Cults Use to Influence You | Amanda Montell | TED

In the age of social media and wellness trends, the comments section is as good as a cult compound, says linguist and cultural commentator Amanda Montell. Using Taylor Swift’s throng of devoted Swifties as her guide, she exposes three sneaky language tactics that cults use to influence us (for better or for worse), revealing why…

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In the age of social media and wellness trends, the comments section is as good as a cult compound, says linguist and cultural commentator Amanda Montell. Using Taylor Swift’s throng of devoted Swifties as her guide, she exposes three sneaky language tactics that cults use to influence us (for better or for worse), revealing why none of us are as cult-proof as we’d like to think. (Created in collaboration with ‪@ignite; Recorded at TEDNext 2025 on November 11, 2025)

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28 Comments

28 Comments

  1. @ajames283

    April 16, 2026 at 11:17 am

    “My truth” 😂

    • @mkhud50n

      April 16, 2026 at 12:20 pm

      Definitely a cult slogan.

  2. @MadaoHasegawe

    April 16, 2026 at 11:30 am

    Astrophage Intro 😭📈

  3. @mendynoma4272

    April 16, 2026 at 11:38 am

    Thank you for this very interesting presentation.

  4. @MegaBaellchen

    April 16, 2026 at 11:47 am

    While this cult is trying to make you immune to logic and nuance, and see the world as a giant trench war, where you are either with the good guys or with the bad guys.

  5. @abrarmullan1

    April 16, 2026 at 12:02 pm

    Now a days, I feel every croud is trying to become a cult. Social Media made is a lot simpler

  6. @AnD-1999

    April 16, 2026 at 12:07 pm

    Meanwhile kids in the USA have to swear the pledge of allegiance before they are able to understand what that means… People in the USA hardly seem to be able to think for themselves…. They’re not thought to do so…. Hence their current government

  7. @patoland18

    April 16, 2026 at 12:12 pm

    Her books are good

  8. @mkhud50n

    April 16, 2026 at 12:19 pm

    Stores use cult marketing strategies. Those “membership” and “loyalty programs” are actually cults.
    Btw the trend of talking about cults is cult behavior too.

    • @combatcritique

      April 16, 2026 at 1:16 pm

      You seem to be a part of some cult

    • @mkhud50n

      April 16, 2026 at 1:19 pm

      @combatcritiquethank you for proving my point. 😂

    • @youtubeisrunbyamonkey

      April 16, 2026 at 1:29 pm

      When you only know how to swing a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

    • @mkhud50n

      April 16, 2026 at 1:35 pm

      @youtubeisrunbyamonkey💯🎯

  9. @adcashmo

    April 16, 2026 at 12:20 pm

    TED is a cult

  10. @stevepretorius3329

    April 16, 2026 at 3:15 pm

    I was hoping for a video I could share with my family, sadly it is too shallow and doesn’t give any particular insight that is worth it. Maybe if the video was twice as long she could have done it?

    • @emryswalton1802

      April 17, 2026 at 8:25 am

      She’s written some books on the subject, I recommend “The Age of Magical Overthinking” (2024) for a more in-depth coverage of this topic than the video.

  11. @Julierue

    April 16, 2026 at 4:04 pm

    Thank you thank you thank you for sharing this with humanity. We all need to learn how to think for ourselves.

  12. @Eminetics

    April 16, 2026 at 7:42 pm

    Yo my work literally uses all these words dialy

  13. @urbanstrencan

    April 17, 2026 at 12:11 am

    Great talk 😊😅

  14. @OnnoBarendsen-v1p

    April 17, 2026 at 4:06 am

    Cultish = tribal, it’s as old as man. For better or worse, as a non agreeable person by default i am hardly susceptible to that pressure or propaganda. Blessed with family and friends i still prefer to walk alone.

  15. @12WattStack

    April 17, 2026 at 11:46 am

    Zack Snyder.

  16. @rmb206

    April 17, 2026 at 1:03 pm

    I can tell she’s a speech kid. Best TED Talk delivery I’ve seen in a while.

  17. @Scott-sx1bf

    April 17, 2026 at 3:37 pm

    “Group-think”

  18. @JeredtheShy

    April 17, 2026 at 5:48 pm

    If they can possibly manage it, yes. It used to be cult practice, now it’s just sales.

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