Joshua and Ryan speak with Amanda Montell, author of Cultish, about what makes a cult a cult, and they answer the following questions:

Who decides whether a cult is a cult? (00:00)
 
Are cults strictly negative? (02:08)
 
Is CrossFit a cult? (04:33)
 
How do otherwise reasonable people fall susceptible to cults? (11:58)
 
What are the characteristics of a cult? (13:55)
 
What is the “thought-terminating cliche”? (15:47)
 
What are the “exit costs” of cults? (21:29)
 
What are some red flags to look for regarding cults? (22:25)
 
Can you explain the US-centric terms being used regarding cults? (32:08)
 
Why does it seem the US is replete with cults? (32:35)
 
How do cults start? (34:30)
 
What is the “cult of consumerism”? (36:43)
 
How do cult members not see how it’s hurting them when it’s so obvious to everyone else? (39:37)
 
Detailed show notes: minimalists.com/podcast
 
Support The Minimalists: minimalists.com/support

Podcast 317 | The Consumer Cult

From the forthcoming 2CD compilation of remixes, rarities and unreleased tracks entitled "Memory and Matter", coming out on October 7 on Darla Records.

www.darla.com


"Memory and Matter comprises selected remixes and rarities from the past seven years, nine of them previously unreleased and many of them only issued only on hard to find EPs or as Japanese release bonus tracks. Far from being merely a collection of every single oddity, these tracks were carefully selected into a consistent whole that maintains the same high standard of proper Manual albums. This two-disc compilation is also a labor of love.

Like it's predecessor, Lost Days, Open Skies and Streaming Tides, released in 2007, disc one demonstrates Jonas Munk aka Manual's expertise in creating elegantly layered, shoegazey pop, while disc two focuses on minimalist, slow-moving pieces created mostly from processed guitars. The latter adds an excellent postscript to Confluence - an album that has gained near-classic status in ambient/drone circles since it's release in 2008.

Munk's way of remixing other artists usually involves a complete reconstruction of the original piece, rearranging heavily and adding loads of fresh layers of sound to it, which is obvious when listening to his haunting and atmospheric reworkings of Blue Foundation's ballad ”Dressed in Black” or Mice Parade singer Caroline's ”Sleep”, or the Robin Guthrie produced Annie Barker track ”Cruel”. For Manual fans it's a treat to hear Munk's lush signature sound paired up with (often female) vocals. Disc 1 closes with the 17 minute Manual original ”Camellia”, the most new age-indebted piece in the Manual oeuvre, originally created for a digital-only compilation on Attack9. The track's placid sense of drift and delicately weaved harmonies makes it a standout in Munk's entire body of work.

 Disc 2 is darker, more ambiguous in tone, with ”Three Parts” as the center piece – an enigmatic composition originally created for Ghostly International's ambient/drone compilation SMM: Context in 2011. Other notable selections includes  ”Fields”, a meditative collaboration with Jason Kolb from Auburn Lull, and ”Memento”, a somber piece that exhibits Munk's flair for intensive guitar manipulation."


Manual: "Miraparque"

Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus discuss living a meaningful life with less.

Podcast 317 | The Consumer Cult

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