Sure has all the earmarks of a controlling program -- the tear-you-down, build-you-up agenda, a leader who doesn't take questions or ridicules those who ask them, tight environmental control, rigid reasoning, emphasis on recruiting others. (gee, sounds like I'm describing a fraternity...) Opinion: Makes me very uncomfortable! On the other hand, much of psychotherapy uses a similar "look at the problem, then I'll teach you how to solve the problem" format. The critical distinction there, I think, is that properly conducted therapy is based on a thorough assessment of the person's needs... not listening to someone for 30 seconds, then redefining their problem for them in your own terms. That to me is the hallmark of a cult leader, psychic, fortune teller, or any other person who makes a living telling people what they want to hear -- making quick assessments and prescriptions based on your own agenda (whether it be getting others to join your organization or continuing someone's dependence on you). --Suzanne
What a fascinating topic! gurutruth's "The Truth about Human Potential Seminars" blog is fascinating.
The basic premise behind these HPSs seem to be to stifle criticism (= free thinking) and recruit new members (= income). It's surprising how many governments will allow these groups to promote and spread totalitarianism.
It seems like their goal is to make everybody around them feel like they are on the outside looking in and then to get others to pay to be inside and to "understand."
4 Comments:
Interested to hear - What did you think of it?
The video had some interesting repercussions in France, and more recently, in the United States, Amsterdam, and Australia... More information about this from Electronic Frontier Foundation, Landmark Education stumbles stupidly to hollow settlement, Landmark Education wants to make French news report a “forbidden video” on the Net and at Why did Landmark Education leave France? and in an article from Reuters which went into The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times, among many other papers, at Google faces legal challenges over video service.
Enjoy,
The Truth about Human Potential Seminars
Sure has all the earmarks of a controlling program -- the tear-you-down, build-you-up agenda, a leader who doesn't take questions or ridicules those who ask them, tight environmental control, rigid reasoning, emphasis on recruiting others. (gee, sounds like I'm describing a fraternity...) Opinion: Makes me very uncomfortable! On the other hand, much of psychotherapy uses a similar "look at the problem, then I'll teach you how to solve the problem" format. The critical distinction there, I think, is that properly conducted therapy is based on a thorough assessment of the person's needs... not listening to someone for 30 seconds, then redefining their problem for them in your own terms. That to me is the hallmark of a cult leader, psychic, fortune teller, or any other person who makes a living telling people what they want to hear -- making quick assessments and prescriptions based on your own agenda (whether it be getting others to join your organization or continuing someone's dependence on you).
--Suzanne
What a fascinating topic! gurutruth's "The Truth about Human Potential Seminars" blog is fascinating.
The basic premise behind these HPSs seem to be to stifle criticism (= free thinking) and recruit new members (= income). It's surprising how many governments will allow these groups to promote and spread totalitarianism.
I simply can't stop reading about this!
It seems like their goal is to make everybody around them feel like they are on the outside looking in and then to get others to pay to be inside and to "understand."
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