Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple
Posted by:
skeptic
()
Date: November 21, 2006 01:39PM
(Excerpted from [i:f28eab3500]The New York Times [/i:f28eab3500]Review by Stephen Holden)
This is a movie to make you shudder. How many of us are so desperate for a charismatic leader claiming to have the answers that we will surrender our basic instincts for survival, along with our reason?
[ . . . ]
In hindsight, it may be convenient to view Jonestown as the most tragic manifestation of 1960’s utopianism run amok, and to imagine that in today’s tougher, more cynical social climate, it couldn’t happen. But as this powerful, minutely documented film reveals, the tragedy wasn’t caused by the failure of the Peoples Temple to realize its goals. In many ways, it was succeeding as a self-sufficient community.
Rather, the horror of Jonestown was caused by people’s willingness to surrender their reason to a madman who was also a charismatic manipulator. And that can happen anytime and anywhere.
This is a movie to make you shudder. How many of us are so desperate for a charismatic leader claiming to have the answers that we will surrender our basic instincts for survival, along with our reason?
[ . . . ]
In hindsight, it may be convenient to view Jonestown as the most tragic manifestation of 1960’s utopianism run amok, and to imagine that in today’s tougher, more cynical social climate, it couldn’t happen. But as this powerful, minutely documented film reveals, the tragedy wasn’t caused by the failure of the Peoples Temple to realize its goals. In many ways, it was succeeding as a self-sufficient community.
Rather, the horror of Jonestown was caused by people’s willingness to surrender their reason to a madman who was also a charismatic manipulator. And that can happen anytime and anywhere.
Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple
Posted by:
skeptic
()
Date: November 21, 2006 02:08PM
[jonestown.sdsu.edu]
The 1977 article in New West Magazine that exposed Jim Jones and drove Peoples Temple to Guyana. Excerpt below has parallels with lgat techniques:
[i:c80b6d903b]At first, the Mertles rationalized the beatings. “The [punished] child or adult would always say, ‘Thank you, Father,” and then Jim would point out the week how much better they were. In our minds we rationalized ... that Jim must be doing the right thing because these people were testifying that the beatings had caused their life to make a reversal in the right direction.” [/i:c80b6d903b]
skeptic
The 1977 article in New West Magazine that exposed Jim Jones and drove Peoples Temple to Guyana. Excerpt below has parallels with lgat techniques:
[i:c80b6d903b]At first, the Mertles rationalized the beatings. “The [punished] child or adult would always say, ‘Thank you, Father,” and then Jim would point out the week how much better they were. In our minds we rationalized ... that Jim must be doing the right thing because these people were testifying that the beatings had caused their life to make a reversal in the right direction.” [/i:c80b6d903b]
skeptic
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.