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Vegiegardener
Thanks so much for your replies. I still grapple with whether he is 'really in it or not... But I really think he is...
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Oh, if he's talking to you like that, then he's 'in it' alright. It's just a question of degree.
My worst fear is that he now recruits innnocent new people into it... that would make me sick... and ashamed...
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Be sick -- be VERY sick! If he still has that 'network of friends' among his Lekster & Lekstress associates, then the question is not IF he's dragged innocent people into it, but "how many." His 'network' would eschew him (as it were) if he stopped enrolling people. Remember, once folks graduate from their Forum, then its ALL about enrollment, PLUS those earrings they put on the pig so it won't LOOK LIKE its all about enrollment. (Hmmmm...come to think of it, most of the Forum is about enrollment, too...............DANG!)
Do you have any ideas about how I could find this sort of thing out? Of course being very conscious and careful about privacy laws etc. Please PM me if you have any suggestions. Thank you very much.
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Well, your heart is in the right place about all this, but if you're willing to dip your foot into questionable activities, legally, so that you won't have to ask him questions, then he really has you over a barrel about this and precariously dancing on eggshells. I'll betcha he knows it, too. Personally, I feel that you can stop worrying about whether its appropriate to 'start worrying.' JUST GO AHEAD AND START WORRYING. From all you've told us here, he's in it -- deeply -- and also bringing others into it. If he wasn't, he'd be truly alone and lonely, for the other Landmark robots would turn their backs on him otherwise.
You have much more ability to change the rules of the game between you two than you imagine; rules that he's been clearly setting by his temperament and his twisting of jargon. But it means you'll have to muster the courage to start spicing up your conversations with questions. Sure, he's liable to get defensive. But questions also sew seeds of doubt (and of future dot-connecting). I'll bet you could sit down and think up 2 dozen questions for him within 10 minutes. Just string them out so that he doesn't feel like he's simply being cross examined by all your queries at once.
Vegiegardener
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/28/2008 11:56PM by pauker.