These comments by Laura Marble are coming right out of the Landmark salespitch.
"I know its a controversy, but go and find out for yourself".
That is the trick, to get the people into the "tent" so they can work their LGAT persuasion on people. Landmark just wants to get people to come, so they can get their teeth into them.
As far as the column, you it made it sound like someone you knew talked you into going, not that you did your "research".
The column also read as a type of Ad to try to get people to consider going, almost like one of those Landmark Letters to someone in your life. As a matter of fact, that is exactly what it was.
Also, there is nothing "fun" about what Landmark is doing to people's minds. The fact that Laura does not mention anything about the deep persuasion going on at the Landmark Forum, is highly suspect.
So to be honest, this doesn't add up. It could be the criticism has caused some backtracking and spin-control.
But that is what happens with Landmark, the workplace advertising for Landmark causes people to lose their jobs, and the personal advertising causes them to lose their friends.
Lets see if Laura writes an article about the techniques of group and social persuasion being used by Landmark.
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elenaQuote
Laura Marble
Overall, the Landmark Forum was, for me, a fun and positive experience. My opinion piece was reflective of that. Having said that, I did mention to my editor on Friday that it probably would have been useful if I'd let people know somewhere in the essay (briefly) that I'd read up on the forum, knew about its controversial nature, and decided to go, anyway.
Hi Laura,
You've used the same word that Landmark, the corporation and its spokesmen, use when referring to thirty-five years of trouble, bad PR, bad behavior, derision, criminal accusations, journalistic exposure, complaints by governments, agencies, and individual victims, and a shit-load of information that has come from insiders, ex-employees, and former followers. They like to dismiss this all with the bland and imprecise term, "controversy." The fact that you've picked up this bit of instant diminution, as though you were brushing off a fly, is indicative, to me anyway, that you might have also picked up other nasty viral bits. What do you think the ~possiblity~ of that might be? How familiar are you with the "viral" nature of this beast?
Ellen