Brainwashing and Influence in LEC programs
Date: April 27, 2004 08:34AM
Guy,
Sorry, I just don't know how to answer that question honestly, and meaningfully. I was *very* hopeful that somehow that this was all leading somewhere. Then now, it seems like every question I ask is answered with a riddle, like you either don't know or don't want to tell me how this teaching is woven into the LEC conditioning process.
Now, it feels like on some level you're trying to defend the part of the landmark ideology that says that there are three winning formulas (just the idea that there has to be "three" is kind of silly if you think about it. Why not four? Why not one? etc.) and this is all kind of tied in with the landmark use of language and it's underlying reasoning and assumptions.
For you to say to me "what was the moment you became aware you were bright?" Is, funnily enough, the exact same device as if I were to say to you
"what was the moment you stopped beating your wife?"
See what I mean? It's called a loaded question. The question presupposes
A. you have a wife
B. you were beating your wife
C. you stopped beating your wife
D. There was a single moment when you stopped beating your wife.
I quite imagine that forum leaders must beat attendees over the head with this kind of logic/questioning constantly, most likely in the day one/day two forum time frame. It sort of narrows your awareness. Like, if I am the FL, and you are the attendee, and I size you up... ok, you're a clever guy, successful, educated... socially adept, etc. so then, while your trying to make sense out of all this landmark stuff, I call on you and say
"Guy, when was the moment you became aware you were [the thing I've decided that you are] ?"
Then, I've either nailed it and you just narrow down your life experience into a single moment and we're on the way to your quick and easy three day "transformation" or you fight back and we go round and round and round and round and "you're resisting" and "when your ready to stop philosophizing and get it" etc. etc etc. etc.
I, the FL, am certain that you are what I say, and that you became aware of it in some "moment", and you, the attendee, will therefore "get it" at some point because I insist on it.
"Yeah, ok, when I was 2 1/2, I think it was, and then I crapped in the toilet all by myself, and then I decided that I hated my dad, and also realized I was really smart, too. THAT WAS MY FIRST WINNING FORMULA!!!! Woo hoo!!!! Wow, through guided trance, coached introspection and group awareness, I've now figured out why I am the way I am, and how I've been limiting myself to these specific winning formula in my life. Yes, there really WAS a moment, and I really WAS able to figure it out, just like you said.
THANK YOU LANDMARK!!!"
*heh heh* What a bunch of hogwash.
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