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hatotheno
Hello All!
Thank goodness for this place. You folks are providing a great service.
So heres my situation:
I am a musician. During a conversation with one of my bandmates last year, he tells me that he is subbing out our gig that weekend to attend a Landmark seminar.
I had heard second-hand accounts of Landmark (brief "What a scam!" kind of stuff) so my immediate reaction was to laugh and say "Man, isn't that a cult?" He got really angry and gave some lekkie-speak "unlocking your personal potential" rant. He had not even attended the Forum, yet it seems he was already under the spell.
After participating in the brainwashing...er... Forum, he was riding a wave of euphoria. I admit that I saw some changes in his personality that could be interpreted as positive -- more outspoken, decisive and an inflated sense of self-esteem. However, the perceived benefits eroded quickly into a sense of impending doom.
Last week a long string of events (including phone calls from concerned friends, a ton of missed gigs and various other Landmark inspired chaos) culminates in him calling me up "just to tell me that he thinks I'm a good guy and to see if I would be interested in coming to his house to attend an Introduction meeting".
So, I agreed to go -- Id like to see if an informed and friendly presence might finally stir up some critical thinking.
That brings me here -- to the people have lived this stuff on both sides. Im trying to formulate a plan for disrupting this recruitment drive...Any ideas?
Keep in mind - I still have to gig with this guy so I really dont want to alienate him... i.e. go the route of tough love.
Can anyone tell me what to expect at a typical "Intro to LE"? Do they run it like a mini-Forum?
My thoughts so far are that I should:
--Try to learn as much of the lekkie talk that I can so I can expect it and probe for further explanations (in english)
--Be happy and pleasant. Even if on the inside I want to jump up and scalp the LE guy, just stay calm and keep on smiling :-)
--Ask a lot of questions regarding LEC as a corporation. Origins, profitability, labour practices... ect
--Not let them entice me into any Forum-type exercises. "Oh, I have no interest in test driving the "technology" yet... Id just like learn how it works
Ive heard through his roommates that attendance should be low -- maybe 6, 2 being the ILP trainees -- So I not too concerned about shouted down by a huge group of lekkies.
So what do you think? Do I even have a chance of bringing him back?
I hope so...
On a side note -- I watched the French TV3 doc the other night and it looks like I only have part one ... is the rest of it floating around somewhere?
Thanks
You will not be given an opportunity to speak about anything that seems contradictory to what the introduction leader is trying to sell to prospective forum participants. There will be a 'plant' or two in that introduction to 'assist' the leader with any difficult attendees. The intro leader will NOT give a straight answer or explanation to any of your inquiries. The introduction meeting will not provide the platform you need from which to save your friend.
Keep in mind, logic and common sense does not apply to a lekkie's process of reasoning and deduction, your questions and contradictions will only be viewed as someone who [i:150de61e55]really needs a forum [/i:150de61e55]or someone who is just being difficult and running a racket. You will be there on their turf, as a potential recruit. You will hear nothing but praise for landmark and bullshit lekkie explanations as to why landmark education is believed to be a cult. You will be challenged to attend a forum before making any judgements about landmark, that is the lekkie answer to every dissenting opinion about landmark.
I attended an introduction once with the same intentions you have, I learned the hard way, that for my friend to attempt to recruit me into a cult, she was already too far gone for me to reason with her or try to rescue her with facts, awareness, or documention to back up what I was saying. Your friend will not be the slightest bit moved by your attendance, nor will he be the slightest bit impressed with how you questioned or contradicted the introduction leader. He has already been programmed to disregard critical thinking and those who are not sold on landmark's 'technology'.
You are up against a monster, be prepared for a battle to equal in size. When I tried to prove to my friend what landmark really is, she wrote me off without batting an eye and blamed me for being the cause of the 'breakdown'. We actually had a great friendship prior to my attending an introduction and going nuts afterward trying to wake her up to the truth. I wish you well and be careful, landmark is out for recruits, free laborers, and as much money as they can bring in.
Ethics, conscience, fairness, sound logic, empathy, honor, accountability and honesty DO NOT exist in the social and psychological climate created by landmark.