During my "attendance" at the Forum (I found the whole thing pretty much a joke, and was isolated by the larger group on the basis I didn't get it, which suited me) I was aware at the time that the fear exercise was a form of hypnosis, so it's very interesting to see that topic pop up here. What's the seed that's planted? Forum Leaders cure your fears by laughing at you and emptying your wallet?

'What's the seed that's planted? Forum Leaders cure your fears by laughing at you and emptying your wallet?'

That was the endgame of the original est seminars, but since then more entrepreneurial minds have realised what a cash cow they have and so now they pretend to cure your fears while implanting more fear and dependencies to keep the fish on the hook and emptying his wallet forever.

Quote
Stoic
'What's the seed that's planted? Forum Leaders cure your fears by laughing at you and emptying your wallet?'

That was the endgame of the original est seminars, but since then more entrepreneurial minds have realised what a cash cow they have and so now they pretend to cure your fears while implanting more fear and dependencies to keep the fish on the hook and emptying his wallet forever.

Yes, well, I could see how that exercise, if you were exhausted, disoriented and confused, would actually plant that seed. They try to pass it off as pretty innocuous, and isn't it great we just had a laugh hahaha!, but if you're in a suggestible state of mind, I could imagine that exercise would be quite frightening and damaging. Reduce people to a child like state and shift things in their brains. Evil.

Thankfully I saw their language sophistry for what it was when they introduced it and figured out pretty quickly where it would lead to. Why did I still go? They manipulate on so many layers, in my case the trigger was trust of someone I loved (and still do, and desperately want to get out of their clutches). After all the warning signs, the hard sell, the give and take manipulation to enrol (and yes, I saw this straight away as I use it to sell software to enterprises), the ridiculous notion of a "technology" made of redefining words, the automatons that couldn't explain anything, nor debate anything of interest, the course 75% full of sales technique, the stupid "you are responsible for your own well-being" (duh!), the hypnosis (should have walked out during this episode, but I didn't), the totally "unreasonable" rules (so, isn't their definition of unreasonable as good such a surprise?), I _STILL_ gave them my money and sat through to the end of the Forum because of the leverage of love.

Bastards. And I digress and move off topic, which I apologise for.

Is there anyway to convince someone that they have been hypnotised? By this time my friend will has been through SELP, ILP, and whatever ever ridiculous crap. Practice smiling in front of a mirror? How is _that_ a curriculum for life?

You might find this section helpful, you can access it from the 'Getting Help' button on the menu bar at the top of the page:

[www.culteducation.com]

Sadly, I doubt that you can convince your friend that he has been hypnotised until the trance begins to crack a little of its own accord--which may take some time.
What you can do is educate yourself so that if he expresses doubts you can point him in the direction of some useful material.

Thanks Stoic, I have actually been through quite a lot of material over the weekend... in fact, I've lacked sleep and feel quite disturbed having read quite a lot of it. Sound familiar? Perhaps the Forum did more damage to me that I thought, despite seeing through most of it at the time.

Unfortunately my friend is highly suggestible and easily led down paths that your critical thinking would stop you from doing. I guess I'm still at the sit back, wait and learn more stage.

Thank you again.

'I'm still at the sit back, wait and learn more stage.'

Me too. I don't believe that pushing the learning helps anybody, me included. We absorb what we are able to absorb then need some away time to digest (break down, examine, think about and understand) the learning before building some more on what has already been digested.

I'd leave the sleepless nights to Forum, Landmark et al---there is an amazing amount of necessary sifting and sorting work going on during a good nights sleep.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2010 04:11PM by Stoic.