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not_a_member
Hi there,
I would like some advice.
A friend of mine called me this morning asking if I'd like to join the landmark forum. I've had problems with my career and direction etc. and he suggested I do it as it helped him.
However, this is the second time I've come across the forum; while in college a fellow student asked me to come to her 'graduation' which turned out to be a 'introduction'. I argued I didn't want to do the course to people who looked at me with vacant and rather unquestioning faces. I was furious - they didn't take my answers seriously - my personal freedom was by the by...very dangerous as far as I was concerned.
Anyway, this friend is someone I hold in high esteem and feel very confused by it. I feel as though a viral agent has hijacked the lines of communication to up-sell me this pseudo-heddegerian clap trap. As I have had challenges in my life of late I feel vulnerable. I explained I didn't wish to do it to him, however he says he will call me back and wants me to come up with 10 reasons why not. To be honest I have more difficulties coming up with 10 reasons to DO the course.
Any course that professes to achieve 'authentic' relations with people through group based coercion (something heidegger would have balked at) must be suspect. It totally insults my intelligence.
How do I proceed if I value the friendship of this person?
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IveGotIt
Part of that is to get you to explain your choices to them. You don't have to do that. Proceed by just saying no. If your friend doesn't "get" that, you may have to let the friend feel bad about it. If you start doing the dance with him, he will keep dancing until he wears you down; so don't dance.