> I don't consider the Avatar materials a hodgepodge, especially when
> contrasted with Erhard's more primitive approach. Real usable technology
> doesn't have to announce that it's a tool :) .
Nor does it need umpteen nondisclosure agreements to enforce when its basis is
about integrity....
>
>
> I have a taxonomy of the human potential movement; in my view many
> splinters had something at least slightly better than what came before.
> <snipping a rather decent taxonomy>
>
> =====
>
>
> Of course, I have direct personal experience of all the above except for
> Scientology and the Forum. :)
I did the Forum as a four day weekend deal about 3.5 years ago with my former
business partners. That intro weekend is extremely useful in getting people to let
go of , or at least realize the fictional basis of, the meanings we all give to
the world and everything in it, and is also good at getting people to learn to
speak and think logically, rationally, and literally, which for most would
probably be the first time in their lives. They are also big on personal
integrity, which I can at the very least enthusiastically cheer for. I did
however, find them also to be heavily marketing oriented in the same manner as
Amway, and can be incredibly earnest to the point of annoyance. However, if you
are into winning every argument and having the other person like you at the end,
even though you walk away with all their money and clothes, I'd recommend it as a
full time hobby, as I knew people in it that could use its rigid rationality
combined with its meaning making on the fly to get anything they wanted.
Cost for a four day weekend? At the time, as I recall, it was $600.00. Was it
worth it? Two years ago I would have said that it was a waste of money. Today, I
think it was about 75% worth it. Would I get into it more? Nope.
A freind of mine in Seattle was raised in scientology, and being from a wealthy
family, he and his siblings got the full hands on blessngs from El Ron himself. He
now thinks, at age 44, that it has its useful aspects for cleaning up onself, but
that the organization has been co-opted by a bunch of young turks out for nothing
but their own persoanl aggrandizement. Needless to say, he and his sister were
excommunicated a couple years ago (when they ran out of money).
>
-- TANSTAAFL!!! Michael Lorrey ------------------------------------------------------------ mailto:retroman@together.net Inventor of the Lorrey Drive MikeySoft: Graphic Design/Animation/Publishing/Engineering ------------------------------------------------------------ How many fnords did you see before breakfast today?