Posted on 12/01/2016 5:57:49 PM PST by Steely Tom
Did anyone here at Free Republic ever attend Erhard Seminars Training, back in the 1970s? Did anyone know another person who did?
If so, do you have any observations to share about the experience? Did it have any lasting influence over you?
Was it just an exercise in groupthink? Erhard certainly seemed to think he was on to something.
Thanks. I actually have TPOPT, but its old and falling apart.
Might be worth a review. Good suggestion.
It’s now called the Landmark Forum, and part of Landmark Education. A lot of roots in Scientology, which Jack Rosenberg a.k.a. Werner Erhard was previously involved.
Sort of how to be a sociopathic used car salesman like its founder.
They are not all like that. I work with research psychologists who are as logic oriented as any chemist or biologist.
I should disclose that I have a relative of the type who got into psychology to solve her own problems.
That was a hell of a lot of money back then!
LOL! Very good! I'm somewhat aware of that aspect of it, having read up on Wikipedia, etc.
Something in your post (”ball of angst”) reminded me of this book; I’ve only read a couple of chapters so far, but it seems very interesting to me:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004T4MI8A/ref=oh_aui_d_detailpage_o00_?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The first black thunderbird in the AF went through it. He retired with four stars. A similar program was Life Spring. My wife and knew several folks that went through that to the tune of thousands of dollars.
I know a guy, a formerly close friend from college, who reported exactly the same experience! He went out to San Francisco in the summer of 1973 (the summer before he started college) and met a really beautiful girl who was super friendly and nice, but he realized after talking to her for awhile that she was trying to recruit him into some cult. He thought it was scientology, but wasn’t 100% sure.
That might have been the same girl!
Yesirree, they were known for that, sending out women to invite guys to the meetings. Set the hook and drag them in. I thought at first it must be because I was so good looking (LOL), but I figured it out as she kept on talking. Their big headquarters at the time was in SF.
And yes, it was the summer of 1973, either July or August—my Dad went on a business trip to San Francisco and brought me along so we could do some father-son bonding after he was finished with his meetings. The trip was partly a reward because I had done well in my summer school classes. I was going into my senior year in high school.
Could very well have been the same girl.
The other thing that happened on that trip is I saw President Nixon making a speech out in the open, I think it was some plaza in the Financial District. My Dad and I were eating lunch at some nice restaurant in the top floor floor of some office building and we could see a teeny tiny Nixon in a crowd far below.
Or hooked up with Parson's wife? Something like that?
I went to high school with Erhard’s daughters. I didn’t know them very well, but the book on them was that they were “troubled.” Older one was very pretty and popular at the time, though.
My Dad recently gave me old cassettes of Earl Nightingale. I started listening and realized the cassettes were ruined. I found him online pdf of some of his audio, as well as some youtube. He may be more leadership, so maybe only parts of what he says will pertain to what would help your son now.
Another thought I had is EST, Tony Robbins and the like kind of sound to me secular versions for like needing God, talking to God and asking Him for answers and guidance, which works in conjuction with also have 1-2 good Christian people to talk to as well. I don’t mean to be pushy, it’s just what kept coming into my mind as I read what you and others posted.
I participated in the “Peter Principle” School several times in my youth before I figured out I could be replaced....for 1/2 the money!!!
Another very good book is ‘Consciously Creating Circumstances’, by George Winslow Plummer. It’s an old book, and you may be able to find it in PDF on the Web:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CBD2TW/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
Full disclosure here!
I work with a guy who has a PhD in Psychology and is a psychometrician in practice. He is a far better programmer then I will ever be & has an impressive knowledge of statistics.
Aphorisms I don’t think are supposed to be absolute, just general “rules of thumb” allowing for the exceptional case.
Landmark acquired the rights to the est training, revamped it and stripped out the sketchier elements, and now offers it as the Landmark Forum, which I took in 1994. The next few years I attended other Landmark courses, and I found value in all of them. If you or your son is interested their website has more information, and there are events where you can go to learn more in person.
Yes, that occurred to me too. You don't seem pushy at all.
I'm a Christian (raised Catholic) but we're not members of a church. My son professes belief in God (after going through a time in high school when he said he did not), so that's a possibility.
I read about Landmark earlier today.
NO!!!!
Although my favorite book of his is "Hand Me Another Brick" but that one might be better for later.
Both of them are very good books on learning to deal with life. Both are Christian based. Not sure if that is a plus or minus for you.
Glad I could help in a small way. Now you’ve got me curious about what Landmark has been doing the past few years.
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