1sadhana,
I knew Michael firsthand. There were many pleasurable times. There were also many times where his demands for loyalty, his personal attacks on those who disagreed and his questionable methods were all too obvious as a cult leader. Publicly, he would sometimes taunt those who fawned over him. He would also make fun of students and devotees behind their backs. He was never afraid to demand donations from the wealthiest followers, though usually through an intermediary like Maggi. As a teacher, he had his flaws. As a person, he made some morally bad choices. People were seriously hurt by those choices. They could have been avoided. He knew what he was doing.
People in RW are afraid to speak truth to power. Many will never leave due to fear of abandonment by their closest “friends”. They love bomb each other, then use attack therapy in encounter groups. They use the path of personal growth to create a dependency on RW and each other. I will guarantee you that if someone in RW has stayed for more than 6 years they are probably staying for life.
Michael once taught that RW was a place where you get what you need and then move on. Later, he said the opposite; RW was now a lifelong commitment. The majority of Royal Wayans who knew Michael are never leaving because they know could never face the deep loss and despair awaiting them. Michael did a good job embedding his influence into their psyche. It is every individual’s responsibility to account for their actions. Michael died before his methods were exposed had to account for his actions.
I knew Michael firsthand. There were many pleasurable times. There were also many times where his demands for loyalty, his personal attacks on those who disagreed and his questionable methods were all too obvious as a cult leader. Publicly, he would sometimes taunt those who fawned over him. He would also make fun of students and devotees behind their backs. He was never afraid to demand donations from the wealthiest followers, though usually through an intermediary like Maggi. As a teacher, he had his flaws. As a person, he made some morally bad choices. People were seriously hurt by those choices. They could have been avoided. He knew what he was doing.
People in RW are afraid to speak truth to power. Many will never leave due to fear of abandonment by their closest “friends”. They love bomb each other, then use attack therapy in encounter groups. They use the path of personal growth to create a dependency on RW and each other. I will guarantee you that if someone in RW has stayed for more than 6 years they are probably staying for life.
Michael once taught that RW was a place where you get what you need and then move on. Later, he said the opposite; RW was now a lifelong commitment. The majority of Royal Wayans who knew Michael are never leaving because they know could never face the deep loss and despair awaiting them. Michael did a good job embedding his influence into their psyche. It is every individual’s responsibility to account for their actions. Michael died before his methods were exposed had to account for his actions.
