Earlier this week I got around to watching the Netflix "I am Not Your Guru" about Tony Robbins.
What I found alarming was how "infectious" and somewhat absorbing I found the atmosphere they were creating to be - and that was just after 30 mins of watching on a 15" screen.
I think this is a demonstration of just how easily and how much virtually anyone could be sucked in - experiencing the whole thing in real time with surround sound. And that probably applies whether it's Robbins, Landmark or any other LGAT.
But stepping back and thinking about what I was watching.... All I saw was some cliche pop psychology mixed in with music, lights and mass euphoria - created by a holywood style production crew and a guy who has modeled himself as a rock star. I'm blown away that people spend thousands of dollars to attend this crank's secular faith healing marathon - and cheer and scream as if Bruce Springsteen just came on stage.
That's even leaving aside the fact of people standing up and talking about issues they should be taking to a proper, qualified counselor.
Really I think there's probably not a lot of difference from the same type of crowd manipulation that had thousands of people raising their hands and chanting "Sieg Heil" at Nuremburg. Or the two minute hate from Orwell's 1984 (chants of "Goldstein! Traitor!" followed glazed-eye admiration at the image of Big Brother).
What I found alarming was how "infectious" and somewhat absorbing I found the atmosphere they were creating to be - and that was just after 30 mins of watching on a 15" screen.
I think this is a demonstration of just how easily and how much virtually anyone could be sucked in - experiencing the whole thing in real time with surround sound. And that probably applies whether it's Robbins, Landmark or any other LGAT.
But stepping back and thinking about what I was watching.... All I saw was some cliche pop psychology mixed in with music, lights and mass euphoria - created by a holywood style production crew and a guy who has modeled himself as a rock star. I'm blown away that people spend thousands of dollars to attend this crank's secular faith healing marathon - and cheer and scream as if Bruce Springsteen just came on stage.
That's even leaving aside the fact of people standing up and talking about issues they should be taking to a proper, qualified counselor.
Really I think there's probably not a lot of difference from the same type of crowd manipulation that had thousands of people raising their hands and chanting "Sieg Heil" at Nuremburg. Or the two minute hate from Orwell's 1984 (chants of "Goldstein! Traitor!" followed glazed-eye admiration at the image of Big Brother).
