Hi Marshall,
Sorry for the tardiness, ... there is life outside of Fornits, but as promised....
1. Of course some of the statements I?ve made here have been divisive. When having opinions that offend certain persons what else is to be expected. I?ve offered just as many statements that I believe any reasonable person would consider, at the very least, conciliatory. Though I certainly have not read ever single post, in making a cursory search of this site from the beginning, division and controversy existed long before me. By their own definition(s) they?ve created a perfect ?cult? right here. Those who resist their ?cult? will always be viewed as dividers. Thoroughly read the posts here and I believe you?ll find that every criticism leveled at The Seed, it?s staff, is the very essence of the logic, train of thought, that has been adopted here. As you?ve so astutely pointed out in many of your posts, there?s not much that is truly new or original, just made over to look like something else.
2. Program for life? If you mean that literally, of course that?s absurd, never should have been advocated. Even more than absurd, directly counter to the very purpose of the program, though I don't personally remember ever hearing that.
3. It was never Art?s business who someone married. I married a Seed grad a over year before leaving. It was certainly, at best, frowned upon (and unwanted) before the marriage, but to their credit, it was supported with sincerity after the fact.
4. Abortions? I missed that. (for the record - I am as adamantly pro-choice as a male can be)
5. While a person was still on the program we thought working at head shops, volunteering for NORMAL, that kind of thing, was probably a bad idea. Long term career - individual decision.
6. Gender bias - absurd, and hypocritical on Art's part, most senior staff were female. However, Art was the product of a generation where gender roles were determined by the contemporary society.
7. Art is for sissies? Now do you mean studying Art Barker, or aesthetics? I would consider both worthwhile endeavors, though the later would probably be more beneficial in the long term. Too bad more here don?t see that.
8. I?ve never seen anyplace, school, the workplace, The Seed Discussion Forum, et al, where inner circles, cliques don?t exist. Again, too bad, part of the condition human.
9. After I left? I did give my opinion about this in my first post. After that, I really just don?t know, (no firsthand info), and I?m certainly not going draw definitive conclusions based solely on information gathered here.
10. Lybbi? I can only speak for myself. I never let Lybbi tell me anything. In good conscience, a personal note is required here. Once upon a time, Lybbi and I were very good friends, we loved each other like brother and sister, better maybe. Art often referred to us this way. We fought often, and hard, but as siblings usually do, we forgave and made-up. About a year, maybe a year and a half before I left, the fighting continued, became progressively worse and more frequent, but the forgiving and making-up was no longer a component of our relationship. In retrospect, this was inevitable. The common ground we both once stood upon rapidly separated below our feet, leaving only the gulf. There was only one life jacket at The Seed, and neither of us particularly wanted to drown, so...
11. Lybbi speaking to you not me? Well, the above should answer part of that, but I do believe this: Though she might not acknowledge this or may not have ever framed it into a clear thought, for all I know, I believe Lybbi felt, to some degree, betrayed. I don?t believe that my leaving was as important to her as the departure of others, more significant than I. My departure was only of importance in that I was the last to go, save Lybbi herself. From Lybbi?s point of view this was perfectly justified, and if I was in her shoes, I probably would?ve felt the same.
12. Money up front? Yes, this was policy, no exceptions, $2500 when I left. Again, personally, a very major point of contention.
The simple truth is, I took kids into the program in Cleveland and Fort Lauderdale with no money up front (or anywhere else) from parents, and could not be trusted to discontinue this practice if Art, Shelly or Lybbi weren?t around. The most severe understatement to date from me - ?this did not go over well.?
I wouldn?t budge on this issue so despite continuing to be senior staff, needless to say, I was removed from Cleveland and the intake process, except in an advisory capacity re the kids themselves. A direct quote to the staff and Joan Bryant, by Lybbi, ?John is no longer allowed to take people on the program without me, Art or Shelly okaying it.? Obviously, there was a lot more actually said, but there is no reason to go into that here. This didn?t help my attitude, but it did not, one iota, lessen my loyalty to The Seed, just to these particular individuals.
I truly do understand how many here cannot make this distinction, but to me it was always crystal clear.
I gotta tell you, in writing this post, reflecting about things I haven?t given a thought to in 20+ years, I?ve come to realize, to his credit, Art did put up with a lot of shit from me.
