Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > The Seed Discussion Forum
Dear Art,
cleveland:
I just want to echo that, Ginger. The Seed on SR 84 was a vast, empty building with row upon row of vacant chairs when I was there, '79-'85. There were 20 or so full-time Seed people who came into the group regularly, and a small group of graduates who showed up on ocassion. I never saw Art with a friend or colleague, outside of the core staff members, and in spite of all the talk about the Hollywood connections, war buddies, etc., Art struck me as a lonely person. Also it was so rare that a Seed graduated came back to visit (who wasn't in for a 'refresher') that I can't think of it happening more than once or twice in my 7 years. Art and staff would talk about all of the successful graduates who were off living their lives, while we, the chosen few, kept the temple lamps lit. How come no one wants to visit us? I used to wonder.
cleveland:
I just want to echo that, Ginger. The Seed on SR 84 was a vast, empty building with row upon row of vacant chairs when I was there, '79-'85. There were 20 or so full-time Seed people who came into the group regularly, and a small group of graduates who showed up on ocassion. I never saw Art with a friend or colleague, outside of the core staff members, and in spite of all the talk about the Hollywood connections, war buddies, etc., Art struck me as a lonely person. Also it was so rare that a Seed graduated came back to visit (who wasn't in for a 'refresher') that I can't think of it happening more than once or twice in my 7 years. Art and staff would talk about all of the successful graduates who were off living their lives, while we, the chosen few, kept the temple lamps lit. How come no one wants to visit us? I used to wonder.
[ This Message was edited by: cleveland on 2005-11-28 06:56 ]
SMiamiPimp:
Returning to the Seed would be like returning to the hospital where treatment occured after a car wreck.
I went back once to attend an open meeting. It stirred up alot of memories from right before and during the seed experience. It was not like visiting my old college campus.
IMO treating drug addiction is admirable but a dirty businees and part of the requirement is almost a paranoid skeptism to deal with the all the tradegy, bullshit, manipulation and conning many addicts effortlessly generate. Art was no saint, and definitely type A. But how nice can you be in that field?
landyh:
--- Quote ---On 2005-11-26 10:21:00, Antigen wrote:
"Honestly, I don't buy the story. Art had a habit of exagerating; specifically, his stories changed over time to better please the audience.
I think maybe he got kicked out from wherever he was staying for being an obnoxious drunk, woke up in his car and that became the legend of Art's stint as a homeless skidrow drunk.
But I'm just guessing. I'd have to hear from someone who knew him when. Oh, and come to think of it, what ever happened to anyone and everyone who knew Art before he ascended to near godhood? How come none of his family or friends, even AA buddies, were a part of his life when we knew him? Strange, don'tya' think?
Web pages are like babies -- creation involves a level of enthusiasm that does not necessarily carry over into maintenance.
--Joe Chew
--- End quote ---
"
--- End quote ---
Must we disrust all? My own experience with alcohol led me very close to its furthest depths and very quickly. There is no question that I am aware of as to Art's Alcoholism. Why is it hard to believe that he experienced some of the worst of that world. What some who are not involved in AA may not realize is that in early AA most of the members were typically serious drunks. Not like today with many coming in before things get to bad. He almost had to be in that class of "low bottom" drunks just to have gotten there. I know enough drunks to know that we seldom have need to exagerate our experiences to make them bad enough. They already are. Of course things can be skewed by personal perspective but I have no reason to think that Art had to stretch his story to make it worse do you?
Antigen:
Why is it hard for me to believe Art? Landy, because Art lied a lot. A WHOLE lot. He had both of my parents convinced that all the teenagers (including us) were druggies and that he had the 99% successful, only cure for it. I bet he believed it, too. Still wasn't true.
It sucks when decent, hardworking people get screwed over like that. Because that means pricks like us don?t stand a chance.
Jim S. watching the devastation of the recent tsunami on the television at JR?s
--- End quote ---
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version