Well, I can probably tell you quite a lot, but not everything. My knowledge of the Seed comes from having a couple of sibs go through it over the course of about 10 years (the last half of my childhood). That and my mom's continued involvement in volunteer work, in which I was a conscript, for years after the youngest Seedling had graduated. You can correctly infer from that Program mythology and, to some extent, policy pervaded our home life. And you'll just have to take my word for it that what I learned from the Seed came in very, very handy in helping me survive Straight.
On 2005-11-15 05:48:00, NOT12NOW wrote:
"I can see how straight grew out of the seed but it also seems, from what I've read, to have differed. I want to understand those differences.
What were the stages of the program?
There were 3 major distinctions; newcomer (first phase), oldcomer and graduate. Graduates were not allowed to associate w/ oldcomers, newcomers were not allowed to speak w/o permission or to speak w/ other newcomers after group in the car or the host homes, etc. That was standard, though sometimes they placed even more restrictions on newcomer communication.
Along w/ that there were 5 phases.
On first phase, you first earned "talk" (identical to Seed talk after open meeting) then T&R, talk and responsibilities where you no longer had to be held by the beltloop inside the building, only on the way to and from the car. And you got to do fun stuff, if chosen by staff, like scrubbing toilets, mopping floors and helping serve lunch and dinner.
You became an oldcomer when you made 2nd phase, which was The Seed's newcomer at home. Same ritual yelling "Im Comming Home!!! and you got to run accross the open meeting room." I heard tell of one kid in another branch who tried that every week for awhile just to fuck w/ people and disrupt OM. LOL!
Third phase was oldomer at work/school. On fourth phase you got a (theoretical) day off where, except for taking newcomers and fosters to and from the building, you didn't have to go in. And you got to go on permissions.
On 5th phase, you stood around the group and acted almost like staff, taking cocs if you felt like it from group members. It was said to be the "giving back" phase of the program. We got 3 or 4 days off then, I think. But, again, they were often daze off in name only.
How long were people in the program?
Usually closer to two years than one as in the Seed. But it varied. Even at the beginning, I know of one girl who was there for close to 5 years and one very good looking former stripper who aced it in the minimum time, under 9 months, and immediately married a Sr. staffer.
How often were kids started over?
All the fucking time! I'd have to say at least a couple of times a month in Sarasota, which was usually somewhere between 50 and 100 group members in the two years I was there. I got started over at least three times; twice for splitting and once early on for no reason that I could fathom. I hadn't even gotten (or wanted, for that matter) talk, so it really didn't make a difference. It was just confusing.
How common was physical abuse commited visibly in group?
Again, daily; sometimes many times a day. But it depends on how you define physical abuse. Things like forced excercise and forced motivating (litterally, several oldcomers grabbing onto a "misbehaving" newcomer and putting their body through the motions) happened probably daily. The worse stuff, "restraints" and marathons, probably several times per week most of the time, sometimes more and sometimes less. The back jabbing and head turning was constant. It became blase after a short while.
Did you have raps?
All day long every day. If you happened to get a particularly militant foster parent, you might even have to do mini raps at home.
What were the rules?
Here's a nice comparison sheet between KHK and Straight prepared by ISAC
http://www.isaccorp.org/khkandstraight.htmlI think it was about the same rules list to begin with, but of course it has grown.
Did they claim to be able to read your minds?
Not in the same way Art did. Instead, they claimed such accute higher awareness as to be able to read physiological signs and body language with precision. So, for all intents and purposes, yes. They just polished the verbage a bit.
What does day zero mean?
That means no progress. You couldn't request talk or anything till after 14 days. If you were frozen on day zero, that never happened.
What were monday and friday home days?
Homes rap. That was when you put in for permission to earn talk, t&r or phase change. Then staff and group would challenge you on why and whether or not you deserved it. Just prior to open meeting, they'd come out and announce the approved requests.
inquiring and empathetic ex-seedling
"
Thanks. I'd love to know what was different too.
I don't go lookin' for trouble. I just keep a little in a box should someone come by who is.
--Bill Warbis
