I don't really think so. Even tho some of the techniques are similar, I think the techniques have more in common with a kind of weird mixture of AA doctrine with Moonie recruiting methods...mixed in with an involuntary setting.
If you are looking for the absolute genesis for the idea to form the Seed, then perhaps we will never *know*, we only have Aert's self serving accounts which to me seem rather suspect and loose with the truth. What we do know is that Art Barker was an AA devotee, started a drug rehab that was went from being an open door voluntary rehab, to quickly admitting 1000s of kids with the governments help and incorporating the involuntary aspects. During this time he was developing a messiah complex. All of the techniques of the seed seemed to come on rather rapidly. Soon, the seed stopped getting federal funding and it eventually reverted back to a kind of creepy rehab cult.
We cannot Tie the roots to chinese/korean torture institutes. we can only comment that some of the techniques seem lifted from there. NOr can we tie (at least not yet) it to the synanon, only comment about the creepy similarities. We can draw the conclusion that the synanon and the Seed were both started by AA people.
This is all I can really tell you, after years of researching it, on where it *comes* from. I think looking back at the influence of the Federal government and the rapid change in the modality, and the connection of Dupont to the Synanon, we can draw some inferences, but direct tangible evidence does not exist that connects the Seed any further back than itself. At least none that I have been shown. All the evidence is indirect. I am personally convinced, but can't substantiate it, that along with the federal funding of the seed came some Conditions and consultants in the form of several seed staff members from a synanon offshoot program.
