Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > CALO - Change Academy at Lake of the Ozarks
Questions for Calo Students
Che Gookin:
--- Quote from: "Ursus" ---
--- Quote from: "CALO Student #17" ---Students were very much urged to report other students in an "accountable manner". Not always the case, but that was the basic idea. If a student were to hold another one accountable, then it means that they are mature and have moved forward in their program. Students who keep secrets for their friends were labeled as not being a "true friend" because they aren't trying to "truely help their friends in the most positive way possible". The staff generally try to portray this in a manner of "if your friend has a drug addiction, the only way to be a true friend, is to get them help like a rehab center". Well, this is true... but if it's for something that big, you know? If your friend shoplifts, then I'm pretty sure you wouldn't call the cops on them... maybe tell them that it wasn't smart, but definately not get them arrested. I always thought that was stupid. That's why I was the person that a lot of the guys (and some girls) went to when they didn't know what else to do. I didn't confinde into too many people, but they weren't usually trustworthy enough of that. Since the students had the mindset of "if you hold your teammates accountable, then you're farther in your program" (which means that you leave sooner), I didn't tell them my stuff... I just listened to theirs and held my mouh shut to staff. This was general knowledge among the students, lol.
--- End quote ---
Lol. Hyde calls this "Brother's Keeper." Same shit, different brand name on the wrapper.
--- End quote ---
Or as we called it at three springs, "Your ladder out of the program."
Yes, same shit different wrapper. It's interesting though that CALO seems like a blend of about four different programs that I'm familiar with. I doubt Ken Huey has managed to come up with anything original.
psy:
--- Quote from: "CALO Student #17" ---As for the "resons for being here", nobody really criticized what your answer was. Sometimes the students would snicker amongs themselves saying things like "oh, that'll change"... because typically, it did. The program would come around to convincing you that you can always improve... which typically, is true, and I can understand that. But not the the extent that they try to stretch it. They teach that no matter what has gone on in your life, it could have been different if you had empathy and humility. If you thought otherwise and felt that you're fine the way you are, then you're "in denial and rationalizing your actions".
--- End quote ---
So in a sense, if you refused to denounce yourself as what the group accused you of, you would never progress? That strikes me as more re-education than anything else... trying to change a person's philosophy and worldview. Don't get me wrong. I think those values are beneficial to have (my personal choice), but I don't think anybody should be forced to accept them if they ever want to leave. Even if it were ethical, it wouldn't work in the long run. People have to realize not just what they believe but why they believe it. If they don't come to those realizations on their own, if the change isn't from within, those values are going to have no solid foundation... They'll collapse as soon as they're challenged in the real world.
Che Gookin:
Empathy and humility are worthy traits to have in a person, yet not every person needs them, and nor do they need to be made to learn them. Could anyone imagine someone like General George Patton sitting down and having a nice heart to heart with the Germans? For that matter would I ever want the man to have done something like that? Umm.. no.. I'll send in Oprah if someone needs a big hug, right after I kick her fatass for being a Dr. Phil supporter. Each of us by design are individuals and we are each owed the opprotunity to decide what personality traits that are best for us. Most of us don't do this as a concious thought, but more so over a prolonged period of time as a result of living life.
My guess is and this comes from my own experience working in the programs, most kids in CALO, "Fake it to make it." Any genuine change probably isn't or won't or never has been genuine enough to be long lasting. Change in a program breaks down when faced by reality. Showing those new traits because you have to impress staff with your empathy, or ruthlessness from the sounds of it from the Group meetings, is an entirely different kettle of fish when in the real world.
Well Proxied posted a note that one staffer sent to the rest claiming that a youth in CALO thanked a staffer for being their to consequence him/her. Now if that isn't blowing hot air up someone's ass I don't know what is. Programs are notorious for breeding a vicious cycle of manipulation on the part of the captives to effect their escape from the dump.
Program= artificial world of insanely high expectations and artificially asserted consequences that have no real bearing on the problem.
Real life= real life and there is absolutely no escaping it as not one bit of it is fake.
CALO Student #17:
To Psy:
Well, yeah, I guess yo ucould say that. It almost reminds me of the military, lol. "Break you down, then build you up better" or some crap like that.They'd maximize your bad traits and I guess they try to show you how bad you've been and how you've affected your family. I think the basic idea is that once you see how much you've hurt your family, it might push you to want to become a better person. It sounds wierd, but I guess it makes sense... but once again, in theory. That would probably only work if the student already had a genuine desire to be close to his or her parents. If there is no desire, then they can always bullshit it... but they would have to bull shit well, because CALO is strong about having to show "consistency over time". There was a kid who had strict ass parents... and I felt sorry for him sometimes. It took him over a year just to earn an overnight with his parents (not to mention that he was one of the original 8 that came to CALO). Closer to the end of his program, he was doing perfectly fine for two whole months. When his therapist and parents scheduled for him to gradute soon (less than 1 week and a half away), he got into a hold... so they put off the graduation for even longer. He was there for about two and a half years until he graduated.... me on the other hand, I was there for 1 year and 1 day, but that's because there wasn't too much between my parents and me. Just a few issues with mny dad, which we could have resolved if I stayed at home, lol.
Che Gookin:
--- Quote from: "CALO Student #17" ---To Psy:
Well, yeah, I guess yo ucould say that. It almost reminds me of the military, lol. "Break you down, then build you up better" or some crap like that.They'd maximize your bad traits and I guess they try to show you how bad you've been and how you've affected your family. I think the basic idea is that once you see how much you've hurt your family, it might push you to want to become a better person. It sounds wierd, but I guess it makes sense... but once again, in theory. That would probably only work if the student already had a genuine desire to be close to his or her parents. If there is no desire, then they can always bullshit it... but they would have to bull shit well, because CALO is strong about having to show "consistency over time". There was a kid who had strict ass parents... and I felt sorry for him sometimes. It took him over a year just to earn an overnight with his parents (not to mention that he was one of the original 8 that came to CALO). Closer to the end of his program, he was doing perfectly fine for two whole months. When his therapist and parents scheduled for him to gradute soon (less than 1 week and a half away), he got into a hold... so they put off the graduation for even longer. He was there for about two and a half years until he graduated.... me on the other hand, I was there for 1 year and 1 day, but that's because there wasn't too much between my parents and me. Just a few issues with mny dad, which we could have resolved if I stayed at home, lol.
--- End quote ---
Lemme guess.. Kevin is the one who performed that hold, and I bet there is a reasonable case to be made for him provoking it. I bet that was also around the time Nick Llament left to "Help with the family business... cough cough.. fired".
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