Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Teen Challenge
I personally escaped this Cult
none-ya:
--- Quote from: "none-ya" ---TC_Saved_Me wrote;
Do you think that military bootcamp is abusive?
Why not ask that question to the families of the kids who died there.
--- Quote ---what is the seed?
--- End quote ---
If you've never heard of the seed that's understandable.It was closed down a along time ago. But how about straight inc.?
How about WWASP? And how about everybody's favorite (at least here),Elan? Sorry folks if I left out your program,but you get the point. But please don't take my word for this.You need to do some research.You'll see how all these programs all decended from cold war interogation technics by the military, to Synanon, to the seed and then everywhere else.
--- Quote ---I came into this program thinking that I was hot stuff!
--- End quote ---
I don't think much has changed on that front.
--- End quote ---
psy:
--- Quote from: "Ursus" ---There are more than a few similarities between military programming and the indoctrination and behavior modification of folks who are struggling with addiction issues or whose behavior is deemed unacceptable by the status quo... :D
--- End quote ---
Very true, but those who enter the military usually know full well what they're getting into. There is informed consent. They know the're gonna get made into a new person. That's the whole reason many go. They don't like the way they are and want some discipline, even if it comes at the cost of some individuality. Even those who don't go into the military for this reason know it to be a side effect. Few have any choice when they enter a program and even fewer have full knowledge of how they will be changed. They know there will be an effort to change them, just not how, and because they don't know how, they're not able to resist effectively.
TC_Saved_Me:
--- Quote from: "psy" ---
--- Quote from: "Ursus" ---There are more than a few similarities between military programming and the indoctrination and behavior modification of folks who are struggling with addiction issues or whose behavior is deemed unacceptable by the status quo... :D
--- End quote ---
Very true, but those who enter the military usually know full well what they're getting into. There is informed consent. They know the're gonna get made into a new person. That's the whole reason many go. They don't like the way they are and want some discipline, even if it comes at the cost of some individuality. Even those who don't go into the military for this reason know it to be a side effect. Few have any choice when they enter a program and even fewer have full knowledge of how they will be changed. They know there will be an effort to change them, just not how, and because they don't know how, they're not able to resist effectively.
--- End quote ---
That's true. I didn't quite expect such a strict and structured environment when I went into Teen Challenge. But doesn't the fact that I could leave the program at any time - without any repurcussions - kind of absorb that a little bit?
TC_Saved_Me:
--- Quote from: "none-ya" ---
--- Quote from: "none-ya" ---TC_Saved_Me wrote;
Do you think that military bootcamp is abusive?
Why not ask that question to the families of the kids who died there.
--- Quote ---what is the seed?
--- End quote ---
If you've never heard of the seed that's understandable.It was closed down a along time ago. But how about straight inc.?
How about WWASP? And how about everybody's favorite (at least here),Elan? Sorry folks if I left out your program,but you get the point. But please don't take my word for this.You need to do some research.You'll see how all these programs all decended from cold war interogation technics by the military, to Synanon, to the seed and then everywhere else.
--- Quote ---I came into this program thinking that I was hot stuff!
--- End quote ---
I don't think much has changed on that front.
--- End quote ---
--- End quote ---
touche' ::poke::
psy:
--- Quote from: "TC_Saved_Me" ---
--- Quote from: "psy" ---
--- Quote from: "Ursus" ---There are more than a few similarities between military programming and the indoctrination and behavior modification of folks who are struggling with addiction issues or whose behavior is deemed unacceptable by the status quo... :D
--- End quote ---
Very true, but those who enter the military usually know full well what they're getting into. There is informed consent. They know the're gonna get made into a new person. That's the whole reason many go. They don't like the way they are and want some discipline, even if it comes at the cost of some individuality. Even those who don't go into the military for this reason know it to be a side effect. Few have any choice when they enter a program and even fewer have full knowledge of how they will be changed. They know there will be an effort to change them, just not how, and because they don't know how, they're not able to resist effectively.
--- End quote ---
That's true. I didn't quite expect such a strict and structured environment when I went into Teen Challenge. But doesn't the fact that I could leave the program at any time - without any repurcussions - kind of absorb that a little bit?
--- End quote ---
True, it's better than most if you can truly do that without any repercussions, but some groups have very manipulative ways of keeping people in the group without brute force. The simplest way is usually to convince the person that they're not ready to leave, and if they leave without the group's approval, there is a high risk they'll die / end up in jail / end up insane / go to hell / cause the apocalypse / whatever. That's hardly the only way either. Why is it you think that so many people stay in destructive cults and cult-like groups even when they're "technically" able to walk out the door? I'm not saying that's the case with you, but as you've pointed out, Teen Challenge was not as you expected. I'd recommend picking up a book like Margaret Singer's "Cults in Our Midst" and coming to your own determination as to whether or not it would fit the criteria outlined. Also, it's my understanding Teen Challenge is not totally open about the fact that conversion to Christianity is an absolute requirement for graduation. Is that still accurate?
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