On 2004-08-28 10:13:00, Filobeddoe wrote:
"
It sounds like the parents went to the Open Meetings. How could they support the program after seeing it for what it was?
The Open Meetings were on Friday Nights & mainly for the benefit of the parents I think.
Parents sat on one side facing the group. Newcomers were on the front row(s) & introduced themselves & said how they were doing & how much better they are now.
The atmosphere was to be very joyous with alot of singing (songs like "Jippety Do Dah, Mr Bluebird on my shoulder", "Raindrops Keep fallin' on my head", "America", "Seed song", etc). All the kids were very happy & cheerful.
After the meeting the newcomers (if you were doing good) you were allowed to speak with their parents for a few minutes.
The idea was for the parents to leave with a positive impression, invigorated by all the "good vibes" in the meeting. The parents were also encouraged & expected to speak with parents of druggie friends & convince them to enroll their problem young 'uns.
"
Oh filobee how you miss some points here. First lets start by saying that in the Seed, at least when I was there, open meetings were Monday and Friday. The Friday only thing came later.
The functions of open meeting.
1) Public confessional and humiliation. This had nothing to do with appeasing the parents and everything to do with breaking your will and humiliating you, making you confess publicly to your "sins" and offering you a path to "salvation" and to avoiding future humiliations.
2) fundraising. Art Barker made the bulk of his money, all unaccounted for on any financial statement that I have seen, by passing buckets revival style that got crammed full of cash.
3) Reward of affection of family for compliance and punishment of public humiliation by family for non compliance. Do you not remember the passing of the mike thru the parents section, and the pavlovian way the family encouraged you for complying and the way they chewed you out for non-compliance? Do you remember the public embarrasment of being a newcomer and how you so much wanted to get to status where you were not humiliated in a puplic forum by your own family? Are you not aware that before the meeting, the Junior staff would coach your parents what to say, that this was all part of your Conditioning for mind control (or as some would say..your rehabilitation)? Do you further not recall your entire time as a seedling being afraid they may start you over and force you back into this humilating public spectacle? Remember never really feeling safe from this and always, at any moment, feeling that your world could crumble and force you back on that very humiliating, self debasing front row? Now, think about what really instituted your "miraculous change" in personality and outward appearance.
4) recruiting. Parents were actively encouraged to bring the parents of potential enrollies. Their "druggie" kids were not allowed to attend. Pressure was put on them and the magical microphone confessionals were offered up as proof of the danger of their kid's druggie attitudes.
(my name is Kim, I did pot, qualudes and anything in the medicine cabinet and would be dead today if I wasn't here... is very convincing to a parent that is not aware the confession is coerced, necessary for survival in the cult society, necessary to avoid future humiliations and mostly fraudulent.)
5) Public opinion. Art would often make political pleas from the Mike when he was aware of press in the audience.
In conclusion, open meeting was a very purposefull mind control tactic that was presented as a lovey dovey feel good expression of fun and games, when actually the main purpose was to publicly humiliate by confession and family rejection the inductees and to hold the constant fear and threat of returning to this public humilation over the head of all Seedlings, and secondary to raise money, recruite and promote Art's political agenda.
It was NOT for the parent's benefit by any stretch of the imagination.
[ This Message was edited by: Somejoker on 2004-08-29 13:49 ]