I am in a graduate writing program and am currently writing about my experience at the Fort Lauderdale Seed the summer before last, the Seed's last summer... seems to be just a small cult now, but definitely a tight community. My father has become interwined with the program through his girlfriend, who went through the Seed, and had me attend 6 weeks of Raps in summer 2001 in order to "give me the tools I need to survive in the real world." I've never used drugs. My relationship with my father has been complicated and rocky and his sending me to the Seed was a product of that.
I have so many questions but am primarily interested in 2 things.
1.) The destructive concept of Fatherhood. Paternalism. In loco parentis. Art Barker as Father Figure. He is worshipped unquestioningly among the Ft. Lauderdale Seedlings. I'm interested in his reaction to having his authority challenged, experiences with that. Did he really adopt Libby? How many were checked into the Seed by their parents and how many checked themselves in? How much was voluntary submission to people who took the place/role of your parents and how much was coerced? Do you think those in control really believe they're doing good or is there some awareness of manipulation, control, wielding power?
2.) I'm interested in writing about the survival of an artist in a program that attempts to eliminate all that makes individual creation possible. Fear of "getting too into your head". Stories of artists who survived, succumbed? Attempt to reconstruct the Self afterwards.
What did it feel like to speak in Rap?
What do you think of the I Love You response?
The use of repetition?
History on Art Barker: Vaudeville at the Playboy House.
Relations with young female Seed clients, did he meet Shelly in the program?
The Spanking Machine, is that when parents came in to beat their children? Seems the beaten children were then displayed in Rap?
Rap Structure and Content:
Was Mon, Wed, Fri for 2 hours in summer 2001.
The themes all run together, but I feel like it was set, like the 3 signs one day, the 7 rules another, then Friday was always on relationships. Also there was the 3 Persons, person you were, are, want to be. Why is the Seed reluctant to claim it's AA/Straight influences? Stories. Anyone hear Libby's about punching her fist through the window, splattering blood on the bathroom ceiling. Reactions?
Gender Segregation: Men and women still sat on separate sides of the room, though they're all middleaged and married now. Rules on dating? How much of your personal life did the Seed know about? Spying? What was sexual confession?
How many in the program actually had a drug problem and how many were just rebellious teens?
Also, what was housing like? Why were you low on sleep, overworked, underfed? The mentality of always working, serving others, to avoid getting too into your head was heavily pushed when I was there.
And what's the obsession with astrology all about?!
I really appreciate all the info you can offer me, the site has already answered some of my questions, though it was, of course, a lot less dramatic when sat in on Wraps.
