A friend of mine invited me to one here in midtown Manhattan a while ago. It was unique, to say the least. He tried to get me to do the three-day program. I'm not exactly Mr. Outgoing, and talking about my personal sh!t to strangers ain't my thing. I don't even do that around family, so I passed. Have any Orgers heard of this group?

http://www.landmarkeducation.com

no one has ever invited me. i'm not sure it would be my kind of thing. telling strangers my personal stuff would feel... odd

cult, cult, cult!

weirdos! All of them.

An ex boyfriend went and told me about it.

yep, cult.

one flaw is that it tells participants they have a need and a right to confront everyone from their past to make peace. great idea, in theory. but it doesn't take into account that relationships are 2 way streets. the other person has no obligation to engage or respond. in most cases i've heard, it leaves the other party sitting blankly on the other end of the phone with a "wtf?" and no opportunity for honest response.

do a google search and see some great videos from a French session.

CarrieMpls said:

I felt they were too pushy - they'd constantly work on you to get you to sign up for that three-day seminar.

uPtoWnNY said:

And the pushiness doesn't end! Once they get you to attend one thing they will push you to do more and then push you to get other people to join as well. It really is kinda scary.

CarrieMpls said:

It reminded me of the Amway meetings another buddy of mine dragged me to. I wish my friends would leave me alone with their side projects - sheesh!

CarrieMpls said:

i read an article about this in 'the believer' magazine a year or two back...yup, very culty-creepy. stay away!

Anxiety said:

Our local weekly did an "expose" on them a few years back as well. Very creepy.

What kind of hippie lovin' bullshit is this?

Anxiety said:

Agreed. Usually, these slimy individuals try to pry on unsuspecting college students.

Yes!!!! A good friend of mine wanted me to take the seminars. I went to one and after that they wouldn't leave me alone. They kept calling and calling. They actually wanted me to sign up on the day I took the seminar. Sorry, I didn't have $400 to give them on the spot. WTF!!!


M

IrresistibleB1tch said:

Good stuff at that site. I was weirded out by them, but some folks swear by the program.

These bastards got their hooks into my twin sister a few years back.

Stay Far, Far away.

soulyacolia said:

oh wow - i hope she's ok.

Considering there is a website that tells you how to protect yourself from brainwash at the The Landmark Forum (seminar) I would tell her not to go.

I was living with my fiance at the time and she did it first. I was nervous, thinking they were going to brainwash her. She then made me go. I went in kicking and screaming, thinking "cult, cult, cult." Its really just a conversation and you don't have to participate. I sat there for the 3 days, I did not share anything with anybody, I did not call anyone and make peace with my past, but yes, they encourage you to do this but I didn't. I just sat and listened. Sure, they do a hard sell but I didn't put the money down for the "advanced" course.

It did make me think about some things though, and in the end, it was one of the reasons I ended it with my fiance and I still debate whether that was a good decision. It'll make you think about stuff like that. It'll make you take action.

I don't think its a cult. However, I am a very strong minded person and I won't fall for the hard sell. Of course, maybe I'M brainwashed, haha. I can see how people might think its a cult if they are not as strong or if they've had difficult relationships or emotional problems.

In the end I enjoyed it and would do it again. I'm not trying to get people to sign up if they don't want to though.

By the way, my ex-fiance is married, yet we're still friends and call each other often. I think its because landmark opens the lines of communication.

so...are you open to the possibility of becoming extrordinary? (haha, there's some landmark jargon for you)

IrresistibleB1tch said:

She's fine now but at the time she was very vunerable. They wouldn't stop phoning her telling her that Landmark was the answer to all her problems. Eventually my Dad got involved and told them that if they continued hassling her he would go to the press and possibly take legal action.

Like I said stay well clear.

I should prolly go to one.
Considerin' how dirty my mind has gotten lately (hanging around this forum doesn't help),
I could use a thorough brain washing.

I am so glad I didn't go for that three-day nonsense. The schedule is ridiculous - 9am to 12pm with few breaks in-between??? I wouldn't have gotten home until 1:30 in the morning, then get up in four hours to go back again. F--k that.