Brainwashing is still very alive in well today. Please folks take the time and read this!

This post will deal with the latest thing to be put back on my WTF people, wake up? list. I would even move this in front of scientology in it's incideousness!

I grew up in the 70's in la la land and remember this horseshit first hand. It is sad that even with the stunning amount of historical FACTUAL information available via the internet that so many people are 'duped' by NOT learning history. It seams we have not taught our offspring the ability to think critically and do research scientifically - history, context, facts, check facts, etc.

Check out this from the CultNews.com

Whatever happened to that old feel good extended weekend seminar known as "est," which developed a "cult following" that included celebrities like Valerie Harper and John Denver?

Well it got bigger and better, at least from a business perspective.

Est is now called "Landmark Education," and according to a press release on Yahoo, the private for-profit company now has "60 major offices in 21 countries," affecting "100 cities" with " 750 professionally trained course leaders worldwide."

The PR spin gushes about Landmark's recent deal with Sprint "to improve its communications infrastructure."

The company's "flagship" program is called the Forum, which can be seen as mass marathon training.

Landmark has a rocky history that includes serious complaints about abuses, subsequent lawsuits and more than a little bad press.

Its founder Werner Erhard (a.k.a. Jack Rosenberg) also went through some rough times. His bad patch included allegations of incest, spousal abuse and income tax problems.

Erhard eventually sold the company and licensed its "technology." The specific details of that sale were never disclosed

But never mind all is well now.

Landmark is clearly pulling in more money than ever.

And Erhard? He resolved his personal problems and ended up a rich man relaxing on the beaches of the Cayman Islands. He lives in Georgetown with his girlfriend Hanukkah.

Landmark still generates lawsuits, complaints and bad press, but they seem to settle such matters quietly and weather whatever controversy arises comfortably.

And here is even more from 60 Minutes via BoingBoing

And more on the 60 Minutes investigation and the U.S. Labor department investigations are here.

I just had to publish this after being approached twice in the past month by people gushing about how I should get involved and just 'come to a seminar' and check it out. I hope some will take a look at this before they throw their money and mind into the trash.

As a side note; if you every want to check out the 'other side' of any issue when doing searches on the internet - and you should to avoid the massive amount of lies and misinformation out there.

Simply put in your search terms into to Google or Bing and add the word(s) 'scam', 'cult', 'ripoff', 'hoax', 'lies', or the like and you will be presented with loads of information you can and SHOULD wade through before believing anything you read. In the 'old days' this would require many trips to the library, bookstores, and news stands!! Things I used to love to do. Now it can be done in minutes with even greater effectiveness. Yeay technology!!

Please take some time and check out these videos on Landmark forum by people with firsthand experiences.

A comparison of Landmark Forum and an experience in EST.

Landmark Education and the C word

Comedian's take: