Stefan Molyneux in the Guardian

[QuestEon]

Update: 12/01

I've changed the topic name of this thread. It would have been sooner, but I didn't realize until just now I could do it!

It was originally titled "The Molyneux cult makes the news!"  I created that subject line intending it to be frivolous, but it's clear that it comes across as an unprovoked attack on Mr. Molyneux and I've regretted it ever since I clicked "Save." He deserves more respect than that and anyone I've offended who is an advocate of Molyneux deserves better as well. I hope you'll accept my apology.

Of course I do have specific views on Molyneux but, irrespective of those views, he has worked hard enough to warrant reasonable discussion, cult or no.

Hope I didn't screw up anyone looking for this thread, but I just didn't want to look at the header anymore.


Original
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Guess this was only a matter of time....

-Q.E.

[John Shaw]

Guess this was only a matter of time....

-Q.E.

There is no cult.

[therealritasue]

Yeah...that article was full of shit.

[John Shaw]

Total hatchet job.

[AntonLee]

I wonder if the parents aren't open to freedom on the level most of us have come to.  To my parents, what I believe in is total horseshit. . . and the problem with calling such horseshit is that the same stuff is what I was taught since I was old enough to speak.

Don't hit others unless they're attacking you first

Don't steal from others

Don't take things that aren't yours

Don't break things of others

Lend a helping hand.

Stand up for what you believe in.

And now, because I believe that gays should be able to get married, that I shouldn't HAVE to pay taxes (but I would pay for services-- call it a tax, fine), that I should be able to own a gun, wear it proudly.. . . I'm a kook, confused, anti-american, and that I should move to another country.

But when I've said that I was going to, my mother cries, asks me where she went wrong.

It's all so hard to understand...  leaving your family is probably one of the hardest things to do.  I haven't done so yet, and to honest I'm not exactly sure why.

[BonerJoe]

If Scientology is not a cult, then FDR is not a cult.

[Osborne]

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OMG! We are a cult.

[Russell Griswold]

OMG! We are a cult.

Looks like it's about that time to sacrifice some virgins again.

[What's the frequency, Kenneth?]

Some people do manage to leave FDR, however, and I point out that Tom is only 18. Barbara takes a deep breath. "Tom is very strong-willed, much like I am, and when we set our minds to something, we can do it. He is capable of just not coming back."

Holy fuck, it's Jim Jones!

[Caveman]

I have listened extensively to Stefan Molyneux's podcasts and I think he is right on a lot of things. However I stopped listening just because of this issue, not because I didn't agree that some parents must be left, but that he constantly hammers on about it. It was only a matter of time until somebody would latch on to it like this. And yes Stef does sound very cult-like at times, I don't believe thats his intention, but I got that feeling too from listening to him.

[Dylboz]

Total hatchet job.

You are wrong on that.

If you'd like to contact the reporter, you can (I'll PM you her info if you want), but her conclusions were reached on the basis of extensive research, she listened to hours of podcasts, both involving Tom and not, she contacted Molyneux who was initially cooperative (hence his quotes) until he realized she was going to dig deep for the whole story, and she even spent a great deal of time at his site and in the FDR chat room (so Stef closed it), and she saw the behavior toward and comments about parents and family who came looking for their kids that lead to her characterizations. I know you like the guy and you've done the deFOO (I don't judge you on that, since I have no idea what your life is like), but I believe he is dangerous, and a blight on the libertarian/an-cap/freedom movement worse than "Truthers."

[John Shaw]

You are wrong on that.

If you'd like to contact the reporter, you can (I'll PM you her info if you want), but her conclusions were reached on the basis of extensive research, she listened to hours of podcasts, both involving Tom and not, she contacted Molyneux who was initially cooperative (hence his quotes) until he realized she was going to dig deep for the whole story, and she even spent a great deal of time at his site and in the FDR chat room (so Stef closed it), and she saw the behavior toward and comments about parents and family who came looking for their kids that lead to her characterizations. I know you like the guy and you've done the deFOO (I don't judge you on that, since I have no idea what your life is like), but I believe he is dangerous, and a blight on the libertarian/an-cap/freedom movement worse than "Truthers."

Hey, look! Another hatchet job!

Dude, you can believe anything you want. He's just a pretty smart dude who's written several good philosophy books and has a podcast.

And as for being dangerous, he damned well is dangerous. And good on him for that.

[Dylboz]

If Scientology is not a cult, then FDR is not a cult.

I agree... with YOU?  

There are a lot of similarities between FDR and $cientology, mostly in their (initially) therapeutic bent and the pseudo-psychology, but LRH's "tech" is way worse than Stefan's "methodology,"  so on that score, Holy Moly wins, if you call being less bad winning.

[Dylboz]

Hey, look! Another hatchet job!

Out of curiosity, Shaw, what would constitute a NON-hatchet job?

Dude, you can believe anything you want. He's just a pretty smart dude who's written several good philosophy books and has a podcast.

And as for being dangerous, he damned well is dangerous. And good on him for that.

You too, man. You too.

And to the rest of the above, well, no. His books are not good, or actual philosophy (I know, I bought and read them). OK, he does have a podcast. And, yeah, he is smart. He certainly sucked me in at first with some very interesting and well done pieces explaining an-cap stuff, especially the DRO model. But he is also a malignant narcissist who acts out his own petty dramas and family resentments in other people's lives to terrible effect.

You are free to follow him, of course, but I hope to convince others to save themselves the misery.

[Taors]

Brainwashing people and ripping families apart - the Molyneux Express strikes again!