@skooma
The "is the FSP a cult" was just some humor... heh... ( :::wonders what you are like at parties::: )
As far as Landmark being a cult... It's unquestionably so.
They charge money to give psychological advice which they are not trained to give.
They use commonly known brainwashing and huxterism techniques that can be found in any common skeptic book or website.
From my experience watching the french video... I just looked this up.. and low and behold... Let's go through this list.
THE PURPOSES AND TACTICS OF COERCIVE PERSUASION
Coercive persuasion or thought reform as it is sometimes known, is best understood as a coordinated system of graduated coercive influence and behavior control designed to deceptively and surreptitiously manipulate and influence individuals, usually in a group setting, in order for the originators of the program to profit in some way, normally financially or politically.
The essential strategy used by those operating such programs is to systematically select, sequence and coordinate numerous coercive persuasion tactics over CONTINUOUS PERIODS OF TIME. There are seven main tactic types found in various combinations in a coercive persuasion program. A coercive persuasion program can still be quite effective without the presence of ALL seven of these tactic types.
TACTIC 1. The individual is prepared for thought reform through increased suggestibility and/or "softening up," specifically through hypnotic or other suggestibility-increasing techniques such as: A. Extended audio, visual, verbal, or tactile fixation drills; B. Excessive exact repetition of routine activities; C. Decreased sleep; D. Nutritional restriction.
Does Landmark use Tactic one? Check.
TACTIC 2. Using rewards and punishments, efforts are made to establish considerable control over a person's social environment, time, and sources of social support. Social isolation is promoted. Contact with family and friends is abridged, as is contact with persons who do not share group-approved attitudes. Economic and other dependence on the group is fostered. (In the forerunner to coercive persuasion, brainwashing, this was rather easy to achieve through simple imprisonment.)
Does Landmark use Tactic two? Check.
TACTIC 3. Disconfirming information and nonsupporting opinions are prohibited in group communication. Rules exist about permissible topics to discuss with outsiders. Communication is highly controlled. An "in-group" language is usually constructed.
Does Landmark use Tactic Three? Check. This is one I'm sure Mark has to rationalize greatly.
TACTIC 4. Frequent and intense attempts are made to cause a person to re-evaluate the most central aspects of his or her experience of self and prior conduct in negative ways. Efforts are designed to destabilize and undermine the subject's basic consciousness, reality awareness, world view, emotional control, and defense mechanisms as well as getting them to reinterpret their life's history, and adopt a new version of causality.
Does Landmark use Tactic four? OH DEFINITELY Check.
TACTIC 5. Intense and frequent attempts are made to undermine a person's confidence in himself and his judgment, creating a sense of powerlessness.
Does Landmark use Tactic Five? Triple Check. It's called the Tear Down and Buildup... They tear you down and build you back up and make believe they helped.
TACTIC 6. Nonphysical punishments are used such as intense humiliation, loss of privilege, social isolation, social status changes, intense guilt, anxiety, manipulation and other techniques for creating strong aversive emotional arousals, etc.
Does Landmark use Tactic six? Check.
TACTIC 7. Certain secular psychological threats [force] are used or are present: That failure to adopt the approved attitude, belief, or consequent behavior will lead to severe punishment or dire consequence, (e.g. physical or mental illness, the reappearance of a prior physical illness, drug dependence, economic collapse, social failure, divorce, disintegration, failure to find a mate, etc.).
Does Landmark use Tactic seven? Check.
On top of all that. they use aggressive marketing and prostelyzation to increase their membership through trusted colleages and family members in order to have an automatic in with which they can use to immediately begin with the above tactics.
There's no question that Landmark is a dangerous and potentially harmful organization. My father was a Scientologist, and so I have some personal experience speaking with someone who attended a pay-for-self-help group. He spent a good deal of money before ever finding out about the whole alien-xenu thing and left with a quickness. (He's actually now a Libertarian and despises scientology as complete quackpottery)
I hope Mark can realize this same thing and how worthless Landmark is before he ends up blowing more money into this group of fraudulent theives.