a thoughtful web.
Good ideas and conversation. No ads, no tracking.   Login or Take a Tour!
comment by thenewgreen
thenewgreen  ·  4250 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Eyewitness view into Scientology

Glad you came back to reality 2814, I imagine it wasn't easy. I think we have to step back once in a while and acknowledge that we are all motivated by two things recognition and the herd mentality. Some are more so than others but almost everyone, at least a little bit is motivated by these things. Sounds like they play in to this, but really .. most religions do.





2814  ·  4250 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Absolutely. I remember sitting there, thinking, "it's all the same little routine." Play on common vulnerability and offer a path to relief... in a comfortable setting. It makes me think that skeptics and the critically self-aware should just have a lot more pot lucks and run all these jokers out of town!

thenewgreen  ·  4250 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I know this guy named Mindwolf that does just that! Any chance you are in Michigan? He is the founder of Michigan Skeptics. From what I've gathered it's sort of like a pot-luck with an emphasis on beer and great conversation.

It's not just religion though, it's the majority of marketing. -Think insurance sales or even main stream media. "Tonight at 11, are crayons secretly killing your baby"? -Scare and then reassure. Okay, now I'm getting mad ;-)

2814  ·  4250 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Using language and aesthetics to manipulate human drives seems like dirty play, IMO, yet it's so pervasive. Beware, the monolith of influence!

And sadly, I'm not even close to Michigan. I'm actually moving back to TX soon, and luckily, there is a skeptics group I left there a few years ago, that was getting into a good groove of libation and discourse! I can't wait to see how it has grown!

thenewgreen  ·  4250 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Cool, it sounds like you have a good plan. I tried to join a skeptics group here in NC but I only found an atheist group and that's just a step further than I'd like to go.

Good luck with the move!