Everything Seems To Be Up-In-The-Air At This Point

Boy - for a time and place that's said to have been going fine and dandy - I sure can find a whole bunch of "looks like a cult" newspaper-type columns out there:

"The video is weird almost beyond belief, and it makes Google appear like a cult in the rigidity of the doctrines held and inculcated by its leadership. At one point, everyone is instructed to hug the person next to him, as at a human-potential movement weekend. It’s enough to make a reasonable person of moderate temperament gag."

And - Hey! - I'm now "a reasonable person of moderate temperament" - while y'all are weirdos, still awaiting your "Oh shit, it's a cult!" moment. Now THAT'S new!

The Meringue Of Manipulation Is Dead

"She brought charm, energy and an iron will to her task, wrapped in the feel-good language of what would become the human potential movement. Her copyrighted mantra ('I’m glad I’m here. I’m glad you’re here. ...') helped clients to project, in sequence, 'the vibe of joy,' 'the vibe of concern' and 'the vibe of authority.' ...She managed to combine the high tone of a traditional finishing school with the brand-building ethos of corporate consultancy.

...She told writers to mention the title of their book at least five to seven times in every interview, which means that her legacy can be measured precisely by watching 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' and 'Today.'"

-- William Grimes, in an obituary for Dorothy Sarnoff - "a pioneer of the Self-Help Movement" - which TMR found embarrassing to read, in The New York Times.