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Fiasco: My Landmark Education Experience
April 3rd, 2008
Saturday morning I got up early kissed the kids, stopped by 7/11 for a cup of coffee and drove into a slumbering San Francisco to get to know the Landmark Education crew. As I expected they were all glowing smiles as I entered. When I didn’t find my badge at the entry hall I asked a staff member - an older gentleman - where I could locate it. He replied “oh you’re Mr. Burke, we need to talk.” He then pulled me over into a corner and informed me that because I missed Friday they would not let me continue. “It’s like taking a class on how to build an airpline but missing day 1,” he explained.
Now I have attended as many events any the next guy and more often than not I miss time either at the start or the end of an event. When I read about Landmark I was sure that there must be low attendance on Friday as most people have jobs and then then file in for the weekend sessions. Landmark, however, doesn’t seem to correlate to other events.
“But,” I responded, “your Web site says that attending all hours of the event is recommended. It doesn’t say anything about mandatory hours?” “That’s correct” he just said and then stared me down with no further explanation. I understand from reading reviews of Landmark Forums that there are sessions where people practice staring into each others eyes for up to 20 minutes so I had the feeling I would lose badly in a stare down. I did ask him if we was sure I could not just sit in to observe, and he shut me down with a “that’s not possible.”
When I asked what the suggested I do, the staffer told me that I should reschedule and plan to take time off from work next time around.
As I drove back home I felt the short experience was very odd. I felt as I’ve I’d been barred from the gates of heaven by the true believers due to my irresponsability. This is hard to swallow as I was responsability working on Friday, rather than calling in sick as I imagine many Landmark attendees do.
So there you have it. What should have been extensive blogging about an intense weekend has been reduced to this. My applologies to readers and commentors who may have been looking forward to more.
8 Responses to “Fiasco: My Landmark Education Experience”
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April 4th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
After seeing my best friend/roommate turn into a sobbing mess, who hates all of her friends and family - be glad that you weren’t granted access to this crazy organization. She was a very well-rounded and successful woman at 7am last Friday morning, as she set off to her Landmark course. She, as with most people are simply looking for ways to better themselves and increase their education - to broaden their horizons. Well, I can’t say that that happened. I have been supportive in asking questions and inquiring as to where to get more information to better educate myself on this program. She isn’t ‘permitted’ to reveal what happens in that room, so answers are pretty vague and I am told that I need to go to the sessions to experience it for myself. I called the nearest centre to ask the questions, that my friend isn’t allowed to answer, and they laughed, because only positive results have EVER come from Landmark sessions. Hmmm, apparently of the 4 people I spoke with, none of them have ever used google… If you ‘google’ Landmark, you will be inundated with information, testimonies from people that have experienced the full sessions - as well as their families/friends. You will regularly find the word ‘Cult’ appear.
The Landmark Education group - in a matter of 3 weeks - has sucked $2,190 out of my roommate, to be able to continue in her newfound religion, and to recruit new minions. She now feels, after 8 years of being as close as sisters, that we need to ‘invent the possibility of a comfortable and genuine relationship between us.’ Come again - I thought we had that already?! She no longer trusts the family and friends that have loved and supported her all her life. The only people she trusts and claims to be in her support circle are the other members of the Landmark Forum. After a 3.5 day course, she now considers those people to be the ones that she would trust her life to.
I am a professional in the advertising/marketing/public relations industry. The most effective form of advertising is word-of-mouth. Why, if Landmark is so monumental in changing people’s lives, would they ‘forbid’ their members to explain what happens in the sessions? Shouldn’t they all be singing the praises of this phenomenal program? Why is everyone sworn to secrecy?
This program has had very detrimental results on a very smart, strong, successful, mid-thirties woman. To anyone considering joining this legion, please be forewarned. Do as much research as possible. This may well be a program that produces positive results for some, but there are thousands that have had incredibly negative.
April 4th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
I completely agree with you, Jean. After hearing about “The Forum” from several people who have been there, I did some research on it. It’s no different, in my opinion, than Scientology or any other belief system that claims to have all the answers AND seeks to enroll you in course after course after course, each one costing more money than the next.
I actually went to a recruitment session/graduation and only made it about halfway through the three hours before I literally ran out in frustration. Scared the absolute hell out of me to see so many seemingly smart people claiming that their lives had completely changed in a matter of days. Landmark basically asks you to throw reason out the window and start speaking their language without any introspection. They aren’t licensed therapists, and as someone who works with people with fragile mental health states, I find it despicable that this company manipulates people’s insecurities for profits. Landmark may give you a high after 3 days of intense sessions (brainwashing ain’t too strong of a word) but it sets people up for a harsh fall after they confront really heavy issues. (Don’t you wonder why the three days are all from 9 in the morning until ten in the evening with few breaks? Don’t you wonder why they give you “homework” after each day? It’s because they DON’T want you to have any time for reflection. That would break the little spell that comes over you…those waves of “breakthroughs” you’re experiencing.)
They also have a long, sordid history of suing the bejesus out of anyone who disagrees with them. The Electronic Frontier Foundation and Google both fought back against Landmark and won. France effectively booted them out of the country due to their use of “volunteers” and not paying the majority of their employees.
I’m all for free choice, but for anyone who thinks that Landmark is some sort of magical pill that makes everything better (such as the people I watched in The Forum saying over and over things like, “I got my wife back!” or “I got my life back!”) I would suggest that they do a little more research. Anything that is too good to be true usually isn’t. What Landmark is doing is NOT education. It’s manipulation for profit. What scares me is that they now have a program for kids and teens, and parents who send their kids to this sort of thing really ought to have their own heads examined.
In any case, Landmark Education is simply not telling the truth.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
As someone who has done the Landmark Forum and gotten a lot out of it, I find it amusing to read the bizarre and paranoid rantings of folks who haven’t done the course and believe all that cult crap. They probably also believe that Barack Obama is a Muslim terrorist. People aren’t “allowed” to say what goes on? How do people make this stuff up? What goes on in the course isn’t mysterious–It’s a personal growth seminar, plain and simple, about seeing new possibilities in life that you didn’t see before. What’s so sinister about that?
I also find it sort of odd that Jon was surprised that it was recommended to him that he not do the course after missing the first day. If I ever showed up at a college course after missing the first third of it, I would never be allowed in.
April 11th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Hmmm … what a shame. I was really looking forward to some acerbic wit (and information too) on the event.
As a confirmed sceptic, I am highly critical of anything that would claim to change a person’s life in a very short space of time but, on the other hand, I suppose some information does have a marked effect and that, in turn, can create a transformation.
Anyway, hope this can be rearranged … now I am very curious
April 16th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
I actually did the Landmark Forum and there is no question for me that it made a big difference for me and my family. Like many of the people who have commented on this post, I heard all the negative stuff and did my own research on the web. Having done the program, I learned that almost none of the stuff on the web is true. It was a great course that makes a real difference for people who are up to something in their life.
That being said, it is not for everyone. It is for people who have things that they want to accomplish in life. That is not everyone.
The other thing is that people come out of the course and want to make a difference for other people. Here is a case in point:
http://www.realchangenews.org/2008/2008_04_02/triphome_v15n15.html
April 17th, 2008 at 5:54 am
Thanks to all for sharing their experience and don´t worry Jon; we will wait until the next forum to read your thougths. =D
April 22nd, 2008 at 2:03 pm
The Landmark Forum is one of the most powerful courses on the planet. I was a total cynic I actually attended. People in my life told me about the Forum & I still resisted taking action. After about 8 months, I got authentic with myself & realized the people in my life that were recommending the Forum to me also happened to be the people that were getting the results out of life I desired. I took the Landmark Forum in August 2003.
It has been one one of the most powerful courses I have ever attended. I learned more from Friday - Tuesday evening than I learned in all my years of college. Period. I now recommend it to others in my life. The “tangible” results coming out of the Forum have been a drastic sustainable increase in my business overall.
I hate it for you that you missed. My “opinionated” advise is to contact the center & request to take the next one, even if that requires you to go to a center out of town.
I’d like to thank the people that have left unexperienced opinion here for the many hardy chuckles.
June 3rd, 2008 at 1:11 pm
internet marketing…
internet marketing…