THINK ABOUT IT
The Landmark Forum
Landmark Statements Examined
All of the following statements are quotes from the Landmark Education Website.
1. "It allows people who are already successful in their lives to create something that is truly extraordinary." It really means: "We do not train losers or people in distress". From what I’ve witnessed, this is not exactly true. All the witnesses were in fact successful in their jobs or studies, but it’s hard calling having marital problems "successful living".
2. "Each day begins at 9:00 AM and ends about midnight. Breaks are approximately every three hours, and there is a 90-minute meal break each day." This is not your average day of study is it? A customary break is every 45 minutes. And people are supposed to eat three times a day.
3. "In The Landmark Forum, we have an opportunity to look into our formulas for success, and discover the origin of our identity." Wow, that’s two claims in a row! Pity they don’t relate. Still, there is a rather attractive promise here for success and reach for identity. In three days, imagine!
4. "In creating a future, we discover in The Landmark Forum how powerful taking a stand can be in having possibilities be brought into reality." "Creating a future" in an appeal to escapism. If that future never comes as planned, do the Landmark people care, or is there a 100% success rate?". Of course, by "taking a stand", they don’t mean: "Stand up for you opinions", opinions like "I think the Landmark Forum is brainwashing bullshit!". This is, again, jargon. It means: "Separate yourself from everyday reality".
5. "Instead of having things be just "what happened," we assign meanings, interpretations and explanations to them." In other words, this seems like: "Do judge a book by its cover"! For example, beneath the surface, the Forum is a company which sells a product with very little investment, or is this just my interpretation and the Forum is really a door to heaven’s gate?
6. "...The Forum proposes that our world and the reality we know is largely malleable and can actually be created and altered through language." Again, escapism. It’s actually our perception which defines our subjective viewpoint. But then again, it’s easier to alter language than perception. I’d go even further and claim that "Our reality shapes our language" and not the other way around.
7. "THE FUTURE, NOT THE PAST, SHAPES OUR REALITY" And what an uppercase statement it is. Escapism, third time around. I, for one, argue that it’s actually the PRESENT which shapes our reality.
8. "The men and women who lead The Landmark Forum are extensively trained senior program directors of Landmark Education Corporation." This means that those people are not qualified in any known field to the academia. They are not necessarily psychologists, or medical doctors or philosophers, or anything! But then again, if we accept that the Forum is the best thing for us, then what better qualified personnel is there but Landmark trained experts?
9. Clearly the Landmark leaders never really thought that the Forum can be enough. So they created the advanced courses: "The Advanced Course starts where The Forum left off. The Advanced Course gives participants the tools for creating a future that is informed by the past but not limited or restricted by it.", "The Landmark Self-Expression and Leadership Program is designed to empower participants in the authentic expression of themselves." and also "Landmark provides another 25 courses, workshops and seminars". But if, as Landmark claims, people express themselves better and create better futures for themselves just by attending the Forum (which is the basic course), why is there a need for more of the same stuff? May I suggest "money milking"? No wonder that "In 1996, the corporation had revenues of approximately $44,000,000"!
10. "The programs of Landmark Education are the product of extensive research and development..." By whom, may I ask? No answer in the website.
11. "The Forum provides a technology that enables participants to think and act outside existing views and limits..." They have the technology?! The people who created Steve Austin had the technology. The Landmark people have a technique, perhaps. But then again, when most participants "are very well educated, with 87% indicating some college work, well over half having completed college, and 20% holding postgraduate degrees". Words like "Technology" sound so much better to yuppies...