Rick Ross recently posted a comment on his website about me, so that it shows up in searches about me. I am going to address what is implied on his blog about cults. The fact that Rick Ross is the head of a supposed cult awareness group implies that somehow I and my firm are linked to a cult. Rick Ross is a convicted felon who, in my opinion, tries to make a living scaring people into paying him to advise them on how to deal with supposed cults. He has characterized the book “Men Are From Mars and Women Are From Venus,” as cultlike. He also includes Yoga, the Mormon Church, the Amish, Amway, and Herbalife among others on his list.
Below is an excerpt from an article written by a retired Oregon Supreme Court Judge about the use of the internet to destroy people. He cites Ross as a prime example of this behavior. Judge Edward Fadeley:
http://www.todays-woman.net/article-print-1416.html
“…Ross, who claims he’s an expert on cults, religions and any organization he deems potentially harmful, should be held to a higher standard – not a lesser one. Rick Ross is a convicted felon with no degree of any kind. He says so on his own web site. His lack of professional qualifications doesn’t stop Ross from freely labeling credible organizations in the personal development area “worthless” and “faked.” While Ross acknowledges that Landmark Education is definitely not a cult, he nevertheless smears the company through innuendo. Ross also attacks John Gray, author of “Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus,” the Mormon Church and the practice of yoga.
Whether or not you endorse Gray or yoga, the law should protect their rights and demand journalistic standards and accountability.
It’s high time to fill the gap in a system that allows defamation in the blogosphere to go unchecked. The harm can be wide-ranging and devastating. Until the law catches up with technology, innocent parties have little or no protection in the volatile world of cyberspace.”Judge Edward Fadeley is a retired associate justice of the Oregon Supreme Court.
Ross attempts to link me to Landmark Education, which is also on his list. I researched Landmark Education before I took them on as a client. I chose to take on Landmark Education as a client in the role of public relations consultant, given my media background, to help Landmark Education deal with their reputation.(I had been a reporter for United Press International and love media work). I took the Landmark Forum and found it extremely helpful. Rick Ross was sued by Landmark Education. I believe he chose to target me, given my prominence as a spokesperson for them.
Dr. Raymond Fowler, Former Executive Vice President and CEO of the American Psychological Association (the premier association of psychotherapists in the United States), who studied and observed the Landmark Forum, said:
“ In my opinion, the Landmark Forum is not a cult or anything like a cult, and I do not see how any reasonable, responsible person could say that it is.”
In contrast, it is my understanding the Rick Ross has no first hand knowledge of any Landmark program.
I also have worked to expose Nazi war criminals through my work with media. I am not popular with them either.
Article from London Times about Landmark Education
[end]
April 12, 2007 at 12:06 pm
I was beginning to read the above statement unitil it moved toward ad hominem attack against a person and when the accusation was made that Rick Ross has no firsthand knowledge of the Landmark forum. The above fails to note the Rick Ross would indeed have firsthand knowledge of the landmark forum if Landmark would allow a participant to enter the forum WITHOUT a signed waiver to all legal rights in case of injury or persoanl harm during the forum. Also, Rick Ross may be a convicted felon but this knowledge was made available by himself, an act that displays more integrity than those who claim to be experts in self-help as they deconstruct and attempt to ‘resconstruct’ the psyches of unsuspecting participants all the while posing as ‘leaders’ and ‘experts in undisclosed type of education and training.
Obviously the above statement supports Landmark and trashes Ross because the writer has been exposed to and reconstructed by the self appointed ‘experts’ of Landmark. It is with mistaken presumption and exaggerated arrogance to write such statements and expect every reader to absorb the accusations in ’sheep-like’ belief.
May 25, 2007 at 3:32 am
Like humans everywhere, Ross applies his own relative beliefs and worldview to every organization, group, individual, or view of the world. Ideologues everywhere do it. We all are ideologues to some degree. It has become Ross’s life’s work; one could say he is passionate about it.
Maybe he fears that he could be wrong, and that participating in a Landmark training could result in his worldview enlarging or even shifting. Perhaps he himself is brainwashed by a powerful organization or cultural group to believe things that he holds rigidly as truth. Maybe we all are brainwashed by culture itself–part of the “human condition.”
The world is just starting to question the concept of belief and relax the taboos on discussing the source of religious and other cultural norms. And ideologues are hunkering down, claiming to be “under fire.”
Since there is strong evidence that cognitive dissonance occurs with all learning, perhaps there is significant fear involved. I’ve often wondered if really rigid people who form strong opinions and then cling to them in the face of new data might have more problems updating their worldview as new knowledge is diffused.
As children we are taught to be “sheep-like” and then we are encouraged to experiment for ourselves–but not *too* much. It’s not acceptable to question the core beliefs of our parents or those in powerful positions within our churches, schools, governments, or other groups.
Ross has done all of us a favor. He has pointed to some of the ways “cultishness” manifests. What he has failed to do, so far, is acknowledge that all human culture is, in fact cultish. All of our religious organizations, political parties, peer groups, and professional groups exhibit attributes of “cults.” Groups are classified as cults based on their beliefs and actions which are different from those of the focal person and his or her cherished groups.
And to the poster disgust, all learning is deconstructionist/reconstructionist. Introductory college courses teach simple rules, theorems, etc. that people can easily understand. Then, more advanced courses show the exceptions to the rules by deconstructing and reconstructing parts of the whole so it still holds together as a gestalt. Churches and human development courses exemplify this. The 12 steps recovery process of AA, and pop courses designed to guide one to develop a closer relationship to a deity all work the same.
What likely scares people about Landmark is at least some of its training apparently works. People do generally seem to improve their ability to navigate their world through participation. People do learn to avoid–or at least decrease in time and intensity–amygdala hijacks, as Goleman refers to them in “Emotional Intelligence” and Dyer alluded to in “Your Erroneous Zones.” In fact, we are just starting to realize there is a mother lode of new knowledge, and Dr. Phil, Iyanla Vanzant, and others all recognize it and tap into it in their own professional pursuits.
Maybe Rick’s obsession is a Good Thing, because it keeps the conversation alive, and we become more comfortable discussing taboo topics like belief. And maybe Landmark also is a Good Thing, because it invites people to take a look and just acknowledge the everyday unquestioned brainwash we all experience.
I’m a dreamer. I envision a day when all people worldwide are emancipated, where we really do live in peace. Could happen.
June 22, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Landmark is the one afraid, if not why not let him (or anyone else ) take the course and freely say what they want about it? Why do they not fully disclose what they do?
Rick’s obsession is good because it gets the truth out about LE.
August 7, 2007 at 6:53 pm
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September 21, 2007 at 2:19 pm
The internet is a wonderful tool; unfortunately, it’s ease of use allows it to become a tool to promote self-serving agendas, particularly among those who are afraid to think for themselves.
Prospective clients of Mark Kamin & Associates (as well as potential customers of Landmark Education) should review the facts themselves and make their own decisions.
I have been a client and later an employee of MKA and I would trust these people with my life.
October 11, 2007 at 4:47 am
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October 18, 2007 at 5:23 pm
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November 17, 2007 at 10:32 pm
I did Landmark work for many years. EST, the Forus, the 6 day, relationships with Werner Erhard. It is quite cult like I must say!
I don’t care very much for Rick Ross either. But let’s call a spade a spade. The entire Landmark work is designed for people in need to find a home so that the organization can profit. Landmark prays upon the emotional needy and gets them to keep coming back for more-in a highly delendent manner.
I don’t know what the dictionary definition of cult is -but it certanly felt like one. I was glad to break free and squirm whe other try to get me to return. You know that anyone who has done any of the work only wants to get you to do it too.
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