cult stuff update
I've had another breakthrough in my research, but it's much less dramatic than the ones earlier this year, because it's about related movements rather than the cult itself.
Turns out the "emotional intelligence" curriculum at Cult School was based on the intensive group movement: T-groups (training groups), encounter groups, sensitivity training, laboratory training, and various related "intensive group procedures" which grew out of the Human Potential Movement in the mid-20th century. These intensive groups were heavily criticised from the 60s until their decline in popularity; they were typically pseudo-therapeutic, but did not require supervision from a therapist because they were not officially marketing themselves as a mental health treatment. ("Therapy for normals" was a common description.) There was significant concern about "casualties" of these groups: people whose mental health suffered long-term harm related to their participation, even if they only did it once.
Ours were shorter, but they happened every week. Attendance wasn't enough; active participation was mandatory. Other programs within the school gathered our personal information to be used in the intensive groups. Confidentiality was always promised, but not always delivered.
It was far from the worst creation of the intensive group movement. Its darkest timeline (so to speak) was the "Synanon game" and so-called "attack therapy" that would become central to a number of cults and high-control institutions, including much of the present-day troubled teen industry. The school I attended was nowhere near as aggressive as Synanon and not as intense as TTI programs, though it shared some techniques with the latter.
That's it for now. Feel free to ask if you have any questions; I appreciate the opportunity to share what I've learned.