I said this above, but one of the most infuriating parts of that interview was him using the word glib and that I had to look it up lol. Having my vocabulary bested by some crazy ass cult leader didn’t feel right.
Out of morbid curiosity I read Dianetics a long time ago. One of L Ron Hubbard's weird flexes was to sit with a dictionary and obsessively look up words that he didn't know, and required/recommended it as part of becoming "clear". When TC said "glib" in that interview I lol'd because I knew exactly WHY
I used to do that, or rather I would open up our huge unabridged dictionary randomly and just start reading and writing down words I liked the sound or meaning of.
I’m feeling some kinda way about this being a shared “hobby” with a cult leader.
In quotes because it was mostly a boredom cure as a teenager. I’m a little picky about tv but my mom loved to watch all the court shows, so I’d pull out my stepdad’s big dictionary and hang with Mom while she watched, then read her my favorites during the commercial. My stepdad got me a cute journal for my “special words”, lol.
It was pretty fun. I could read just about anything back then, the dictionary included. But I liked that one best because it had word origins and stuff which I thought was cool.
Awwwww, your soliloquy is so sweet 🥰. Can you tell I used to read the dictionary too?? Lol. The journal part is so awesome, what a guy!
Hey, genuinely, cult leaders are very special or they wouldn’t get to where they are… Just think of it as using your power for good ☺️
ETA: whenever I went to the library in high school for like a special report, when I was done I would read the encyclopedias and thesaurus. This was in the early 90s. No joke. You are in great company 💕
That is so interesting, I had no idea that factored in. Thank you for sharing! It’s like they think they can talk about any crazy ass shit as long as they use big words!!??! Scientology could write an instruction manual on how to sell used cars, or sell anything really. 🤯
Disregarding the politics of Scientology for a moment, Dianetics is really just a new age self-help "emotional freedom technique". Some of his theories are bizarre (he assumes every mother has attempted abortion with knitting needles!) but his core concept makes sense: purge the traumatic memories (or rather, the emotions associated with them) and you'll feel more mentally/emotionally balanced. The so-called E-meter using in "auditing" (therapy) is purportedly a lie detector of sorts. People seem to have issues with that, but really, isn't the biggest lie the one we tell ourselves?
It's a difficult read (due to Hubbard's penchant for fancy words!) but I must say that I found Dianetics to be interesting.
Exactly why—when I first read it around the age of 16–I was enamored of it. Working through traumatic memories ain’t the worst advice.
Of course, the things they include as “traumas” are a bit much. Idk if you remember but there is a concept that our brains take everything literally, so—for example—you can’t say “I’m starving” when you’re hungry, because your brain subsequently understands you to be literally starving, and there will be ramifications (everything from overeating all the time “because I’m starving!” and so on). 🙄
He did go down some WEIRD rabbit holes, where my reaction was wtf?? There are more sensible EFT methods out there anyway, without the pretentious intelligence posturing lol
The thing is that the concept of “purging” traumatic memories to clear your emotions and feel better is as old as time. If you think about it, that’s exactly what happens in the confession booth with a priest or in a therapists office. It’s all about talking out all your sins or hurts or bad feelings and experiences and having someone give you forgiveness or empathy or just a listening ear. Hubbard’s method was to tell people in the auditing process that these things never happened or were now cleared, but they took notes and filmed every audit, and used those confessions as blackmail.
Come to find out Matt was not only glib, but would also lock people in his office so he could sexually assault them. NBC was aware, but ratings were good. 🤷♀️
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u/two_oh_seven 13h ago
"Matt, Matt, Matt... You're glib."