trb (02/12/83)
Re: ittvax!neiman's request for experience with est I took the est training two years ago and I would say it was worthwhile. I think (and I am told) that I don't have the usual impression of the training, but here are my thoughts... Est training is brainwashing. They have you sit in a room all day after you've agreed to play by their rules. They can manipulate your mind. I agreed to this because I figured that an investment of a bit of time and money that would "improve the quality of my life" would certainly be worthwhile (amortized over the length of my life). I trusted that they wouldn't hurt me because I had friends that had taken the training and I knew I could leave if I so chose, I have never heard of anyone being physically restrained at an est training. Est training is a valuable experience because 300 people deal with their personal problems; you get lots of "life experience points" in a couple of weekends. Est training is bullshit. The trainer isn't their to tell you the truth, he's there to give the training. You are not there to figure it out, you are there to get the training. Look at it this way, if you go somewhere to get a massage, you are not there to understand, you are there to experience. Est is like that. You try to figure it out and it doesn't do you any good. Est training makes people more confident and less inhibited (at least temporarily). If you're ok, you'll be more so after you take the training. If you're an abrasive cretin, you'll be more so after. I found est beneficial because I ended up feeling good about myself for a few reasons. One was that I saw that other people's lives were in MUCH worse shape than mine. Another reason was I came to the conclusion that my approach to life was ok. I didn't really doubt it before, but I doubted it less afterward. I don't like anything about est except the training itself. I don't like the seminars, the jargon, I don't like the stereotype est person, the sales pitch; I just like the training. All this "getting it" stuff is not to be worried about. They don't let you go to the bathroom except during breaks, which is a good thing, because the brainwashing atmosphere must be controlled, and it would be distracting to have people running in and out of the room all day. If you have physical problems with their rules they will deal with them on a case for case basis. Boy, it's kinda strange that people associate est with not going to the bathroom. In summation, the reason I decided to take the training was: I was offered a chance to improve the quality of my life. I had to spend some time and money. I looked at the various results I might achieve on a high level: I spend my time and money on est and get nothing. Well, that's possible, and it's an investment risk, as opposed to: I spend my time and money and improve the quality of my life. This would be well worth it if I live for 50 years. I spend my time and money and improve the quality of my life. If I die soon, it doesn't hurt to have taken the training. Several of my school friends (not air-headed types) had profited from the training, so I thought it was worthwhile. Also, I don't know anyone who had taken the training and not profited from it. You might ask about whether the effects of the training have worn off for me. I think that question is akin to whether the effects of my childhood have worn off for me. To some degree yes, to some degree no. I don't really think it can be quantified, and again, I feel I got my return for my investment. I suggest taking the est training to my friends who ask me if it's worth it. Andy Tannenbaum Bell Labs Whippany, NJ (201) 386-6491