--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb <no_reply@...> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "feste37" <feste37@> wrote: > > > > I remember talking to one woman whose boyfriend took > > a Sterling course in Fairfield. She said that before > > the course he was a perfectly normal, pleasant guy, > > but after the course he became a complete asshole. > > Color me not surprised. :-) > > Like men need TRAINING to be assholes?
Still the best commentary ever on the "Man's Movement" (or at least one aspect of it), as delivered by Tom Cruise (hey, I know you don't like him, but he *has* done good work, and he was nominated for an Oscar for this performance, possibly for doing little more than acting like the asshole he is in real life), in "Magnolia." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n2IVF9a2IA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCEYxs7kWmQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-q__knBahs > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "seekliberation" <seekliberation@> > > wrote: > > > > > > ahhh, the whole sterling men's group cult that started back in the 90's. > > > I remember that whole thing (I think it's still going). I ended up going > > > to the 'weekend seminar' that is the basis of the whole group. It's > > > actually valuable if you've been raised like a modern american male > > > (irresponsible, immature, unable to transition from boyhood to manhood, > > > etc...). The whole weekend is about a lot of things, but primarily what > > > I got out of it is a view of how weak and pathetic men are becoming > > > decade after decade in America. It was a kind of eye-opening experience > > > for me, and i'm thankful for it. Othwerwise, I do believe I would've > > > continued in life with a lot of perpetual abandonment of responsibility > > > and growth that is often justified by modern American males to avoid > > > altogether. > > > > > > However, the whole sterling men's group turned into a 'cult within a > > > cult'. Not only were the men from Fairfield mostly meditators, but now > > > they're a part of another new 'paradigm-shifting' group. I found that a > > > lot of the men in that group were doing a lot of superficial things that > > > were just NOT a part of their character. It was usually to display some > > > masculinity or manliness. There were so many of them that would all of a > > > sudden try acting tough, though they never were tough their entire life. > > > The intensity of their recruiting efforts was borderline psychotic. I > > > honestly believe that only a sociopath could remain in that group without > > > any serious conflict with others. Many men who were part of it > > > eventually drifted away due to the same perceptions that I had of it. > > > However, we all agreed it (the weekend seminar) changed our lives for the > > > better. > > > > > > The funny part about it is that eventually the Head Honcho of all > > > nationwide Sterling groups (Justin Sterling) made an executive decision > > > to disband the group from Fairfield from being an official representation > > > of the 'Sterling Men's Group'. I'm not sure why, but I think that the > > > leader of the whole gig felt that something was seriously wrong with the > > > men's group from Fairfield in comparison to other groups in the rest of > > > the nation. He was probably right. A lot of these men were fanatics > > > about TM, or some other form of spirituality or new-agism. And if you > > > take someone like that and latch them onto another belief system, it's > > > like the fanatacism goes through the roof. > > > > > > All that being said, I do agree that the weekend has changed some > > > people's lives, but I would strongly recommend avoiding the group > > > activities that come afterward (unless you really enjoy it). It was a > > > major pain in the ass when I announced to the group that I didn't want > > > anything to do with them anymore. It's worse than trying to tell a > > > military recruiter that you changed your mind�..literally. > > > > > > seekliberation > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "seventhray27" <steve.sundur@> > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > I am guessing that this is carry over from the "Mens" movement thing > > > > from some time ago. Was it Sterling, or something? I guess I could > > > > look it up. But I remember someone from Fairfield, put one of my good > > > > friends from here in St. Louis to recruit me, or invite me to > > > > participate or something. It was awkward for him, and it was awkward > > > > for me. But the Fairfield guy employed all the high pressure tactics > > > > you use to sell something. My friend and I were at my house and the FF > > > > guy was doing his thing on the phone. But then, as now, I didn't care > > > > to get recruited to a new group. > > > > > > > > And truthfully, I still have resentment for that guy for his blatant > > > > manipulation. He just wouldn't take no for an answer. > > > > > > > > Who knows, maybe I could have benefited from it. > > > > > > > > > >