jon atack, family and friends
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jon atack, along with his son sam, present a series of educational podcasts on how to spot, avoid, and overcome unethical manipulation of all kinds - from destructive cults and abusive relationships, to advertising, groupthink, bullying and more. join us in our hope to create a world where people are taught from infancy to stand up for their rights, look deeper into what they're being told, and to question everything!
from time to time we will also be sharing "lighter" fare - podcasts on art, music, and literature, featuring jon's younger son dan on guitar, sam's amazing paper sculpture.
Become a Paid Subscriber: https://anchor.fm/jon-atack-family--friends/subscribe
jon atack, along with his son sam, present a series of educational podcasts on how to spot, avoid, and overcome unethical manipulation of all kinds - from destructive cults and abusive relationships, to advertising, groupthink, bullying and more. join us in our hope to create a world where people are taught from infancy to stand up for their rights, look deeper into what they're being told, and to question everything!
from time to time we will also be sharing "lighter" fare - podcasts on art, music, and literature, featuring jon's younger son dan on guitar, sam's amazing paper sculpture.
189 Episodes
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Jon and Dustin share some positive ideas about AI and a few cyber security tips to keep Scientology agents out of your computer.
Links:
Dustin's website
Dustin's dissertation
Pew Research Center survey on Americans' views of AI
Article mentioning improved performance on the International Mathematics Olympiad qualifying exam
AI Medical licensing exam performance
ChatGPT passing the bar exam
MIT Technology review article mentioning Magic: the Gathering is the most complex game
MIT Technology review article mentioning Go players and game programmers underestimating when Go would fall to AI (see notes)
AlphaGo the movie
Notes:
AGI prediction survey citation - Müller, V. C., & Bostrom, N. (2016). Future progress in artificial intelligence: A survey of expert opinion. Fundamental issues of artificial intelligence, 555-572.
Spike disagrees that the cyber-truck looks like a Lego car as she thinks all Lego cars are adorable.
Jon and Spike continue their discussion on Hubbard, ritual magick, the slaves that Hubbard made, and the slaves still kept captive by Scientology to this day.
Links:
Survey of atheists who believe in the supernatural
More on the four humors
Hubbard's oldest son, L. Ron Jr., aka "Nibs," once said, "The same man who gave the magick to Hitler gave it to Ron Hubbard." Is this an accurate assessment of Scientology? Jon and Spike talk about this and about ritual magick, Nazism, Theosophy, and other subjects. It's a wild ride and you'll want to listen in.
Links:
The Shrinking World of L. Ron Hubbard
Read the Paper, Never Believe a Hypnotist
The Clearwater hearings
The New York Times best-seller list was topped by Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health almost forty years after it was first published through Jefferson Hawkins' marketing savvy. A turgid, repetitive, contradictory text, whose own author labelled its method 'hypnotic' only a year after release, reached the top of the most significant book list because Jeff ignored everything Hubbard had to say about marketing.
Jeff was in Scientology for almost forty years. He worked directly with Ron Hubbard and with David Miscavige and the famous names of the original Sea Org, including Captain Bill Robertson, David Mayo and Yvonne Gillham-Jentzsch. Jeff talks about his journey through Scientology and shares insights gleaned from his long experience.
Buy Jefferson's books here
Thanksgiving brought gratitude to Dr Moffic's attention. As he points out, gratitude is an important aspect of our psychological health. The good doctor asks if gratitude is relevant to cult involvement. Perhaps sociopathy can be seen as a lack of gratitude?
Note:
From Abraham Lincoln Online:
"Prior to this, each state scheduled its own Thanksgiving holiday at different times, mainly in New England and other Northern states. President Lincoln responded to Mrs. Hale's request immediately, unlike several of his predecessors, who ignored her petitions altogether. In her letter to Lincoln she mentioned that she had been advocating a national thanksgiving date for 15 years as the editor of Godey's Lady's Book. George Washington was the first president to proclaim a day of thanksgiving, issuing his request on October 3, 1789, exactly 74 years before Lincoln's."
Links:
Zimbardo's Heroic Imagination Project
The Mendota Study
Madam Blavatsky was a fascinating woman. She travelled throughout Europe, the Middle East, India and the US gathering every last secret from the Sufi, Sikh, Masonic and Rosicrucian groups she met and published them in her Secret Doctrine.
Many groups have their origins in her work - including Theosophy, Anthroposophy, the Church Universal and Triumphant, various American fascist groups, and the Ordo Templi Orientis which gave birth to Scientology. The Nazis used her ludicrous Aryan Race Theory to justify the murder of millions. However, most contemporary fascists don't understand just how bizarre those ideas are. Joe and Jon set about straightening the record.
Jon has a few things on his mind about the connection between Scientology, the Nazis, and the occult. Was L. Ron Hubbard Jr. right when he said that his father “was given the magic by the same person who gave it to Hitler"? Just what is the link between the Nazis and Scientology?
Read Jon's paper, Possible Origins of Dianetics and Scientology
or watch the videos:
part one
part two
And read Jon's paper, Hubbard and the Occult
or watch the video
And find out about why medieval knights fought snails in the margins of manuscripts
#scientologycult #occult #theosophy
Spike's been researching movies and TV shows featuring "cults" and has found an ... ahem... interesting pattern. Join Jon and Spike as they discuss the good, the bad, and the just plain cringe.
Explore the pressing question of our time: How do we counter authoritarianism without falling into dogma ourselves? In this thought-provoking conversation, John Atack and Jeremy Sherman tackle the rise of absolutist movements, the role of irony and curiosity in challenging dogma, and the existential challenges facing humanity in an increasingly complex world.
🔹 From the psychology of Trumpism to the allure of simplistic solutions
🔹 The "anti-dogma dogma" and the search for strategic humility
🔹 How imagination and rationality can be tools for growth—or traps
🔹 The dangers of escapism in the age of AI and social polarization
This one-hour journey combines wit, wisdom, and a candid exploration of the human condition. Don't miss this chance to think critically, challenge assumptions, and join the conversation about the future of democracy and humanity. 🌍✨
links:
for hopeful, expert comment see Lawrence O'Donnell
and Lawrence Tribe
and to see a goat singing
#JohnAtack #JeremySherman #Absolutism #Democracy #Irony #election2024 #trumppresidency #maga #cultoftrump #trump
As a member of Dustin's PhD committee, Jon became familiar with his research into public awareness of psychological manipulation. Dustin describes the motivation for his work and the survey he used to estimate public understanding of manipulation. This breakthrough research will hopefully encourage other graduate students to work in this vastly under-researched area.
Links:
Dustin's dissertation
The article Dustin mentions about the catfishing victim
Hoyt shares his experience as a long term member of a group with a base in astrology. He was recruited at age 16. He studied at Princeton University and became internationally successful but stayed in the group for 20 years. Why do we accept conspiracy theories and magical ideas? To what extent do limitations in perception and interpretation inhibit our reasoning. A discussion about authority, certainty and authenticity.
Links:
A Painful Reminder
For more on the "Angel and Devil on the Shoulder" trope
Dr Ethan Russo has been involved in cannabis research for many years. He dispels some of the myths and talks about recent breakthroughs in the treatment of anxiety and dementia. Dr Russo focuses on current research into limonene and cannabigerol. A fascinating conversation with a true expert.
Links:
Ethan's site: https://ethanrusso.org
Acute effects of cannabigerol on anxiety, stress, and mood
https://ethanrusso.org/acute-effects-of-cannabigerol-on-anxiety-stress-and-mood-a-double%E2%80%91blind-placebo%E2%80%91controlled-crossover-field-trial/
Vaporized D-limonene selectively mitigates the acute anxiogenic effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in healthy adults who intermittently use cannabis
https://ethanrusso.org/vaporized-d-limonene-selectively-mitigates-the-acute-anxiogenic-effects-of-δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-in-healthy-adults-who-intermittently-use-cannabis/
PISA tables https://www.oecd.org/en/about/programmes/pisa.html
Jeremy is anxious to prevent a dissociation death spiral in our culture. We explore further his approach to Trump supporters and Jon offers some portmanteau words - Jeremy's speciality - including Magavellian, utopiates and fascilitators.
Links:
Jeremy's videos:
"Ruin A Trumpist's Day The Nice Way"
and "How to Stage Interventions With Trump Addicts"
The social science that supports our work with cults has been questioned in the last decade. We discuss the complaints about Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment, Stanley Milgram's Yale shock machine studies, and Sherif's Robbers Cave Experiment.
Note: this was recorded a few days before Dr. Zimbardo passed. He was truly a titan of our field and will be sorely missed.
Links:
Dr. Zimbardo's Heroic Imagination project
At the center of 'Veneer Theory': Are people fundamentally good or evil?
Jane Eliott's brown-eyed/ blue-eyed study on racism
Muzafer Sherif's Robbers Cave Experiment
A Painful Reminder
#Zimbardo
Many of us in the counter-cult world are alarmed at the prospect of a Trump presidency. Trump has proved himself to be an authoritarian. His following accept the vague promises of greatness and the lack of policy, despite hundreds of leading Republicans declaring for Harris.
Buy the NEW edition of Steven Hassan's Cult of Trump!
Spike joins Jon to discuss the books, movies, and documentaries that can help people wean themselves from Scientology's problematic beliefs. Please leave your own viewing/reading recommendations in the comments below!
As always, please be kind and respectful of others' viewpoints.
Links:
Jon on Andrew Gold
Jon on LadBible
Secret Lives: L. Ron Hubbard
The Shrinking World of L. Ron Hubbard
Scientology: Inside the Cult (featuring 1980's Jon!)
Captive Minds
Stolen Youth (on Hulu)
Steven Hassan's interview with Larry Ray Cult survivor Daniel Barban Levin
Spike's Cialdini infographic poster
The Getting Clear videos on our channel
NOTE: Spike misspoke; it's only videos 1 & 2 that we have here
The Getting Clear Toronto 2015 conference for rent on Vimeo
Spike's story, also known as "Toledo, Tarot & Trouble"
And one last bit of penguin paraphernalia
in his "How to roll trolls and stump Trumpists", Jeremy has outlined his own approach to disappointing Trump's followers. Jeremy lays out his fascinating analysis of the 'herobot' the follower who avoids self-doubt by attaching to the 'dumbergogue' Trump. As usual, Jeremy is eloquent and spills over with ideas that will make you smart. Jon suggests an approach to deconverting Trumpsters. Watch for some excited moments as we find that far from playing three-dimensional chess, Donald Trump is simply eating the pieces.
Christian is an expert on those groups most often called 'cults'. He explains his own less emotive description of such groups. As usual, Christian dispenses with psychobabble and offers a useable and useful model for the better understanding of the 'cult' experience.
Spike's note: Zoom cut this discussion a bit short; we apologize for the abrupt ending.
Spike's other note: usually there are links to these talks; there were none this time. So enjoy this short video of my budgies playing with some string.
https://youtu.be/79A1sCrTy-M?si=3KGpE2ehBNI9Mor1
Belief doesn't simply evaporate when we leave a group. Hoyt and Jon talk about their own experiences on the road to claiming authority for their own beliefs. Jon suggests an easy way to kickstart the process. To the outside world, Hoyt seemed to exemplify success - a sports star, Princeton graduate who earned a fortune as the first man ever called a supermodel. In reality, his life was a mess of anxiety keeping to the cult's rules and giving millions to the leader. After years of turmoil, Hoyt has become a successful actor and documentarian.
Links:
Jon's book, Opening Our Minds
The Big Picture - Rethinking Dyslexia
Allegre’s Miserere
Secret Lives: L. Ron Hubbard
and another documentary on Scientology featuring 1980's Jon:
Scientology: Inside the Cult
Chris Kilham talks about a lifetime searching the world for health-giving plants. Not only has he travelled across continents and helped to establish local production, he has also been consulted by many pharmaceutical companies that are finally moving towards the use of tried and tested natural remedies. Chris talks about his own legal cannabis crop, the mind-altering aspects of chocolate, lemon balm as a safe calming agent and his upcoming trip to the Champagne region to see the extraction of medicine from grape seeds.
Links:
Chris' website
the Report of the India Hemp Drugs Commission
Roman Vishniac's photography
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just did a quick review. Rinder does 15% of the talking, and he is being interviewed for his new book, while the interviewer, John, speaks 85%.. absurd