# "Landmark Forum" / "Landmark Education" -- what is it, any experiences? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 25, 2003, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landmark-forum-landmark-education-what-is-it-any-experiences/197517 "2003-08-25T14:20:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landmark-forum-landmark-education-what-is-it-any-experiences/197517/1 "2003-08-25T14:20:06Z")
My friend wants me to ask you all whether you have any knowledge of something called Landmark Forum or Landmark Education. She says it has some kind of relationship to est. Specifically she wants to know if it’s some kind of cult and whether people have had personal experiences with it. She went to some sort of session last weekend and liked it, but wants more info before she proceeds with whatever it is. She’s into some new-agey stuff, so I think she’s not asking from a really scientific perspective, she just wants to know if it’s total mind-control or has some kind of legitimacy (albeit new-agey). ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landmark-forum-landmark-education-what-is-it-any-experiences/197517/2 "2003-08-25T14:46:31Z")
I have a friend who has been involved for some years (here in Australia). She seems mostly okay, but has lost most of her friends trying to recruit them. She’s worked for Landmark for no money, and she’s married a fellow traveller. She _has_ retained sufficient judgement not to approach me or Mrs hawthorne. She now has a normal job. Her husband seems fine. She maintains contact with her family. But I remain a little concerned about her, and I knew this would be an “is it?” thread. The small amount of digging I’ve done suggests is that it’s certainly **not** a full-on “call the deprogrammers” cult but just a little concerning, particularly where a timetable for continued involvement is concerned. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landmark-forum-landmark-education-what-is-it-any-experiences/197517/3 "2003-08-25T14:59:40Z")
It’s EST without the abuse, supposedly a refinement of the techniques of confrontation “pioneered” by Werner Earhardt. Here is some info: [http://www.caic.org.au/psyther/landmark/est1.htm](http://www.caic.org.au/psyther/landmark/est1.htm) I went to The Forum in NYC precisely because I heard it was a cult and thought it might be interesting to see firsthand. I couldn’t stand it and had to leave after the first day (even though I considered myself an observer). I was blocked at the door by 8 people who were pretty damn persistent in trying to get me to stay. Finally I had to say “If you don’t get out of my way, I’ll move you out of my way.” There is nothing disturbing or even controversial about the content, I just couldn’t stomach being in a roomful of people who were so suggestible. Once you do the introductory weekend there is an endless series of programs - you get the drift. The people who have gone through a series of programs are nearly unintelligible because Landmark has created it’s own vocabulary and it’s very creepy. Most people just go through the introductory weekend and the majority of people would say that they get something out of it. It’s not a religious cult but it does use techniques of brainwashing to breakdown resistances though in it’s defense that’s the entire point of the exercise. IMO you’d have to be pretty weak-minded to be either totally for it or totally against it. ---
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2003, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/landmark-forum-landmark-education-what-is-it-any-experiences/197517/4 "2003-08-25T15:40:48Z")
I did it. There are definitely cultish aspects to it. OTOH, it also has something valuable to impart to you. I’m very glad I did it, and equally glad I didn’t pursue it further.