Frankly, I do wonder whether if there are other hidden agendas or ulterior motives behind some organization's recruitment processes. When there are intense Deaf politics involved then certainly questions will arise on agendas and/or motives.
# 24. Aggressive Recruiting.
The Oxford Group cult had the slogan:Maybe not "aggressive" recruiting but recruiting does take place nonetheless in the effort to convince new members to join their kind of "deafhood" fold. Doing so would make this recruitment process a political one based on their ideology and are unable to leave the concept alone that a person's journey in life is in fact a deeply personal one. Instead people want to recruit others as way to gain political power rather than discuss this natural evolving process.
"A person isn't completely changed until he changes someone else."
# 25. Deceptive Recruiting.
What you are joining isn't what you think you are joining. And they won't tell you the truth until they've got you, and it is your turn to go recruit others in the same manner.Number 25 explains it from a religious recruiting viewpoint and it does NOT fit here well at all. I don't think I'd call it a "deceptive practice" but rather that agendas or goals end up being much different from what others expected. For example, read up on Mishka Zena's own experience when she decided to leave one Deaf (and not deaf/hh) organization for suggesting it need to become more transparent. And how "deafhood" was reasons why seven core members who either left or were kicked out (and here). Another former member who was also kicked out realized certain agendas affected the recruitment processes on who to accept and who to "kick out." Another former member left after a few years but that resulted a lot of people questioning the reason for leaving. Another one here who was also booted or left on her own because of an internal politics.
A common characteristic of deceptive recruiting is hiding or distorting the truth, and only revealing the truth to prospects and recent converts a little bit at a time.
# 26. No Humor.
# 27. You Can't Tell The Truth.
If you find that you can't tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, when speaking to the group, that you have to censor your own speech, and can only say certain things in order for what you say to be acceptable to the group, then you should strongly consider the idea that you are in the wrong group.See # 25 as well on my response.
A corollary to this is that you can't ask for the whole truth, either.
Another way to say "You can't tell the truth" is "Suppression of Dissent". You are not allowed to disagree with the leaders. You are not allowed to say anything that contradicts the leader or his teachings, even if you are telling the truth. When in doubt, refer to Cult Rules One, Two, and Six:
"1. The Guru is Always Right",
"2. You Are Always wrong", and
"6. Group-think, Suppression of Dissent, and Enforced Conformity in Thinking".
# 28. Cloning — You become a clone of the cult leader or other elder cult members.
# 29. You must change your beliefs to conform to the group's beliefs.
The price of admission to the club is that you must come to believe what they believe. You must also be ready and willing to change your beliefs in an instant, whenever the leader expounds some new doctrine.I do see that conformity is required although the above example pertains to a religious demand which is not the scope here. Certain expectations and requirements are in fact demanded from you.
This one is so obvious that it is easy to overlook. At first glance, you might think, "Isn't that what all religions demand? That you believe what they believe?" Well yes, it is, more or less. But imagine the opposite. If you have a group that does not demand that you change your beliefs to conform to the group's beliefs, then that is very un-cult-like behavior. So it is still relevant.
# 30. The End Justifies The Means.
The overemphasis on ends leads to a distortion of the harmonious balance between means and ends in various ways: one way is that all emphasis is on ends without sufficient consideration of the role of means. The outcome of this distortion is that ends become abstract, unreal, and eventually nothing but pipe dreams. ... The isolation of ends can have the opposite effect: while the end is ideologically retained it serves merely as a cover for shifting all the emphasis to those activities which are allegedly means to this end. The motto for this mechanism is "The ends justify the means." The defenders of this principle fail to see that the use of destructive means has its own consequences which actually transform the end even if it is still retained ideologically.
Man For Himself; An Inquiry into the Psychology of Ethics, Erich Fromm, pages 197-198.
This is a tough one. Although I do see some examples such as claiming such actions against other people such as contacting employers justify their end goal based on an illusion or conspiracy thinking. That one there I think are some of the more egregious examples.
# 31. Dishonesty, Deceit, Denial, Falsification, and Rewriting History.
This one here is a loaded one but it's worth looking into. There are some truths to it. Some not. But rather I see it as an amalgam of those things in one form or another once you look at the history and the mindset of those involved. Sometimes it's obvious while others are not so black and white.
# 32. Different Levels of Truth.
All cults have different levels of truth. "Outsider doctrine" refers to information and "truths" which are told to the general public. Complementary to this "outsider doctrine" is "insider doctrine" which is revealed to members alone and then usually only gradually as they attain status.Again, I don't think there is this "gradual revealing" once you become a member. Maybe a realization in some organizations that former members found out (see # 25), for example. Although I feel some leaders do go about on determining how "Deaf-centric" people are and whether it's enough or not behind closed doors. Yet Deaf politics keeps rearing its ugly head by constantly focusing on whether a person with hearing loss signs, doesn't sign, hears, doesn't hear, uses ASL or PSE. Whatever. All that shouldn't matter at all, yet some Deaf people continue to make those things an issue.
Ok. Those are my thoughts. I plan to continue with Part III soon. Here is Part I if you haven't read it.
6 comments:
I was booted out? No, that's incorrect. Please read the post carefully. This is what I wrote "Finally two moderates, including me, resigned and four other moderates were pushed out summarily without notice afterwards." I will appreciate it if you revise your statement to minimize any misinformation. Thank you
I have no interest in pursuing this topic. My only purpose was to correct any misinformation or misunderstanding.
Another error " Mishka Zena's own experience when she was booted out one Deaf (and not deaf/hh) organization for suggesting to become more transparent. "
No, my resignation had nothing to do with the suggestion for the organization to become transparent. It was due to ideological differences and their approach to people they disagree with. This call for transparency came in many months later when I realized that they weren't forthcoming with the second agenda.
I suggest you contact the named people first before writing your post, to minimize any misunderstanding.,Thank you.
I made the correction concerning you, Mishkazena. Thank you.
Interesting, Mishkazena, you called yourselves "moderates." Are you saying that they are the "extremists"? Why describe yourself as a "moderate"? Are you speaking on behalf of those who left or kicked as being "moderates," too?
Just curious.
Looks like Mishkazena either is in bed or really not interested in pursuing this topic.
If one says they are moderates, it would mean that the organization isn't moderate which would mean, they are hmm extremists. I'd think. Wouldn't you?
;o)
Candy,
We'll have to wait and see. I'm curious as to what her response might be.
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