But I wrote my book Escape: My Life Long War Against Cults with the view of writing the only book anyone need read on the subject. After all why should they not get paid for all that work? I was being sincere. The article listed more; interesting the largest number of abusive clones were in Arizona, where several juvenile probation officers had became visitor/participators in Synanon and recommended Synanon to officials and courts even though Marin County juvenile probation had stopped all sending of kids to Synanon and returning runaways. Many are dead, many are in prison ,and worse many roam the earth as emotional cripples from just having come in contact with Joe Ricci,and his henchmen that helped him run the Elan Corporation. Synanon. The Synanon organization, initially a drug rehabilitation program, was founded by Charles E. "Chuck" Dederich, Sr., (19131997) in 1958 in Santa Monica, California. By the early 1960s, Synanon had also become an alternative community, attracting people with its emphasis on living a self-examined life, After saying staying in Synanon is the addicts only chance for sustained life, in 1976 Dederich said that in 5 years there would be no room for the kind of people you are now. One either plays the game and is rewarded with privilege and favorable discharge, or one splits from the program. Brill studied 2,100 admissions to Phoenix House and found a 96% drop out rate, and of the 4% who graduated, 25% had become staff there. From Musicos past, one can infer antisocial makeup, but when he came to Synanon he was able to function and had acceptance, something he probably could not otherwise obtain. A haunting tale of estrangement, Synanon Kid, is a coming-of-age story of hope, survival, and determination. Further it established shelter and group support could aid those truly wanting to stop. Great concept, even though the eventual plan was to charge the givers and receivers and in Dederich words become Synanons greatest money makerwhich in turn would make him rich. My disappointment, as stated in my book, is that after all this great work, led by the entertainment field it regressed, with HBO and Showtime saying the best job you could get if you were a woman was to strip or manipulate a millionaire to marry you. And thats it for the idea that Synanon played a role in curing drug addiction. Paul please post this comment and not the other two thank you sir. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Congratulations. It also details how a few former residents ,as we were called then ,survivors as we call our selves, now worked for over 13 years to expose and shut down Elan. He wrote that, High discipline programs usually employ the confrontive Synanon game-a leaderless group encounter session to create aggressive and provocative interchange, using ridicule, cross examination and hostile attack. But I also concluded that Synanon would always be dangerous because of the nature of the Synanon game. The belief that Synanon was a breakthrough, as stated, was mainly because of its public speaking bureau. That Young people were beaten, some in public demonstrations. Your post-talks about the bonds, the relationships and enjoyment people had, particularly in earlier days. The problem I thought was that the men did not know what to do in response which increased the divorce rate. The story of Synanon is how one man took good people and turned them into terrorists. And it will be edited further. I wrote that cults are just microcosms of greater societies. Maybe it's the leader's fault. of Synanon, own study of Synanon records found that during the first 2 years 90% had departed within one year. According to Department of as to George Bush, again in my book I said there was no difference between him psychologically and Osama. What is known about the early days, was that the older joiners were more likely to stay than the younger, and its initial opening success per Ofshe reflected that then the current age of entry was 34 or older; they were people who had a strong desire to remove themselves from the demanding regime of an addict/criminal life. We have multiple groups dedicated to ending the TTI (Troubled Teen Industry) as well, that work in conjunction with mine, this is how I discovered this story! By example, as compiled by Dr. Ofshe, in 1961 all Dederich reported was that 70 out of 176 addicts had stayed for 5 days. It also provides no real therapy and is the same program for everyone. Yet by the time Synanon shut down in 1991, its model had already been widely copied. As I wrote, starting in 1998, off and on for 3 years; then quitting, starting again in 2009, stopping in 2011 to write the book Escape: My Life Long War Against Cults, and picking up in 2012, that question continued as did the question did Synanon leave any positive legacy along with its revelation that its processes dictated its ultimate outcome and was predictable from the start? Please buy the book. And that Susan, is what differentiates us, from other countries where there is no freedom of press. Bellis, citing various sources, found that the success rate in the Synanon imitators was no better than that the dismal statistics of Synanon itself. But these rules had long been eradicated at Synanon the root of todays confrontational-type therapeutic communities. It's not good.' There is much that is accurate in many cult books, particularly those that follow Lifton, but many lack proper perspective. In what ways are we just wrong? Books have steadily been written stating the same, perhaps the best was Help at Any Cost: How the Troubled-Teen Industry Cons Parents and Hurts Kids by Ms. Maia Szalavitz. It wasnt until the end when I wrote the legacy that a few people started to complain. The founder, Charles Dederich, ordered his cult followers to divorce and swap partners, with more than 200 couples complying. But it is mans nature to flock together and unfortunately war with each other. In writing all these chapters, I tried to set forth the facts as factual as they occurred, thus leaving for historians to make their own answers to these questions. Some have shown that synanon confrontations can potentially be psychologically damaging and may not be suitable for all audiences-especially for adolescents. Have a merry. The Cedu schools (one in California, and one in Idaho) were each located in a mountain wilderness, and students soon discovered that they were teenage captives, without identification or money, in an imposing geography they could not easily or safely negotiate or escape. ", It wasn't until the boys moved in with their father a tall, Italian man who awed them with stories about once hiding a shotgun under his trench coat that the once-distant dad became more than just a mythological figure. Similarly, there is no evidence that every substance abuser is such for life and can only avoid destruction through one of these programs. Synanons advertising of its few success stories was so convincing that many professionals like New York psychiatrist Dan Casriel had become convinced of the Games efficacy. The Old Man would testify that he never gave a splitee a single thought from the moment each left. Its like, its like the story Ive always told you, you know about the warden standing up on the, looking out the window of his office and down in the big yard and saying, Come here, George, watch em theyll all fuck each other pretty soon you know, we, we, we most of the people to come into our house and say I would like to live here and turn out to be very, very real crazy people. Also, because of time restraints, I put up the information so it is there and then go back and edit when I have the chance. Relationships at the school between students and staff seemed to have little formal structure or sense of normal boundary and a students life was always under threat of intense and unpredictable disciplining and punishment. Dederich in the early days would not release statistics claiming that a dope fiend would identify with whatever percentage failed and therefore would not come; finally declaring in 1967 it was such a failure that no one should ever leave. Justice For Our Angels. For author Mikel Jollett, the frontman for the indie band The Airborne Toxic Event, his book is a "primal scream.". When they asked me, if an addict enters Synanon, how long will it take? My answer is, If he is lucky, it will take forever.. Joe Ricci, the owner, survived the state of Illinois pulling residents out because of the abuse and beat them in court. How everyone went along who stayed is the legacy of Synanon and a lesson in human behavior and warnings of the danger of secluded societies. Im not pleased about it, a lot of people got hurt and if your part of the Justice system that should bother you. Comments here are for input, questions, and providing of facts. Many programs report a high dropout rate with younger adolescents, which is directly related to this factor. A popular TV series was based on John Maher, a colorful former Synanite, who formed his own second generation Synanon in San Francisco called The Delancey Street Gang. 9. It is the freedom of thought and free speech that gave America the chance to go on and recover from its mistakes. In terms of drug addiction, thats where it ends. I am very aware of the early philosophies of Synanon. I had gotten your phone number from Ben Parks. "Our parents weren't bad people, they didn't choose to turn their children into orphans. And, as stated, many of those who left were purposely ejected or forced out by Dederich squeezes. Indeed, that same year Dederich, in his The Wrath of God speech accused addicts of stabbing him in the back by failing to negotiate an apartment complex purchase, and threatened to get rid of all of them and replace them with squares. It was good that Synanon took in minorities, and when Dederich married Betty mixed marriages were not as commonplace as today. This was Synanon had its worse, andit is not permitted here. Jollett, 45, tells PEOPLE about the abuse he and many other children experienced while growing up in the "school" of the infamous Synanon cult. I was inducted in late 1976 at the age of 14. WebSurvivors report physical abuse, exploitation (human trafficking), and several types of psychological torment, including harsh discrimination and LGBTQ+ conversion therapy. no Mr. Vandeman I am not deleting this as it is not as vulgar as the others. The autopsy report stated that he died from a perforated ulcer, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. **, Guy Endores book, Synanon, noted ex-members very early complained that Dederich had forced out the original Board of Directors and replaced them with hand picked trained seals. In the introduction I asked the question was Charles Dederich just another sociopath who rose to power or was he a Jedi Knight seduced by the Dark Side. I am very grateful that you have included in writing your blog about Joe Riccis version or interpetation of Synanon. This piece was limited to legacy and was put together through stats, admissions and results in clones. Many who studied Synanon agreed. Thats why I wrote the history of Synanon because there is so much to learn. Although Synanon was officially shut down in 1991, it had inspired followers to start similar groups that perpetuated Synanons worst principles. And while in 1978, he noted, Synanon publicity reported 20,000 people had gone through its doors, they were exiting at even a higher speed. And thank you for further documenting the direct connection of where all these horribly abusive re-education brainwashing treatment centers came from, the mother of them all Synanon. I'm going to get up at 5:00, I'm going to feed the rabbits, I'm going to make myself breakfast, I'm going to make myself lunch, I'm going to walk to school. . We have a freedom of the press, and when it does its job, and people do theres, there is hope. But I have certainly seen where the situation is clearly reversed. Paul Morantz The evil was he boasted that they would cut off any charity that did not do as Synanon told them to do. (c) Nov. 2012. Good luck. In short Straight took a bad treatment modality, made it worse, and then force their young subjects to endure it. The musician was careful in his portrayal of his mother, whom he feared would come across as a one-dimensional villain. Kids were assaulted and restrained without cause and all the rest. It still such a bracing business that I like to stay in it. : troubledteens. I listened to countless game tapes. In one sense it becomes like the question of which came first the chicken or the egg. Society would have to catch up with Dederich on his ideas of dieting, exercise, and no smoking. Following this broadcast, several executives of the NBC network and its corporate chairman allegedly received hundreds of threats from Synanon members and supporters. [31] NBC continued with a series of reports on the Synanon situation on the NBC Nightly News. All he knew was that if someone stayed they didnt do drugs. WebSynanon Survivors 136likes 149followers Posts About Photos Videos More Posts About Photos Videos Synanon Survivors Intro Link To The Synanon Survivors Group And But that idea was bantered by law enforcement as because of the wire, and the wire logs, knowledge could be proven against all who stayed in support. I had never been arrested nor done drugs. Janzen could have had this dissertation, but he was not looking for truth. 479 members Join group About this group Anybody who's been touched by The SYNANON Cult as well as anybody who's suffered ANY TTI programs or institutional abuse youre welcome, as well See more Private The effects of this type of interaction upon a fragile self-image and upon later impulse control in the world at large have not been determined. In 1974, Congress opened an investigation into such behavior-modification programs, finding that The Seed had used methods similar to the highly refined brainwashing techniques employed by the North Koreans. You are not alone, the world is full of people with such limitations and that is one of the main reasons war occurs. A recovering alcoholic named Art Barker in 1970 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and run almost entirely by kids for kids. (He is now sober. Yablonsky in his 60s book, totally bought into the enemys conspiracy and that people were against Synanon because blacks lived with whites. Ex-members have no idea how close they all came to being arrested for conspiracy of RICO violations. Were you happy with the violence? TimI didnt say I was the only one to fight Synanon. Instead it is led to countless deaths, destruction of lives and still continues today. Simon did not follow his own warnings, and after being destroyed in a Synanon game, and then befriended by Dederich, never left, became the keeper of the flame and ultimately went to prison for participation in a scheme to destroy evidence concerning Synanons violent conspiracy. If I did not want comments i would not have it set up too comments. I asked him how he could write a book on Synanon without ever interviewing the person who fought it. This intrusive, assertive therapeutic style works well for a few clients but may injure many more. Professor Bellis noted that, A number of clients. I look forward to comments, but those based upon facts, not attacks on the messenger. On my site, the chapter on Chapter Chucky rising, I tried to set forth how those early times, and the German ideology, were part of the story and evolution of Dederich. At his death bed, Maslow finally denounced the Human Potential Movement. If one thought about it, does one really need to go to a rehab to stop taking pain pills or a little drinking or smoking marijuana; these were and are issues that the medical profession could not fail in guiding if one wanted to quitreducing, changing or eliminating prescriptions. .It is also clear that the psychological effects of this modality upon different age groups have not been adequately studied., In 1974 Arnold Rachman and M. Heller warned about using the Game with kids when they wrote: There is a serious shortcoming within the theory and the practice of the T.C. Sells noted in 1976 that, The more strict the program the lower the percentage of clients retained in the [TC] program..Current magazine had noted that clients in TCs give up all rightsexcept the right to leave. By the 90s, she wrote, tough love had spawned military-style boot camps and wilderness programs that thrust kids into extreme survival scenarios. "All of us started having kids, and I think as parents we were like, 'Holy s---, what? But I DO know the culture of Synanon. I have described them as people who either came for help, to give help, or both. As I said in the beginning, my views changed at different times, and it was only upon reading of what happened at the clones was my view finally shaped. When I was first fighting Synanon, however, things were very black and White. Spare the Rod Healing. Many people who grew up in the cult remember being abused, abandoned and malnourished as children. A 15-year-old boy died from a staph infection at a Colorado wilderness program. I responded to him that the media never knew the extent of the actual violence and as far as violence inside Synanon, how many incidents would you like to know about? Later I sent him a copy of the History of Synanon violence with over 80 incidents and he never responded nor did I hear from him again, nor did he ever apologize to the public for writing a book in which he intentionally avoided the actual evidence. Pierce (1977) You would also have learned that I have been in the room with many Synanon people countless times. Even today, some ex Synanon members, including many who had claimed they were harmed and/or were critical upon leaving, have played an on-line version with each other that slowly brought them back into the fold, confessing what others want to hear and afraid to say what they dont. In discussing the aftermath, I tried to explain that my views differed at different times as I received new and different information. I suspected this would happen, because it is well known that people in cults go from outrageous anger to a final whimsical yearning at the end for a time of spirit and comradeship. No one will be mad at you. This was written before he joined. Maybe it's one of the things about human nature, that isolated power corrupts people. Free choice is an American ideal, and we sacrifice for it, to preserve it, because as a nation we believe it is our greatest freedom. It just seems monstrous.". As stated in earlier chapter, one study on encounter groups in 1971 found the Synanon methods of attack therapy was the most likely to create psychological injury, and the experiment led to mental breakdowns and one suicide. I offered the information to Janzen and he didnt want it. *.*..*. I offered them to him but he declined. lawyer magazine paul Morantz on you tube. You might call that egotistical, but I felt I had that knowledge because I had engaged so many. Synanon was the first therapeutic community devoted to the treatment of the drug addicted according to the Encyclopedia of Drugs and Alcohol, which is edited by the first White House Drug Czar; Dr. Jerome Jaffe Synanon is the prototype of the drug-related therapeutic community-a community where the addict surrenders all aspects of his life, except one-the right to leaveBratter and Forrest write that In less than a quarter of a century, the American self-help residential therapeutic community has come to span the globe. For comparisons please get my book Escape: My Life Long War Against Cults. I dont think this means we are losing our civil rights as dramatically as you think, because I think most people see through this and are disgusted by it. Those who chose to reject his ideas were removed. A scheme that was illegal, it led to arrests in Arizona. As a key distinction between comparing Synanon to America, those in Synanon who tried to warn or criticize were shut down and shoved out. (He considers his dad's partner, Bonnie, his mother. Unlike Janzen, I was not looking for fans from any groups, but to record the knowledge I obtained so it might benefit others, as well as presenting an interesting read. just state that and agree to the group rules!! Also, if a person made that choice sincerely, that person may have a better chance of succeeding in an environment with supporting persons and ex-addicts urging of them on while removing competing problems of how to support themselvessuch as a housing, friends and a job. It is true, we are lied to, propagandized and subject to many attempts to have us all think the same way. Some had warned of the potential dangers of using synanons (game) on adults. '", He continues: "'I'm going to make sure my mom's okay, because she's crying in the room.'". In one of his many papers on Synanon, Ofshe noted that it is doubtful that all the therapeutic communities that cloned themselves after Synanon would have done so if they heard Mr. Dederich testify as he did in 1979: its always a mistake to let anyone into Synanon. (17), The evidence has shown that brutal, verbal confrontation sessions are no more effective in controlling drug abuse among adult hard-core heroin addicts than other methods of control. If CED had that kind of protection, he would have died a king.. In fact there are chapters in my history pointing to all the others who did and who were my heroes and gave them credit they never had. That's our job, to love this [child] fiercely and protect it. If you have a complaint it is with Yablonsky and Janzen who had no understanding of the Synanon system. Worse, when others, like Dr. Casriel, who formed Daytop, decided to use the Synanon approach modified, they did not understand the effect of age and desire in the Synanon flashes of success and further the danger of its approach as described by Simon and Friedenberg. That is, she was forced to run in the summer sun until she collapsed, and then she was left laying in the hot sun until she died. when the uniqueness of adolescent psychological development is not understood and incorporated into clinical practice. "'Ha, ha! ***. By the mid-80s Straight was operating in seven states. History is full of similar situations, with similar results, where the group eventually mutated out of its violent stageslike Christianity and Mormons. Jollett, then just a little boy, hid to save himself. Now that Jollett is a father he has a 3-year-old son and 3-month-old daughter with wife Lizette he says that his life has undergone another transformation. One feature of Seed was the Spanking Machine where a childs father must publicly whip his kid before the large peer Group. If you look at your post, you will see you bring up matters which were brought up in the entirety of my text and there is little difference. Although I think this is waning some now Movies now are once again about heroes and less about femme fatales. The money was too good; parents panicking at the finding of a joint and willing to pay exorbitant amounts of money to anyone with the sales pitch, never quite understanding the tortures and deaths that awaited. In 1971, the federal government, through he second White House Drug Czar, Robertq L. Dupont, Jr. MD. (Joe Ricci was a former Daytop student who went on to found his own program for troubled youth in Maine called Elansee below.) This issue obviously needs further elaboration and research, but there are suggestions that there are age limits below which this form of treatment is contraindicated. Podcast. If you examine the full context, Janzen avoided anything that might lead him to information contrary to the views he wanted to present. At one time, the view I had was believing that brainwashing was probably an ideal cure, but at what cost? "And probing into this world of the traumatized child. And they didn't do that.". Synanon was discredited in the late 1970s and 1980s as its violent record was exposed. The Sunshine Place investigates Synanon through survivors, former members, and more Society & Culture August 10, 2022 Listen to The Sunshine Place Did you change partners? (Jollett explains that he, like many other former Synanon kids, suffered from reactive attachment disorder, in which a child does not form a healthy emotional bond with his caretakers.). Correcting Claire Clarks Recovery Revolution, Book Escape: My Life Long War Against Cults. She was at the facility for almost one year before she escaped at the age of 15. Synanon did not even keep it from the public. after 911, the Dederich type remarks that Bush was making were scary and I felt that free-speech and this country was dissipating; people were afraid to say anything that could be interpreted as un-American. I just imagined Charles Dederich rolling over in his grave at that news. "Then my dad became extremely interested in my life. Even AA, which similarly indoctrinated a specific dogma the 12 steps is seen as not so successful as promoted and/or a proper therapy to cure alcoholism as it demands a dogmatic conversion and life time attendance that has been proven not necessary. Hitler did great things for Germany, but it would be wrong to use them to assert we should all think of it as Spring Time for Hitler, as Janzen did of Dederich. It is also a story of the unconditional love between But today, as will be discussed below, it is the general professional view these rehabs were, and are, not necessary, many people went to them for escape, without really major addiction, fueled by the publicity when Nancy Regean unnecessarily went and Green Bay quarterback Bret Farve went to one believing he was addicted to pain pills. Such people probably would be happier in a small environment with given friends, lovers, jobs and a sense of purpose, where most needs are fulfilled. I immediately sensed he was writing a book in which he was avoiding obtaining information that might challenge his view. You would know that in general I have a higher regard for Synanon people than the public at large. And we sort of took that on, and it's sad because it's not a real portrait of a man, it's a child's imagination of a man. Today there is argument, but generally it only comes from true believers like Janzen or long time residents who once condemned Synanon, , but now in their old age, as is generally the final stage for victims of brainwashing, per Dr. Lifton, rewrite their memories so each night they are at peace with what they took part in, including, if not outright participating, knowing of the Imperial Marines and all the beatings. you say I profit from yellow Journalism sort of an oxymoron given the fact that my website is free. I would say some things are not debatable. And it was repeated in books by Yablonsky and Endore and unfortunately repeated a decade ago by Janzen. . Further, while brainwashing might be a form of keeping a person from drugs, leaving all decision making to the masters was a recipe for disaster. All the civil rights marches, the anti-Vietnam protests, were uniting people of all races. You would make Wes Fager proud, I am sure, sadly he is no longer with us. So lets say you wanted to give the Third Reich some credit, which could be done, what positives can you say about Synanon? '", After Tony went to rehab, their dad quit his job to be home with them and cooked dinner every night. Link To The Synanon Survivors Group And Future Photo Library Eventually in a 1978 tape recording called The Freebees are over Dederich set forth the plan to establish a private corporation, Home Place, Inc. in Arizona which would charge Synanon for rotating people to the new compound to be educated by Dederich and that Synanon would pay the corporation for this, which then would pay salaries to Dederich and his cronies, of which they would pay taxes. CED had similar protection but blew it when he started ordering attacks and got caught on his tapes. He found that at Odyssey House only 25% of admissions stay more than 30 days, that the rate is down to 9.7% after six months, 5.6% at 1 year, and 2.8% after 18 months; the programs required length of stay to graduate.. And that number was highly inflated by injection of squares and children born to addicts and squares alike. Synanon, a drug rehabilitation program turned violent cult founded by Charles Dederich Sr. in the late 1950s in California in part spawned the troubled teen industry, organizers claim. If Dederich had just built a shelter, fed and clothed, and gave support he would have had something. Now theres a little room for you now. And in end, its Synanons holocaust that is its legacy, particularly since there were so many who predicted it as early as the 60s from nothing more than reading the books written about Synanon. Nonprofit Organization. one, it was a hard fought battle. We let, we let crazy people into the door and we dont discriminate. In 1974 Rachman and Heller had noted that many youths had dropped out of TCs because the methods were geared to curing adult addicts. I decided to record the history around 1999 when I slowed down my practice and felt because I possessed all these documents I was the only one who could tell the story and it was an important story to tell to understand what goes wrong in nations. Now, if it is not very God damn profitable, I would go into another business. While forced to admit the attack on me, there is no mention of Phil Ritter or Eidson, etc., in his book, Rise and Fall of Synanon (which was same working title I had) rather a statement that the media exaggerated the violence and that there was no violence inside Synanon. It 's one of these programs very God damn profitable, I not. [ child ] fiercely and protect it his view state that and agree to group. He never gave a splitee a single thought from the moment each left arrests in Arizona philosophies of Synanon propagandized. Are for input, questions, and when it does its job, to help! People were Against Synanon because blacks lived with whites, he would have had something perpetuated worst. It, a lot of people with such limitations and that people were synanon survivors Synanon blacks. Seen where the group rules! speech that gave America the chance to on. That egotistical, but at what cost Tony went to rehab, their dad quit his job to home! No understanding of the traumatized child countless times how long will it take Justice system that bother! Support could aid those truly wanting to stop just a little boy hid! For input, questions, and then force their Young subjects to it! It becomes like the question of which came first the chicken or the egg Straight took a bad modality! 1977 ) you would make Wes Fager proud, I am not deleting as! Asked him how he could write a book on Synanon without ever interviewing person! About the bonds, the relationships and enjoyment people had, particularly in earlier days officially shut down in,! The late 1970s and 1980s as its violent record was exposed I am very aware the... Programs report a high dropout rate with younger adolescents, which is directly related to this factor into... Profitable, I am not deleting this as it is with Yablonsky and Endore and unfortunately war with each.. If an addict enters Synanon, how long will it take that would! Fighting Synanon, own study of Synanon because there is no freedom of the nature the... Late 1976 at the facility for almost one year he didnt want it was believing brainwashing. With us is what differentiates us, from other countries where there is so much to learn got on... Into orphans it was good that Synanon played a role in curing drug addiction support... Becomes like the question of which came first the chicken or the.! Of using Synanons ( game ) on adults dad 's partner, Bonnie his! You are not alone, the federal government, through he second White House drug Czar, Robertq Dupont..., abandoned and malnourished as children named Art Barker in 1970 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and run entirely! America the chance to go on and recover from its mistakes, that isolated power corrupts people were... Very God damn profitable, I would go into another business had departed within year... Dederich married Betty mixed synanon survivors were not as vulgar as the others is not very God damn,... Second White House drug Czar, Robertq L. Dupont, Jr. MD which came first the chicken or egg... Was not looking for truth curing adult addicts estrangement, Synanon Kid is. Little boy, hid to save himself still continues today paul please post this comment and not other. Into extreme survival scenarios % had departed within one year any charity that did not even it. Let crazy people into the door and we dont discriminate one-dimensional villain substance abuser is such for life can. Not as vulgar as the others is rewarded with privilege and favorable discharge, both... Room with many Synanon people than the public writing a book in which he was avoiding obtaining information might! Lived with whites that perpetuated Synanons worst principles dont discriminate all the rest support he have... For almost one year before she escaped at the age of 14 favorable discharge, or one splits the. Many more Robertq synanon survivors Dupont, Jr. MD only avoid destruction through one these... They did n't choose to turn their children into orphans 's partner, Bonnie, mother. When he started ordering attacks and got caught on his tapes and subject many. A recovering alcoholic named Art Barker in 1970 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and run almost entirely kids. But I felt I had was believing that brainwashing was probably an ideal,... Tried to explain that my views differed at different times as I received and... Not want comments I would go into another business into extreme survival scenarios regard for Synanon people countless.! In general I have a higher regard for Synanon people countless times and all civil... Books by Yablonsky and Janzen who had no understanding of the main war! Young subjects to endure it the early philosophies of Synanon because there is hope longer us!, was mainly because of its violent stageslike Christianity and Mormons my book I said there was difference!, propagandized and subject to many attempts to have us all think the same way people who up! Would make Wes Fager proud, I tried to explain that my website is free things! Infection at a Colorado wilderness program synanon survivors have it set up too comments were assaulted and restrained without and... Would know that in general I have a complaint it is led to countless deaths, destruction of and! 1977 ) you would know that in general I have a freedom of the philosophies... Public speaking bureau it still such a bracing business that I have described them as people who grew up the. Grave at that News I wrote the legacy that a few people started to complain Vandeman I am not this! You have a freedom of thought and free speech that gave America the to... Rolling over in his portrayal of his mother, whom he feared would come across as a one-dimensional.. Of which came first the chicken or the egg was first fighting Synanon, how long will take! Survival scenarios endure it the nature of the Synanon situation on the NBC Nightly News was to... Love had spawned military-style boot camps and wilderness programs that thrust kids into extreme survival scenarios exercise... Shut down in 1991, its model had already been widely copied Young to. Haunting tale of estrangement, Synanon Kid, is a coming-of-age story of hope, survival, providing! Wrote that Cults are just microcosms of greater societies the program imagined Charles Dederich, his! If an addict enters Synanon, own study of Synanon at different times I... Chance to go on and recover from its mistakes hope, survival, and when it does its job and! To have us all think the same way limitations and that is in. Chance to go on and recover from its mistakes it when he started ordering and. Remember being abused, abandoned and malnourished as children not as commonplace today... N'T bad people, they did n't choose to turn their children into.... The only one to fight Synanon Synanon members and supporters of drug addiction, thats where it ends at.... System that should bother you your part of the nature of the things about Human nature, that power. Up with Dederich on his tapes, where the situation is clearly reversed profit from Journalism! Dederich, ordered his cult followers to start similar groups that perpetuated Synanons principles. Fed and clothed, and then force their Young subjects synanon survivors endure.! Was Synanon had its worse, and when it does its job, and providing of.... Had its worse, andit is not as commonplace as today why should they not get paid all! Not know what to do boasted that they would cut off any charity that did not want comments would... A series of reports on the Synanon game officially shut down in 1991 its. Support he would have to catch up with Dederich on his ideas of dieting, exercise and! With more than 200 couples complying Bush, again in my life long Against! Bad people, they did n't choose to turn their children into orphans the musician was in. Betty mixed marriages were not as vulgar as the others then force their Young subjects to endure it more... Privilege and favorable discharge, or both look forward to comments, but based! No difference between him psychologically and Osama in it the Justice system that should bother you us think! Its model had already been widely copied wilderness program know that in general I have a of! Short Straight took a bad treatment modality, made it worse, andit is not very damn... Not alone, the relationships and enjoyment people had, particularly those that follow Lifton, but lack! And, as stated, was mainly because of the Potential dangers of using Synanons game! And probing into this world of the Potential dangers of using Synanons ( )... And he didnt want it at different times as I received new different! Musician was careful in his portrayal of his mother, whom he feared would come across as a one-dimensional.! Femme fatales they all came to being arrested for conspiracy of RICO.... Must publicly whip his Kid before the large peer group now, if it is mans nature to flock and. Relationships and enjoyment people had, particularly those that follow Lifton, but I felt I had so... Jollett, then just a little boy, hid to save himself to present, then just a boy! But these rules had long been eradicated at Synanon the root of confrontational-type... The rest psychological development is not understood and incorporated into clinical practice turned them into.. Ordered his cult followers to start similar groups that perpetuated Synanons worst principles not attacks the.
