Est: The Steersman Handbook
Encyclopedia
est: The Steersman Handbook, Charts of the Coming Decade of Conflict is a work of science fiction
cast as a nonfictional study
. Its author, credited as L. Clark Stevens, usually went by the name Leslie Stevens
. Stevens has a long list of credits in the entertainment industry, having worked on, among other productions, The Outer Limits
. The book was published in paperback in 1970, and reprinted in 1971. Werner Erhard
's title for his company, Erhard Seminars Training
, including usage of the abbreviation est in lowercase, was derived from the book's title.
society and the rise of what Stevens described as the "est people". The "est people" were a new generation of postliterate humans who were to bring about a "transformation" of society. The "est people" were to be technically-minded, eclectic, and computer literate. They would possess qualities necessary for social transformation, integral to Earth
's survival. Individuals named as examples of "est people" in the book included R. Buckminster Fuller, Jiddu Krishnamurti
, Ralph Nader
, Marshall McLuhan
, Malcolm X
, Albert Einstein
, Lewis Mumford
, and Eric Hoffer
.
evaluations of potential paths for society, including Marien's Societal Directions and Alternatives, and Higgin's Symptoms of Tomorrow. The book's publisher, Capricorn Press or "Capra Press", would come to be better known, having published the work.
Though the book was speculative in nature, Stevens was subsequently consulted on issues relating to the future of the planet's economic, ecological and energy systems. The book was later referenced by Hinshaw in a piece describing two potential futures, who cited Steven's term "Electronic Social Transformation".
to name his company Erhard Seminars Training
, or est for short, and to refer to it as such in lower-case. Occhiogrosso writes in The Joy of Sects that Erhard borrowed the initials, "lowercase and all", from the book. In his book Larson's Book of World Religions and Alternative Spirituality
, Bob Larson
refers to Erhard's friend Bill Thaw in citing the same information. Flo Conway
and Jim Siegelman
's book Snapping
wrote that Erhard's "catalytic experience" driving in his Mustang occurred shortly after he had picked the title "est" from the book. Navarro and Navarro wrote in Self Realization that Erhard was "very familiar" with the book. According to Steven Pressman
's book, Outrageous Betrayal
, Werner Erhard made other staff members on his Mind Dynamics
sales team read the book. R. Buckminster Fuller, mentioned in the book, later helped Werner Erhard found The Hunger Project
.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
cast as a nonfictional study
False document
A false document is a literary technique employed to create verisimilitude in a work of fiction. By inventing and inserting documents that appear to be factual, an author tries to create a sense of authenticity beyond the normal and expected suspension of disbelief for a work of art...
. Its author, credited as L. Clark Stevens, usually went by the name Leslie Stevens
Leslie Stevens
Leslie Clark Stevens III was the creator of the cult TV series The Outer Limits and director of the cult horror film Incubus , starring William Shatner. He wrote an early work of New Age philosophy, Est: The Steersman Handbook .-Early life and career:Leslie Stevens was born in Washington, D.C...
. Stevens has a long list of credits in the entertainment industry, having worked on, among other productions, The Outer Limits
The Outer Limits (1963 TV series)
The Outer Limits is an American television series that aired on ABC from 1963 to 1965. The series is similar in style to the earlier The Twilight Zone, but with a greater emphasis on science fiction, rather than fantasy stories...
. The book was published in paperback in 1970, and reprinted in 1971. Werner Erhard
Werner Erhard
Werner Hans Erhard is an author of transformational models and applications for individuals, groups, and organizations...
's title for his company, Erhard Seminars Training
Erhard Seminars Training
Erhard Seminars Training, an organization founded by Werner H. Erhard, offered a two-weekend course known officially as "The est Standard Training"...
, including usage of the abbreviation est in lowercase, was derived from the book's title.
Synopsis
The "est" in the book's title refers to what Stevens described as "Electronic Social Transformation". The book described a futureFuturology
Futures studies is the study of postulating possible, probable, and preferable futures and the worldviews and myths that underlie them. There is a debate as to whether this discipline is an art or science. In general, it can be considered as a branch under the more general scope of the field of...
society and the rise of what Stevens described as the "est people". The "est people" were a new generation of postliterate humans who were to bring about a "transformation" of society. The "est people" were to be technically-minded, eclectic, and computer literate. They would possess qualities necessary for social transformation, integral to Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
's survival. Individuals named as examples of "est people" in the book included R. Buckminster Fuller, Jiddu Krishnamurti
Jiddu Krishnamurti
Jiddu Krishnamurti or J. Krishnamurti or , was a renowned writer and speaker on philosophical and spiritual subjects. His subject matter included: psychological revolution, the nature of the mind, meditation, human relationships, and bringing about positive change in society...
, Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
, Marshall McLuhan
Marshall McLuhan
Herbert Marshall McLuhan, CC was a Canadian educator, philosopher, and scholar—a professor of English literature, a literary critic, a rhetorician, and a communication theorist...
, Malcolm X
Malcolm X
Malcolm X , born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its...
, Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
, Lewis Mumford
Lewis Mumford
Lewis Mumford was an American historian, philosopher of technology, and influential literary critic. Particularly noted for his study of cities and urban architecture, he had a broad career as a writer...
, and Eric Hoffer
Eric Hoffer
Eric Hoffer was an American social writer. He was the author of ten books and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in February 1983...
.
Reception
Gengle wrote in The Netweaver's Sourcebook, that the book: "..did more to liberate media-created hippies than just about any other work of its time." The book has also been referenced in later sociologicalSociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
evaluations of potential paths for society, including Marien's Societal Directions and Alternatives, and Higgin's Symptoms of Tomorrow. The book's publisher, Capricorn Press or "Capra Press", would come to be better known, having published the work.
Though the book was speculative in nature, Stevens was subsequently consulted on issues relating to the future of the planet's economic, ecological and energy systems. The book was later referenced by Hinshaw in a piece describing two potential futures, who cited Steven's term "Electronic Social Transformation".
Erhard Seminars Training
Secondary sources have stated that the title of this work inspired Werner ErhardWerner Erhard
Werner Hans Erhard is an author of transformational models and applications for individuals, groups, and organizations...
to name his company Erhard Seminars Training
Erhard Seminars Training
Erhard Seminars Training, an organization founded by Werner H. Erhard, offered a two-weekend course known officially as "The est Standard Training"...
, or est for short, and to refer to it as such in lower-case. Occhiogrosso writes in The Joy of Sects that Erhard borrowed the initials, "lowercase and all", from the book. In his book Larson's Book of World Religions and Alternative Spirituality
Larson's Book of World Religions and Alternative Spirituality
Larson's Book of World Religions and Alternative Spirituality: All the Facts About Hundreds of Cults is a non-fiction book that discusses cults, New Age movements, and alternative religions from a biblical and Christian perspective....
, Bob Larson
Bob Larson
Bob Larson is an American radio and television evangelist, currently based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Larson has authored numerous books on the subjects of rock music and Satanism, written from a Christian perspective.-Life and career:...
refers to Erhard's friend Bill Thaw in citing the same information. Flo Conway
Flo Conway
Florence D. Conway is a social activist and former journalist for the Saturday Evening Post.Following the Jonestown deaths of 1978, Dr. Conway testified on February 5, 1979 regarding "The Cult Phenomenon in the United States" along with Jim Siegelman at joint House-U.S. Senate hearings on cult...
and Jim Siegelman
Jim Siegelman
Jim Siegelman is the author of several books about the rise of what he terms cults in America.Along with Flo Conway, he testified at joint House-U.S. Senate hearings on "cult practices" and also received the Leo J...
's book Snapping
Snapping
Snapping: America's Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change is a 1978 anti-cult book which describes the authors' theory of religious conversion, called snapping in terms of mind control, is a mental process through which, the authors argue, a person is recruited by a cult or other religious...
wrote that Erhard's "catalytic experience" driving in his Mustang occurred shortly after he had picked the title "est" from the book. Navarro and Navarro wrote in Self Realization that Erhard was "very familiar" with the book. According to Steven Pressman
Steven Pressman
Steven Pressman is an American legal journalist, freelance journalist, investigative journalist and biographer. He is the author of the biography of Werner Erhard, titled: Outrageous Betrayal, published by St. Martin's Press in 1993...
's book, Outrageous Betrayal
Outrageous Betrayal
Outrageous Betrayal: The Dark Journey of Werner Erhard from est to Exile was written by freelance journalist Steven Pressman and first published in 1993 by St. Martin's Press...
, Werner Erhard made other staff members on his Mind Dynamics
Mind Dynamics
Mind Dynamics was a seminar company, founded by Alexander Everett in Texas in 1968. Mind Dynamics later led to two other companies, est and Lifespring....
sales team read the book. R. Buckminster Fuller, mentioned in the book, later helped Werner Erhard found The Hunger Project
The Hunger Project
The Hunger Project is a 501 non-profit charitable organization incorporated in the state of California.The Hunger Project describes itself as an organization committed to the sustainable end of world hunger...
.