Outrageous Betrayal
Encyclopedia
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
. The book gives an account of Werner Erhard's early life as Jack Rosenberg, his exploration of various forms of self-improvement techniques, and his foundation of Erhard Seminars Training
"est" and later of Werner Erhard and Associates
and of the Est successor course, "The Forum". Pressman details the rapid financial success Erhard had with these companies, as well as controversies relating to litigation involving former participants in his courses. The work concludes by going over the impact of a March 3, 1991 60 Minutes
broadcast on CBS
where members of Erhard's family made allegations against him, and Erhard's decision to leave the United States.
Representatives of Werner Erhard and of Landmark Education
, the successor company to The Forum, expressed dissatisfaction with the book. During the course of his research for the book Pressman received letters from Werner Erhard's attorney Walter Maksym, and in 1994 the Chairman of Landmark Education Art Schreiber referred to the book as "defamatory". There are no references or citations provided in the book. In 1998, Landmark Education attempted to compel Steven Pressman to reveal the unnamed sources he had consulted while researching Outrageous Betrayal. Landmark Education later dropped this matter after it settled its litigation against the Cult Awareness Network
(CAN). As a result of this settlement, CAN agreed not to sell copies of Outrageous Betrayal for at least five years.
's Weekly Report. During his time performing research for and writing Outrageous Betrayal, Pressman published articles for the Legal Times newspaper and wrote articles and served as a senior editor for California Republic. In 1993, Pressman worked as a San Francisco-based legal journalist
for California Lawyer.
Pressman continued work in the field of legal journalism after the publication of Outrageous Betrayal, with employment as a journalist for California Lawyer and as editor for the San Francisco Daily Journal. He wrote articles for publications including the Columbia Journalism Review
, the Daily Journal
, the San Francisco Examiner, the San Francisco Chronicle
, and the United States Department of State
's Bureau of International Information Programs
.
. From 1991 to 1993 Pressman spent most of his time performing investigative work
, research and interviews for the book. In the "Acknowledgments" section of Outrageous Betrayal, Pressman wrote that he relied upon both named and unnamed sources for information in the book, in addition to "previously published accounts, court transcripts, depositions, and other documents in which various individuals have recounted earlier conversations". In an article on fair use
for Columbia Journalism Review
, Pressman noted that he "gathered reams of written materials -- some of it private and confidential -- that were helpful in drawing a comprehensive portrait of my subject". Pressman wrote that legal counsel for the book's publisher insisted on numerous changes to the book "in order to reduce, if not eliminate, the possibility of a successful suit for copyright infringement".
By 1993, Pressman and St. Martin's Press had received approximately two dozen letters from Erhard's attorney Walter Maksym, though Erhard's representatives had yet to see the book itself. Maksym told the San Francisco Daily Journal in March 1993 that he wanted to "fact check the book", because he believed that "this is a first-time unknown author who apparently has interviewed only people who have negative things to say", and stated "We have cautioned the publisher that they are responsible for the accuracy of the book." Charlie Spicer, a senior editor at St. Martin's Press, described the actions of Erhard's representatives with regard to the book as "a desperate campaign by someone with something to hide". The author himself made specific reference to his legal support, mentioning "the potential legal rapids that confront authors writing these days about controversial subjects".
and the later controversies surrounding his business and family life. The book goes into detail regarding his early life as Jack Rosenberg and his name-change to Werner Erhard, his move to California
, and the initial inspirations behind the training that would become "est". Pressman writes that Erhard took inspiration from the self-help
course Mind Dynamics
, cybernetics
, from the books Think and Grow Rich
by Napoleon Hill
, and Psycho-Cybernetics
by Maxwell Maltz
, and from Scientology
and the writings of L. Ron Hubbard
. He also notes how an attorney skilled in tax law
helped Erhard in forming his first awareness-training company, Erhard Seminars Training
.
Pressman notes how Erhard and his businesses became successful within two years of foundation, and writes that his awareness-training programs trained over half a million people in his courses and brought in tens of millions of dollars in revenue. The book then describes controversies relating to both Erhard's businesses and his reported treatment of his family. Pressman details some of the lawsuits that hurt his business, as well as some of his conflicts with the Internal Revenue Service
. The end of the book describes the impact and aftermath of a March 3, 1991 60 Minutes
investigation
on CBS News
, where one of Erhard's daughters accused him of sexual abuse
. Pressman also describes the successor company to Est, Werner Erhard and Associates
, and Erhard's decision to sell the "technology" of his course The Forum to his employees and to leave the United States. The book's epilogue includes a firsthand account of a Landmark Forum seminar led by the former Est-trainer Laurel Scheaf in 1992.
first published Outrageous Betrayal in 1993, and Random House
published a second edition of the text in 1995.
An analysis in Kirkus Reviews
, noting the choice of title by the author, asserted that Pressman: "makes no pretense to objectivity here." Kirkus Reviews criticized the book, saying "What the author dramatically fails to provide by bearing down on the negative (to the extent that nearly all his informants denounce est and its founder) is any real understanding of est's teachings--and of why they appealed so deeply to so many." Paul S. Boyer
, professor of history at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
, reviewed the book in The Washington Post
. Boyer wrote that the book "nicely recounts the bizarre tale" of Werner Erhard, saying "Pressman tells his fascinating story well." However he also commented that the book gives "only the sketchiest historical context" of the Est movement and its roots in societal experiences.
The book was reviewed by Library Journal
, in which Mark Annichiarico described it as "a compelling account of the 1980s guru who rose from selling used cars to peddling personal transformation". Annichiarico recommended that public libraries
place it next to Wendy Kaminer
's I'm Dysfunctional, You're Dysfunctional
. A review by Mary Carroll published in the American Library Association
's Booklist
noted that the controversy surrounding Erhard was not new, but she wrote that "Pressman pulls the details together effectively." Carroll went on to comment: "Outrageous Betrayal is a disturbing but fascinating object lesson in the power of charisma divorced from conscience."
Frances Halpern of the Los Angeles Times
called the book a "damning biography". Publishers Weekly
also reviewed the work, and briefly described Pressman's assessment of Erhard. The review noted: "Pressman here cuts into him with surgical precision." Steve Jackson of Westword
characterized Outrageous Betrayal as "the most damning critique of Erhard", and noted "Pressman details Erhard's past, including allegations of manipulation and tales of egomania."
Psychologist
Margaret Singer
recommended the book to a client as a reference for jargon
used in the Est training. Books on subjects related to psychology
, and books on cult
s and new religious movement
s, have later referenced Outrageous Betrayal for background on Werner Erhard and the Est movement, including Janja Lalich
's Bounded Choice
, and Irvin Yalom's The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy.
In 1995, Outrageous Betrayal was cited in a report on the United States Department of Transportation
by the United States House of Representatives
Committee on Appropriations
in a case unrelated to Werner Erhard or Est. This was in reference to a Congressional investigation of Gregory May and controversial trainings given by his company Gregory May Associates (GMA) to the Federal Aviation Administration
. The testimony given stated that, according to Outrageous Betrayal, a member of GMA's board had been influenced by Erhard Seminars Training
and the Church of Scientology
.
that he considered Pressman's book "defamatory". In a 1996 article in Westword
Steve Jackson noted: "Art Schreiber denounced the book as defamatory, but Landmark has yet to prove any inaccuracies."
Over a period of months in 1998, Landmark Education
attempted to compel Steven Pressman to respond to deposition questions
aimed at obtaining the sources he used for research on Outrageous Betrayal. According to a summary published on Rick Ross
's website, "Introduction to the Landmark Education litigation archive", Landmark Education brought the suit under the pretext of compelling legal discovery
for use in Landmark Education's lawsuit against the Cult Awareness Network
(CAN). The piece also asserts that Pressman concluded that Landmark Education brought the suit "primarily to harass him". Attorneys Peter L. Skolnik and Michael A. Norwick of Lowenstein Sandler PC, who defended Ross pro-bono in a separate lawsuit initiated by Landmark Education wrote the introduction. Skolnik and Norwick cited the discovery commissioner in the Pressman case (who entered an interim order in the matter), as stating: "..it does not appear that the information sought [from Mr. Pressman] is directly relevant or goes to the heart of the [CAN] action, or that alternative sources have been exhausted or are inadequate."
Landmark Education dropped the action against Pressman after the settlement of the Cult Awareness Network litigation. As a result of the Cult Awareness Network settlement with Landmark Education, CAN agreed to cease selling copies of Outrageous Betrayal for at least five years, and to "decline to discuss Landmark or the Landmark Forum". From the resolution of the CAN board of directors: "In the interests of settling a dispute and in deference to Landmark's preference, however, CAN now agrees not to sell the Pressman Book for at least five years after CAN emerges from bankruptcy."
Litigation
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
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...
and first published in 1993 by St. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in the Flatiron Building in New York City. Currently, St. Martin's Press is one of the United States' largest publishers, bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under eight imprints, which include St. Martin's Press , St...
. The book gives an account of Werner Erhard's early life as Jack Rosenberg, his exploration of various forms of self-improvement techniques, and his foundation of 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"...
"est" and later of Werner Erhard and Associates
Werner Erhard and Associates
Werner Erhard and Associates, also known as WE&A or as WEA, operated as a commercial entity from February 1981 until early 1991. It replaced Erhard Seminars Training, Inc. as the vehicle for marketing, selling and imparting the content of the est training, and offered what some people refer to as...
and of the Est successor course, "The Forum". Pressman details the rapid financial success Erhard had with these companies, as well as controversies relating to litigation involving former participants in his courses. The work concludes by going over the impact of a March 3, 1991 60 Minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
broadcast on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
where members of Erhard's family made allegations against him, and Erhard's decision to leave the United States.
Representatives of Werner Erhard and of Landmark Education
Landmark Education
Landmark Education LLC is a personal training and development company which offers educational programs in approximately 115 locations in more than 20 countries worldwide....
, the successor company to The Forum, expressed dissatisfaction with the book. During the course of his research for the book Pressman received letters from Werner Erhard's attorney Walter Maksym, and in 1994 the Chairman of Landmark Education Art Schreiber referred to the book as "defamatory". There are no references or citations provided in the book. In 1998, Landmark Education attempted to compel Steven Pressman to reveal the unnamed sources he had consulted while researching Outrageous Betrayal. Landmark Education later dropped this matter after it settled its litigation against the Cult Awareness Network
Cult Awareness Network
The Cult Awareness Network was founded in the wake of the November 18, 1978 deaths of members of the group Peoples Temple and assassination of Congressman Leo J. Ryan in Jonestown, Guyana. CAN is now owned and operated by associates of the Church of Scientology, an organization that the original...
(CAN). As a result of this settlement, CAN agreed not to sell copies of Outrageous Betrayal for at least five years.
Author
Pressman worked as a journalist after graduating from college in 1977. He worked as a journalist for Orange City News, the Los Angeles Daily Journal, California Lawyer magazine, and Congressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly
Congressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
's Weekly Report. During his time performing research for and writing Outrageous Betrayal, Pressman published articles for the Legal Times newspaper and wrote articles and served as a senior editor for California Republic. In 1993, Pressman worked as a San Francisco-based legal journalist
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
for California Lawyer.
Pressman continued work in the field of legal journalism after the publication of Outrageous Betrayal, with employment as a journalist for California Lawyer and as editor for the San Francisco Daily Journal. He wrote articles for publications including the Columbia Journalism Review
Columbia Journalism Review
The Columbia Journalism Review is an American magazine for professional journalists published bimonthly by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961....
, the Daily Journal
The Daily Journal Corporation
The Daily Journal Corporation publishes legal and business newspapers, a monthly magazine and legal information.The Daily Journal Corporation's largest publications are the Los Angeles | San Francisco Daily Journal and California Lawyer. The Daily Journal provides news of interest to California...
, the San Francisco Examiner, the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
, and the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
's Bureau of International Information Programs
Bureau of International Information Programs
The US Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs describes itself as follows:Among other things, IIP operates the website to deliver "information about current U.S. foreign policy and about American life and culture."...
.
Research
Pressman first became interested in writing a book about Werner Erhard in 1991 while working as a journalist for California Lawyer. He conducted interviews and research, and succeeded in landing a book contract with St. Martin's PressSt. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in the Flatiron Building in New York City. Currently, St. Martin's Press is one of the United States' largest publishers, bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under eight imprints, which include St. Martin's Press , St...
. From 1991 to 1993 Pressman spent most of his time performing investigative work
Investigative journalism
Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Investigative journalism...
, research and interviews for the book. In the "Acknowledgments" section of Outrageous Betrayal, Pressman wrote that he relied upon both named and unnamed sources for information in the book, in addition to "previously published accounts, court transcripts, depositions, and other documents in which various individuals have recounted earlier conversations". In an article on fair use
Fair use
Fair use is a limitation and exception to the exclusive right granted by copyright law to the author of a creative work. In United States copyright law, fair use is a doctrine that permits limited use of copyrighted material without acquiring permission from the rights holders...
for Columbia Journalism Review
Columbia Journalism Review
The Columbia Journalism Review is an American magazine for professional journalists published bimonthly by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961....
, Pressman noted that he "gathered reams of written materials -- some of it private and confidential -- that were helpful in drawing a comprehensive portrait of my subject". Pressman wrote that legal counsel for the book's publisher insisted on numerous changes to the book "in order to reduce, if not eliminate, the possibility of a successful suit for copyright infringement".
By 1993, Pressman and St. Martin's Press had received approximately two dozen letters from Erhard's attorney Walter Maksym, though Erhard's representatives had yet to see the book itself. Maksym told the San Francisco Daily Journal in March 1993 that he wanted to "fact check the book", because he believed that "this is a first-time unknown author who apparently has interviewed only people who have negative things to say", and stated "We have cautioned the publisher that they are responsible for the accuracy of the book." Charlie Spicer, a senior editor at St. Martin's Press, described the actions of Erhard's representatives with regard to the book as "a desperate campaign by someone with something to hide". The author himself made specific reference to his legal support, mentioning "the potential legal rapids that confront authors writing these days about controversial subjects".
Contents
In Outrageous Betrayal, Steven Pressman gives a chronological account of Werner Erhard's life and businesses, from high-school years through his formation of companies that delivered awareness trainingLarge Group Awareness Training
Large-group awareness training refers to activities usually offered by groups linked with the human potential movement which claim to increase self-awareness and bring about desirable transformations in individuals' personal lives...
and the later controversies surrounding his business and family life. The book goes into detail regarding his early life as Jack Rosenberg and his name-change to Werner Erhard, his move to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and the initial inspirations behind the training that would become "est". Pressman writes that Erhard took inspiration from the self-help
Self-help
Self-help, or self-improvement, is a self-guided improvement—economically, intellectually, or emotionally—often with a substantial psychological basis. There are many different self-help movements and each has its own focus, techniques, associated beliefs, proponents and in some cases, leaders...
course 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....
, cybernetics
Cybernetics
Cybernetics is the interdisciplinary study of the structure of regulatory systems. Cybernetics is closely related to information theory, control theory and systems theory, at least in its first-order form...
, from the books Think and Grow Rich
Think and Grow Rich
Think and Grow Rich is a motivational personal development and self-help book written by Napoleon Hill and inspired by a suggestion from Scottish-American businessman Andrew Carnegie...
by Napoleon Hill
Napoleon Hill
Napoleon Hill was an American author who was one of the earliest producers of the modern genre of personal-success literature. He is widely considered to be one of the great writers on success...
, and Psycho-Cybernetics
Psycho-Cybernetics
Psycho-Cybernetics is a classic self-help book, written by Maxwell Maltz in 1960 and published by the non-profit Psycho-Cybernetics Foundation. Motivational and self-help experts in personal development, including Zig Ziglar, Tony Robbins, Brian Tracy have based their techniques on Maxwell Maltz...
by Maxwell Maltz
Maxwell Maltz
Maxwell Maltz was an American cosmetic surgeon and author of Psycho-Cybernetics , which was a system of ideas that he claimed could improve one's self-image. In turn, the person would lead a more successful and fulfilling life...
, and from Scientology
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
and the writings of L. Ron Hubbard
L. Ron Hubbard
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
. He also notes how an attorney skilled in tax law
Taxation in the United States
The United States is a federal republic with autonomous state and local governments. Taxes are imposed in the United States at each of these levels. These include taxes on income, property, sales, imports, payroll, estates and gifts, as well as various fees.Taxes are imposed on net income of...
helped Erhard in forming his first awareness-training 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"...
.
Pressman notes how Erhard and his businesses became successful within two years of foundation, and writes that his awareness-training programs trained over half a million people in his courses and brought in tens of millions of dollars in revenue. The book then describes controversies relating to both Erhard's businesses and his reported treatment of his family. Pressman details some of the lawsuits that hurt his business, as well as some of his conflicts with the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
. The end of the book describes the impact and aftermath of a March 3, 1991 60 Minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
investigation
Investigative journalism
Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Investigative journalism...
on CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
, where one of Erhard's daughters accused him of sexual abuse
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
. Pressman also describes the successor company to Est, Werner Erhard and Associates
Werner Erhard and Associates
Werner Erhard and Associates, also known as WE&A or as WEA, operated as a commercial entity from February 1981 until early 1991. It replaced Erhard Seminars Training, Inc. as the vehicle for marketing, selling and imparting the content of the est training, and offered what some people refer to as...
, and Erhard's decision to sell the "technology" of his course The Forum to his employees and to leave the United States. The book's epilogue includes a firsthand account of a Landmark Forum seminar led by the former Est-trainer Laurel Scheaf in 1992.
Reception
St. Martin's PressSt. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in the Flatiron Building in New York City. Currently, St. Martin's Press is one of the United States' largest publishers, bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under eight imprints, which include St. Martin's Press , St...
first published Outrageous Betrayal in 1993, and Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
published a second edition of the text in 1995.
An analysis in Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus . Kirkus serves the book and literary trade sector, including libraries, publishers, literary and film agents, film and TV producers and booksellers. Kirkus Reviews is published on the first and 15th of each month...
, noting the choice of title by the author, asserted that Pressman: "makes no pretense to objectivity here." Kirkus Reviews criticized the book, saying "What the author dramatically fails to provide by bearing down on the negative (to the extent that nearly all his informants denounce est and its founder) is any real understanding of est's teachings--and of why they appealed so deeply to so many." Paul S. Boyer
Paul S. Boyer
Paul Samuel Boyer is a U.S. cultural and intellectual historian and is Merle Curti Professor of History Emeritus and former director of the Institute for Research in the Humanities at the University of Wisconsin–Madison...
, professor of history at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
, reviewed the book in The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
. Boyer wrote that the book "nicely recounts the bizarre tale" of Werner Erhard, saying "Pressman tells his fascinating story well." However he also commented that the book gives "only the sketchiest historical context" of the Est movement and its roots in societal experiences.
The book was reviewed by Library Journal
Library Journal
Library Journal is a trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey . It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional practice...
, in which Mark Annichiarico described it as "a compelling account of the 1980s guru who rose from selling used cars to peddling personal transformation". Annichiarico recommended that public libraries
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
place it next to Wendy Kaminer
Wendy Kaminer
Wendy Kaminer is a lawyer and writer. She has written several books on contemporary social issues, including A Fearful Freedom: Women's Flight From Equality, about the conflict between egalitarian and protectionist feminism; I'm Dysfunctional, You're Dysfunctional: The Recovery Movement and Other...
's I'm Dysfunctional, You're Dysfunctional
I'm Dysfunctional, You're Dysfunctional
I'm Dysfunctional, You're Dysfunctional: The Recovery Movement and Other Self-Help Fashions is a non-fiction book about the self-help industry, written by Wendy Kaminer...
. A review by Mary Carroll published in the American Library Association
American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
's Booklist
Booklist
Booklist is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. It is geared toward libraries and booksellers and is available in print or online...
noted that the controversy surrounding Erhard was not new, but she wrote that "Pressman pulls the details together effectively." Carroll went on to comment: "Outrageous Betrayal is a disturbing but fascinating object lesson in the power of charisma divorced from conscience."
Frances Halpern of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
called the book a "damning biography". Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
also reviewed the work, and briefly described Pressman's assessment of Erhard. The review noted: "Pressman here cuts into him with surgical precision." Steve Jackson of Westword
Westword
Westword is a free alternative weekly newspaper based in Denver, Colorado.Westword was established independently in 1977. In 1983 it was bought by New Times Media. In 2005, New Times acquired Village Voice Media, and changed its name to Village Voice Media...
characterized Outrageous Betrayal as "the most damning critique of Erhard", and noted "Pressman details Erhard's past, including allegations of manipulation and tales of egomania."
Psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
Margaret Singer
Margaret Singer
Dr. Margaret Thaler Singer, was a clinical psychologist and a part-time Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, U.S....
recommended the book to a client as a reference for jargon
Jargon
Jargon is terminology which is especially defined in relationship to a specific activity, profession, group, or event. The philosophe Condillac observed in 1782 that "Every science requires a special language because every science has its own ideas." As a rationalist member of the Enlightenment he...
used in the Est training. Books on subjects related to psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, and books on cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
s and new religious movement
New religious movement
A new religious movement is a religious community or ethical, spiritual, or philosophical group of modern origin, which has a peripheral place within the dominant religious culture. NRMs may be novel in origin or they may be part of a wider religion, such as Christianity, Hinduism or Buddhism, in...
s, have later referenced Outrageous Betrayal for background on Werner Erhard and the Est movement, including Janja Lalich
Janja Lalich
Janja Lalich is Professor of Sociology at California State University, Chico, known for her study of the inner workings of cults.She was a member of the radical "Democratic Workers Party" for 11 years, a group she now considers a cult...
's Bounded Choice
Bounded Choice
Bounded Choice: True Believers and Charismatic Cults is a nonfiction psychology book on cults, by Janja Lalich, Ph.D.. The book was published by University of California Press in 2004....
, and Irvin Yalom's The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy.
In 1995, Outrageous Betrayal was cited in a report on the United States Department of Transportation
United States Department of Transportation
The United States Department of Transportation is a federal Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with transportation. It was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, and began operation on April 1, 1967...
by the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Committee on Appropriations
United States House Committee on Appropriations
The Committee on Appropriations is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is in charge of setting the specific expenditures of money by the government of the United States...
in a case unrelated to Werner Erhard or Est. This was in reference to a Congressional investigation of Gregory May and controversial trainings given by his company Gregory May Associates (GMA) to the Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
. The testimony given stated that, according to Outrageous Betrayal, a member of GMA's board had been influenced by 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"...
and the Church of Scientology
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
.
Landmark Education lawsuit
In March 1993, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Werner Erhard was "threatening a libel suit" against Pressman and St. Martin's Press. In 1994, Art Schreiber, Chairman of Landmark Education, told The San Diego Union-TribuneThe San Diego Union-Tribune
-Predecessors:The predecessor newspapers of the Union-Tribune were:* San Diego Sun, founded 1861 and merged with the Evening Tribune in 1939.* San Diego Union, founded October 10, 1868.* Evening Tribune, founded December 2, 1895.-Ownership:...
that he considered Pressman's book "defamatory". In a 1996 article in Westword
Westword
Westword is a free alternative weekly newspaper based in Denver, Colorado.Westword was established independently in 1977. In 1983 it was bought by New Times Media. In 2005, New Times acquired Village Voice Media, and changed its name to Village Voice Media...
Steve Jackson noted: "Art Schreiber denounced the book as defamatory, but Landmark has yet to prove any inaccuracies."
Over a period of months in 1998, Landmark Education
Landmark Education
Landmark Education LLC is a personal training and development company which offers educational programs in approximately 115 locations in more than 20 countries worldwide....
attempted to compel Steven Pressman to respond to deposition questions
Deposition (law)
In the law of the United States, a deposition is the out-of-court oral testimony of a witness that is reduced to writing for later use in court or for discovery purposes. It is commonly used in litigation in the United States and Canada and is almost always conducted outside of court by the...
aimed at obtaining the sources he used for research on Outrageous Betrayal. According to a summary published on Rick Ross
Rick Ross (consultant)
Rick Alan Ross works as a consultant, lecturer, and intervention specialist, with an interest in exit counseling and deprogramming of former cult members. He runs a blog at CultNews.com, and in 2003 founded the Rick A...
's website, "Introduction to the Landmark Education litigation archive", Landmark Education brought the suit under the pretext of compelling legal discovery
Discovery (law)
In U.S.law, discovery is the pre-trial phase in a lawsuit in which each party, through the law of civil procedure, can obtain evidence from the opposing party by means of discovery devices including requests for answers to interrogatories, requests for production of documents, requests for...
for use in Landmark Education's lawsuit against the Cult Awareness Network
Cult Awareness Network
The Cult Awareness Network was founded in the wake of the November 18, 1978 deaths of members of the group Peoples Temple and assassination of Congressman Leo J. Ryan in Jonestown, Guyana. CAN is now owned and operated by associates of the Church of Scientology, an organization that the original...
(CAN). The piece also asserts that Pressman concluded that Landmark Education brought the suit "primarily to harass him". Attorneys Peter L. Skolnik and Michael A. Norwick of Lowenstein Sandler PC, who defended Ross pro-bono in a separate lawsuit initiated by Landmark Education wrote the introduction. Skolnik and Norwick cited the discovery commissioner in the Pressman case (who entered an interim order in the matter), as stating: "..it does not appear that the information sought [from Mr. Pressman] is directly relevant or goes to the heart of the [CAN] action, or that alternative sources have been exhausted or are inadequate."
Landmark Education dropped the action against Pressman after the settlement of the Cult Awareness Network litigation. As a result of the Cult Awareness Network settlement with Landmark Education, CAN agreed to cease selling copies of Outrageous Betrayal for at least five years, and to "decline to discuss Landmark or the Landmark Forum". From the resolution of the CAN board of directors: "In the interests of settling a dispute and in deference to Landmark's preference, however, CAN now agrees not to sell the Pressman Book for at least five years after CAN emerges from bankruptcy."
See also
- Human Potential MovementHuman Potential MovementThe Human Potential Movement arose out of the social and intellectual milieu of the 1960s and formed around the concept of cultivating extraordinary potential that its advocates believed to lie largely untapped in all people...
- Journalism sourcingJournalism sourcingIn journalism, a source is a person, publication, or other record or document that gives timely information. Outside journalism, sources are sometimes known as "news sources"...
- Large Group Awareness TrainingLarge Group Awareness TrainingLarge-group awareness training refers to activities usually offered by groups linked with the human potential movement which claim to increase self-awareness and bring about desirable transformations in individuals' personal lives...
External links
Citations and excerpts- Chapter 4: A Door to Door Mind Salesman, from The Awareness Archives, copyrighted article is provided under U.S. COPYRIGHT ACT § 108.
- Chapter 7: Enlightenment in Two Weekends - The est Training, from The Awareness Archives, copyrighted article is provided under U.S. COPYRIGHT ACT § 108.
- Werner's Uncertainty Principle, article/chapter is excerpted from Stripping the Gurus by Geoffrey D. Falk.
Litigation
- Introduction to the Landmark Education litigation archive, Peter L. Skolnik & Michael A. Norwick, Lowenstein Sandler PC, Roseland, NJ, February 2006
- Landmark Education litigation archive, see section "Pressman".