Bay Area Skeptics Information Sheet - 1990 11

Magazine Overview

This issue of "BASIS," the newsletter of the Bay Area Skeptics, dated November 1990, features a lead article on "Thought Reform Programs and the Production of Psychiatric Casualties" by Margaret Thaler Singer, PhD, and Richard Ofshe, PhD. The issue also includes a review of the "Life Through Time" exhibit at the California Academy of Sciences.

Thought Reform Programs and the Production of Psychiatric Casualties

The article introduces the terms "thought reform" (Lifton) and "coercive persuasion" (Schein) to describe organized "ideological remolding" programs, particularly those introduced by the Chinese Communists after their 1949 takeover. These programs were implemented in various settings, including "revolutionary universities," educational settings, and prisons, aiming to change political beliefs through psychological manipulation. The article notes that Mao Tse-tung was already using "thought struggle" in 1929 for party discipline, and post-1949 China saw hundreds of thousands exposed to these programs. The effectiveness of these programs did not rely on mysterious methods but on intense guilt/shame/anxiety manipulation and emotional arousal, compelling participants to accept the new belief system to reduce pressure.

The authors identify two generations of interest in extreme influence and control programs. The first generation focused on Soviet and Chinese practices studied decades ago, while the second generation examines programs currently operating or existing in the last decade in the United States and the Western world. These newer programs are described as more efficient, effective, and psychologically risky than their predecessors, employing both established and new influence techniques that can regularly produce psychiatric casualties.

Psychiatric casualties often result from errors in program application, where extreme anxiety and emotional distress are manufactured. While first-generation programs aimed to monitor subjects near decompensation to reduce pressure, second-generation programs have less monitoring, more powerful and unpredictable techniques, and attempt faster conformity. These programs pose psychological risks by attacking a person's sense of self, particularly central aspects like consciousness, reality awareness, and defense mechanisms. The process often follows a "symbolic death and rebirth" theme, using techniques like group pressure, modeling, accusations, confessions, hypnosis, emotional flooding, sleep deprivation, and cognitive confusion. Examples include certain cults, therapeutic communities gone astray, and large-group awareness programs.

What is a Thought Reform Program?

A thought reform program is defined as behavioral change technology applied to foster the adoption of an ideology or behaviors under specific conditions. It involves environmental and interpersonal manipulation to suppress existing behaviors and train new ones. Six simultaneous conditions are present:

1. Obtaining substantial control over an individual's time and thought content.
2. Systematically creating a sense of powerlessness.
3. Manipulating rewards and experiences to promote a new ideology.
4. Manipulating rewards and experiences to inhibit observable behaviors reflecting prior life organization.
5. Maintaining a closed system of logic and an authoritarian structure.
6. Maintaining a noninformed state in the subject.

The last two conditions are effective because the subject cannot influence the system, and the program proceeds without the subject being aware of the change's purpose. Criticism is often turned back on the subject, implying they are wrong and the system is right. The subject is kept uninformed, adapting to changes without realizing the program's goals.

The tactics are designed to destabilize individuals' sense of self by reinterpreting their life history, altering their world view, and fostering dependency on the organization.

Types of Psychological Responses

Not everyone exposed to thought reform is successfully manipulated or suffers major symptoms. While definitive casualty rates for second-generation programs are unavailable, anecdotal reports, treatment-seeking numbers, and litigation suggest significant distress, disability, and dysfunction. Damage rates may be higher than estimated, with encounter groups using intrusive and high-confrontation techniques showing casualty rates over 10%. Second-generation programs disrupt defense systems, causing emotional flooding or dissociation. Psychological decompensations are linked to intense arousal of adverse emotional states and dissociation-producing techniques.

Case Examples

Kirk: Kirk joined a mantra meditation group seeking stress reduction. Despite having an advanced science degree, he was drawn in by claims of scientific proof. The program involved meditation, chanting, and hyperventilation, leading to chest pains, fainting, palpitations, and lassitude, which were dismissed as signs of "unstressing." His condition worsened over years, causing panic attacks, memory loss, decline in career and social life, dizziness, disorientation, and confusion. He eventually lost his memory while driving and resigned from his job, unable to function. Professionals diagnosed him with relaxation-induced anxiety evolving into panic attacks and atypical dissociative states.

Beverly: Beverly joined a cult at age 15 and remained for nine years. After leaving, she suffered severe depression, anxiety, multiple phobias, and identity diffusion, eventually diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder. The cult leader, who claimed to be a guru, dominated her, making her believe he knew all secrets and held power over life and death. She was subjected to endless indoctrination, bizarre diets, and threats of execution if she left. The leader raped her, and she underwent two abortions, after which he continued to rape her. She developed herpes and chronic kidney/bladder infections, seeing him only as a violent rapist. She was held virtual prisoner for over a year and escaped, but still fears for her and her family's safety. She developed a driving phobia and "flashbacks" from the lectures, making her unable to attend classes or engage in normal activities. She experiences panic attacks with agoraphobia, preventing employment and recreation, and suffers from free-floating dread and nightmares. Her numbed state has improved, but the PTSD symptoms remain, leaving her life ruined and suffering generalized anhedonia.

Summary of Techniques and Effects

The techniques used in thought reform programs induce belief, change, and dependency, leading to various psychiatric casualties. Large-group awareness training may cause mood and affect disorders. Prolonged mantra, hyperventilation, and chanting can lead to anxiety, panic disorder, and dissociative problems. Therapeutic community programs may induce fears, self-mutilation, and self-abasement. Many individuals report lasting cognitive inefficiencies, impaired concentration, attention, and memory. The interaction between the program's content and the individual's makeup (genetics, experiences, personality) makes prediction difficult, but stressful situations increase the likelihood of behavioral pathology.

Review: Life Through Time

Tom Woosnam reviews the "Life Through Time" exhibit at the California Academy of Sciences. The exhibit presents evidence for evolution through fossils and comparative anatomy, offering a brief history of life. Highlights include a videotape overview, a geological column of fossils, interactive computer stations called "Lifemap," and displays on "Early Life in the Sea," "Transition to Land," "The Age of Dinosaurs," "The Age of Mammals," and "Lines of Evidence." Notable features are a full-size flying dinosaur (quetzalcoatlus), an allosaurus attacking a camptosaurus, and a Tyrannosaurus rex skull hologram. The review suggests adding worksheets for school groups and posting creationist arguments with rebuttals. The author, who teaches physics, praises the exhibit's visual stunningness and organization.

"Life Through Time" Tour a Success

John Taube reports on a successful tour of the "Life Through Time" exhibit led by Dr. Eugenie Scott, a director of Bay Areas Skeptics. Despite crowd noise and a makeshift megaphone, Genie effectively guided the group, combining her knowledge of physical anthropology with an engaging teaching style. She prepared by visiting the exhibit beforehand, outlining evolution's main points, and highlighting inconsistencies in creationism. The tour was limited to 40 participants, and requests for another tour are being accepted.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter's primary focus is on skepticism and critical examination of claims, particularly those related to psychology, pseudoscience, and paranormal phenomena. The lead article on thought reform strongly critiques manipulative psychological techniques and their harmful effects, aligning with a skeptical stance against unsubstantiated or harmful belief systems. The review of the "Life Through Time" exhibit supports scientific consensus on evolution and implicitly critiques creationism by highlighting the exhibit's evidence-based approach. The overall editorial stance appears to be one of promoting critical thinking, scientific literacy, and awareness of psychological manipulation.

This issue of "BASIS", the monthly publication of the Bay Area Skeptics, dated November 1990, features several articles and discussions on topics ranging from the nature of belief systems to censorship and brainwashing techniques.

Letter to the Editor: SECULAR RELIGIOSITY by Walter R. Hearn

Walter R. Hearn responds to a previous letter by Thomas H. Jukes, addressing the distinction between the American Scientific Affiliation's (ASA) statement of faith in God as "the Creator of the physical universe" and the "scientific creationist" position that God created everything 6,000 to 20,000 years ago. Hearn argues that the difference is significant, comparing it to the difference between being genetically related and having the same grandfather. He contends that while both are religious convictions, they are not the same. Hearn also brings up Cornell biologist William Provine's personal credo, which states "No inherent moral or ethical laws exist, nor are there absolute guiding principles for human society," as an example of a "frankly religious construct" that is atheistic. Hearn refers to this as "IDEOLOGICAL," a broader term that encompasses "secular religiosity" as warned about by Langdon Gilkey. Gilkey advised scientists to be clear about the "limits" of science to avoid breeding creationists while encouraging humanists. Hearn agrees with Robert Root-Bernstein that understanding these non-scientific points is crucial for ending educational battles.

Hearn addresses Jukes' dismissal of the ASA's distinction between evolutionary science and evolutionary naturalism as "double-talk." Citing Judge Overton, Hearn states that "Evolution does not presuppose the absence of a creator or God." When it does, it becomes scientism. He argues that the real "double-talk" is using the word "EVOLUTION" for both scientism and science, which causes public controversy. Hearn believes that "taking evolution seriously" as science requires careful definition and guarding against misuse.

Regarding common ape-human ancestry, Hearn states that the certainty claimed by Jukes is neither mathematical nor forensic. He explains that molecular evidence of descent is not "overwhelming" beyond a couple of generations. The evidence for ancestry thousands of generations back is an "INFERENCE or HYPOTHESIS." Hearn notes that in 1989, ASA authors changed the question in "Teaching Science..." to "What is known of the Earliest Hominid?" and concluded that "Too many problems remain unresolved and too many pieces of evidence are missing to say that the search for human origins is over." He recalls that in Darwin's time, people thought evolutionary biology had settled basic questions, similar to how they viewed Newtonian physics.

Walter Hearn is identified as a former biochemistry professor who now edits the "ASA NEWSLETTER" and is a coauthor of "Teaching Science in a Climate of Controversy."

A HUMBLE SUGGESTION by Yves Barbero

Yves Barbero discusses the concept of "community standards" in relation to obscenity, prompted by a TV news report about a museum director being absolved of obscenity charges. Barbero questions the fuss, stating that if someone else wants to see an exhibit, it's none of his business. He draws parallels to his own preferences in music and lyrics, suggesting that personal tolerance should prevail.

Barbero conducts a thought experiment, posing three questions:

1. What is a community standard (or more accurately, how is it measured)? He concludes that it's whatever a prosecutor or police agency dictates until a judge or jury modifies it, ultimately decided by a small group of people.
2. At what point would I allow the government to act as censor? Barbero would only allow government censorship for ship schedules in wartime.
3. What is obscenity? He defines obscenity as "whatever the dominant group says it is." He provides examples, such as Japan not permitting pubic hair in magazines and the airbrushing of "Playboy" in Japan. He also mentions the arrest of African Americans for "dirty" lyrics in Florida due to Fundamentalist influence, contrasting it with San Francisco where African Americans have more influence.

Barbero concludes that community standards are not measurable but that community interests are (like ship schedules in wartime). He finds the concept of obscenity meaningless due to its societal and group-specific variations. He highlights the problem of influential groups using political strength to suppress others or build their own power bases. His proposed solution is to abandon the concept of a community standard and settle for a "multiple of individual standards." He believes individuals can decide what they tolerate for themselves and that common sense, similar to how the government warns about cigarettes, can manage potential issues without government overreach.

CENSORSHIP

This section defines censorship as the implication that one person's judgment is superior to another's, stemming from a fear that information will corrupt. It notes that the censor is perceived as immune. In the U.S., censorship often targets emotion rather than politics, with erotica being a common subject. A legal distinction is made between erotica and pornography, allowing art that is erotic to exist while prosecuting "non-art" pornography, typically defined as the "commercial" use of sex. This is further complicated by ethical and/or religious groups promoting their vision of "natural law" as universal.

The author suggests that because Americans distrust each other to behave "morally" without laws and cannot accept diverse forms of sexuality as part of the human condition, censorship will persist.

LOOSE ENDS

This section provides updates on Bay Area Skeptics activities:

• An Austin Miles talk sponsored by the BAY AREA SKEPTICS, shown on San Francisco Cable, channel 25, is available for local showings by contacting Paul Bernadino.
• Photos from the BAY AREA SKEPTICS' Gala Barbecue/Picnic will be available at the upcoming November meeting for attendees to claim.
• Information on THE SKEPTIC'S ELECTRONIC BULLETIN BOARD is provided: 2400 Baud, 415-648-8944, available 24/7, with Rick Moen as Sysop.

ANSWERS TO HALLOWE'EN PUZZLES

This section provides answers to puzzles published in the previous month's issue by Shillaber Montabue. Since the original publication issue could not be located, Dr. Montabue's answers were not available. Bob Steiner was consulted to provide answers.

ANSWER TO PUZZLE NUMBER ONE: The probability that a speaker has two girls, given that they do not have two boys, is one in three. The four possibilities for two children are Girl-Girl, Girl-Boy, Boy-Girl, and Boy-Boy. If the speaker does not have two boys (Possibility 4), the remaining possibilities are 1, 2, or 3, making the probability of having two girls one in three.

ANSWER TO PUZZLE NUMBER TWO: The solution involves asking either witch a conditional question about what the other witch would say, or what the witch herself would have said an hour ago, to determine the correct door.

Bob Steiner is credited for enjoying the party and puzzles.

MODERN BRAINWASHING TECHNIQUES

This section announces an upcoming discussion by Dr. Margaret Singer on "Myths and Realities of Thought Reform." The text outlines the conditions conducive to brainwashing: isolating an individual, controlling their sensory input, and the individual having weak self-esteem. It poses questions about the history of political brainwashing, its relation to cults, personality markers for brainwashing, and whether intelligence or skepticism acts as a shield. It also questions the necessity of sense-deprivation, starvation, sexual abuse, or beatings.

Wallace Sampson, MD, a BAS advisor and co-founder, will introduce Dr. Singer.

CALENDAR

• November meeting: GULLIBILITY, GUILT, AND CULTS, featuring Dr. Margaret Singer, PhD, at The Planetarium, College of San Mateo, on Tuesday, Nov. 20, 1990, 7:30 pm. Directions are provided.
• December meeting: POT LUCK PARTY at Kate Talbot's House, 479 Ebken, Pacifica, on Sunday, December 9, 1990, 5 pm. Attendees are asked to bring a "pot" of food and are optionally BYOB.

BAS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

A list of the BAS Board of Directors is provided, including Chair Larry Loebig, Vice Chair Yves Barbero, Secretary Rick Moen, Treasurer Kent Harker, and board members Shawn Carlson, Andrew Fraknoi, Mark Hodes, Lawrence Jerome, John Lattanzio, Eugenie Scott, and Norman Sperling.

"BASIS" STAFF

The staff for "BASIS" includes Yves Barbero (editor), Sharon Crawford (assoc. editor), Wilma Russell (distribution), Rick Moen (circulation), and Kate Talbot (meeting coordinator).

BAS ADVISORS

A comprehensive list of BAS Advisors is provided, including prominent figures such as William J. Bennetta, Dean Edell, Donald Goldsmith, Earl Hautala, Alexander Jason, Thomas H. Jukes, John E. McCosker, Diane Moser, Richard J. Ofshe, Bernard Oliver, Kevin Padian, James Randi, Francis Rigney, Wallace I. Sampson, Eugenie C. Scott, Robert Sheaffer, Robert A. Steiner, Ray Spangenburg, and Jill C. Tarter.

Editorial Stance and Reprints

The publication states that opinions expressed in "BASIS" are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of BAS, its board, or its advisors. Information is provided on how to obtain a free sample copy of "BASIS" by mail or via "The Skeptic's Board" BBS and the 415-LA-TRUTH hotline. Copyright is held by BAY AREA SKEPTICS for 1990, with reprints requiring credit to "BASIS, newsletter of the Bay Area Skeptics."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the critical examination of belief systems, the separation of science from pseudoscience and religious dogma, and the analysis of societal control mechanisms like censorship and brainwashing. The editorial stance, as represented by the Bay Area Skeptics, is one of skepticism, critical thinking, and a commitment to evidence-based reasoning. The publication actively promotes rational discourse and challenges unsubstantiated claims, whether they originate from religious, ideological, or pseudoscientific sources. There is a clear emphasis on defining terms precisely, understanding the limits of scientific inquiry, and questioning the basis of societal norms and authority.