likesthecoat (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
likesthecoat) wrote2007-07-07 05:40 pm
likesthecoat) wrote2007-07-07 05:40 pm
Entry tags:
reporting in
We're back, somewhat worse for the wear.
I really have nothing to add to it at this time.
[Filtered to Jack, Owen, Gwen and Tosh]
Ok - here is your Beginner's Guide to NLP. Enjoy.
NLP stands for neuro-linguistic programming. And the first thing you need to know is that it's a Marmite discipline. As in, people either love it or loathe it. Why? Well, there's a lively dispute as to whether it should be described as a science at all - even devotees can prefer to describe it as a 'technology'. In fact, others go even further and deny there's any theory involved, claiming we shouldn't be asking 'is it true?' but instead, 'does it work?' An interesting distinction, although Owen takes much the same approach every time he chats someone up.
Anyway. NLP It studies the structure of how humans think and experience the world. It's basically all about the belief that the mind, language, perception and programming interact to create a subjective reality. That's a reality people can influence, control, and re-order, as they see fit. You can change your thought patterns, change your behaviour - and change the world. That's YOUR world, of course.
It's seen as a product of the 'New Age' era which is where in the late 20thC, people in Western cultures started to explore their spiritual selves a bit more. Presumably there wasn't much on TV.
Whether you believe in it or not, the chances are it'll have touched your life in some way - from motivational training, to techniques for calming exam and interview nerves. That's the 'benign' end of the spectrum (helping people change their behaviour to overcome fears, phobias, addictions, etc).
It also encompasses hypnotic phenomena, which is where critics feel it all gets a little more sinister. If you ask me, it's the mental equivalent of handing someone your keys and letting them rearrange your house while you're out. If you're lucky, you get someone with a flair for fabrics who'll elegantly re-pot all your houseplants. When you're conscious, you no longer want to smoke/punch people/run screaming from spiders. If you're unlucky, you'll come home to something like a crack den after a police raid. And someone's implanted a psychic trigger in your head, turning you into a murderous human timebomb. Ring any bells?
I guess if you want a summary, then NLP is like so much else we deal with. It seems to Do Something, although it's quite hard to say exactly what, or how. And that Something might be positive, of genuine benefit to the human race - or it might be very damaging, if used in the wrong way.
But of course, that's just how I see it. In my subjective reality. Welcome to my world...
[Filtered to Jack]
Hi Captain
As requested, here's a bit of info about cults. To sum it up, we're pretty much a cult down here but to go into more detail...
In basic terms a cult is a cohesive group of people. They're usually defined by having a set of beliefs or practices that are outside what the rest of society would call normal. The villagers in Brynblaidd could be considered a cult (although I can think of a better description for them). They believed that eating other people was acceptable and it took them over. It gave them a purpose. United them.
Which is one of the reasons why people join cults. Being a member of a group is a natural human desire (we all want to belong etc). Joining a cult is also seen as going through a big emotional change in your life which makes a change from TV and chips. Makes you feel like you're doing something worthwhile. In fact, the people who start cults often do it because of their own problems - a form of self-therapy. The hardest thing for any cult member is leaving - they face fear, guilt, shame, loss of stability etc.
There's also a new thing that's sprung up over the last couple of years which has similar characteristics. It's called Flash Mob - people receive a text or email telling them to be at a certain point (usually somewhere highly visible) at a certain time and perform a certain action (hugging or placard-waving or something) - again this can stem out of a feeling of exclusion from normal society. So that's what the kids are getting up to these days. I suppose it's better than happy-slapping.
So, if I wanted to start my own group, I guess what I'd do is try and find a bunch of people with a similar interest - coffee drinkers.
My name is Ianto and I'm sick of tea being seen as the drink for the UK so I start a website. That gets some members - a few are genuinely interested but the majority are people who want to throw themselves into something so they finally feel accepted by someone. We can do the flash mob thing - arrange for mass coffee drinkings in Trafalgar Square or outside Cardiff Castle. This gets us a bit of recognition which strengthens everyone's beliefs. Then I can start to get a bit hardcore. I'm King Ianto - give me your money and I'll invest it in our group. That strengthens the bond between us. I owe you now and you're more keen to see the group succeed. And, of course, you're less likely to leave. And if you did leave, you'd have to face upto the real problems you're suffering from. Stay with me and I give you security and a purpose! We like coffee! We want coffee to be seen as the national drink! It's important.
And from there it's only a small step to "our problem is the people who make the tea - what are we going to do about them?"
And that's where the problems start.
So who's with me? King Ianto's Coffee Club. Join it for everlasting peace and damn fine coffee.
Gwen and Tosh said they'd sign up. Owen called me a nutter. He'll be the first one to go under King Ianto's regime.
[ooc: Both reports can be found on the Torchwood official site.]
I really have nothing to add to it at this time.
[Filtered to Jack, Owen, Gwen and Tosh]Ok - here is your Beginner's Guide to NLP. Enjoy.
NLP stands for neuro-linguistic programming. And the first thing you need to know is that it's a Marmite discipline. As in, people either love it or loathe it. Why? Well, there's a lively dispute as to whether it should be described as a science at all - even devotees can prefer to describe it as a 'technology'. In fact, others go even further and deny there's any theory involved, claiming we shouldn't be asking 'is it true?' but instead, 'does it work?' An interesting distinction, although Owen takes much the same approach every time he chats someone up.
Anyway. NLP It studies the structure of how humans think and experience the world. It's basically all about the belief that the mind, language, perception and programming interact to create a subjective reality. That's a reality people can influence, control, and re-order, as they see fit. You can change your thought patterns, change your behaviour - and change the world. That's YOUR world, of course.
It's seen as a product of the 'New Age' era which is where in the late 20thC, people in Western cultures started to explore their spiritual selves a bit more. Presumably there wasn't much on TV.
Whether you believe in it or not, the chances are it'll have touched your life in some way - from motivational training, to techniques for calming exam and interview nerves. That's the 'benign' end of the spectrum (helping people change their behaviour to overcome fears, phobias, addictions, etc).
It also encompasses hypnotic phenomena, which is where critics feel it all gets a little more sinister. If you ask me, it's the mental equivalent of handing someone your keys and letting them rearrange your house while you're out. If you're lucky, you get someone with a flair for fabrics who'll elegantly re-pot all your houseplants. When you're conscious, you no longer want to smoke/punch people/run screaming from spiders. If you're unlucky, you'll come home to something like a crack den after a police raid. And someone's implanted a psychic trigger in your head, turning you into a murderous human timebomb. Ring any bells?
I guess if you want a summary, then NLP is like so much else we deal with. It seems to Do Something, although it's quite hard to say exactly what, or how. And that Something might be positive, of genuine benefit to the human race - or it might be very damaging, if used in the wrong way.
But of course, that's just how I see it. In my subjective reality. Welcome to my world...
[Filtered to Jack]Hi Captain
As requested, here's a bit of info about cults. To sum it up, we're pretty much a cult down here but to go into more detail...
In basic terms a cult is a cohesive group of people. They're usually defined by having a set of beliefs or practices that are outside what the rest of society would call normal. The villagers in Brynblaidd could be considered a cult (although I can think of a better description for them). They believed that eating other people was acceptable and it took them over. It gave them a purpose. United them.
Which is one of the reasons why people join cults. Being a member of a group is a natural human desire (we all want to belong etc). Joining a cult is also seen as going through a big emotional change in your life which makes a change from TV and chips. Makes you feel like you're doing something worthwhile. In fact, the people who start cults often do it because of their own problems - a form of self-therapy. The hardest thing for any cult member is leaving - they face fear, guilt, shame, loss of stability etc.
There's also a new thing that's sprung up over the last couple of years which has similar characteristics. It's called Flash Mob - people receive a text or email telling them to be at a certain point (usually somewhere highly visible) at a certain time and perform a certain action (hugging or placard-waving or something) - again this can stem out of a feeling of exclusion from normal society. So that's what the kids are getting up to these days. I suppose it's better than happy-slapping.
So, if I wanted to start my own group, I guess what I'd do is try and find a bunch of people with a similar interest - coffee drinkers.
My name is Ianto and I'm sick of tea being seen as the drink for the UK so I start a website. That gets some members - a few are genuinely interested but the majority are people who want to throw themselves into something so they finally feel accepted by someone. We can do the flash mob thing - arrange for mass coffee drinkings in Trafalgar Square or outside Cardiff Castle. This gets us a bit of recognition which strengthens everyone's beliefs. Then I can start to get a bit hardcore. I'm King Ianto - give me your money and I'll invest it in our group. That strengthens the bond between us. I owe you now and you're more keen to see the group succeed. And, of course, you're less likely to leave. And if you did leave, you'd have to face upto the real problems you're suffering from. Stay with me and I give you security and a purpose! We like coffee! We want coffee to be seen as the national drink! It's important.
And from there it's only a small step to "our problem is the people who make the tea - what are we going to do about them?"
And that's where the problems start.
So who's with me? King Ianto's Coffee Club. Join it for everlasting peace and damn fine coffee.
Gwen and Tosh said they'd sign up. Owen called me a nutter. He'll be the first one to go under King Ianto's regime.
[ooc: Both reports can be found on the Torchwood official site.]
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Well. The mystery was solved.
And I wish I could tell you more because it's . . . it's so mad.
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Are you going to be all right? Is there anything I can do?
God, I want to be there so badly right now.
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Yes, I'm fine. I'm unhurt. I'm just a bit shaken--we all are.
Our colleague . . . she died. And she nearly took Gwen with her.
I wish you were here too.
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I know there's not really anything I can say that would help here, but I do understand what you're going through, so if you need to talk about it, I'm here.
It's times like this when I really wish I could just be there with you, just to be there. Sorry, that was redundant.
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I don't know what there is to say, to be honest, unless I told you the entire story. That's the only way it makes sense.
I understand. I wish you were here too, to be here.
There's something I need to know. Do you want to know what goes on with Jack and I, or would you rather I didn't bring tell you?
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I'm not sure how to answer that.
Do I want all the details of your relationship with him? No. Not really.
But if there's something you think you need to tell me about the two of you, then yes, I do want to know. If not telling me is going to be a problem for you, then I want you to tell me.
But otherwise, I'd rather not know.
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All right. I'm still trying to figure out the boundaries.
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I accept the onset of the new regime so long as I get an exalted position in government for my cooperation.
And lots of coffee, never forgetting that.
Thanks for the cult summary, it's filed away now. Here's to no major situations again for... a long time. Enough to catch a breather from that.
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Grand vizier and chief bean-grinder, I should say.
Lots and lots of coffee.
You're welcome, sir. I think we all could use a little quiet. Are you all right?
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Oh, sweet caffeination.
Quiet... quiet would be very welcome. And I'll be fine. I usually am, you know.
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Of course, sir.
But you will let me know if you need anything further from me?