Regarding Toastmaster clubs around the world, I can offer that one’s experience depends on the club. The basic exercises and experience for many is extremely positive. Toastmasters is helpful, not just to conquer stage fright and learn how to organize your ideas into a coherent speech, but also to learn how to run a meeting. (That is the role of the Toastmaster each time—set the tone, run the meeting, and keep things on time. Most clubs meet weekly, and members rotate into the various roles for each session.)

Of course, if you find yourself in a club with a bunch of quirksters, it is going to be an odd experience.

The only “black & white” thinking that I encountered in Toastmasters, which I found not very useful, was an idea our club president enforced* of “A speaker never thanks his audience! Your audience should be delighted to hear you speak!”

(LOL) I found that, err… Come on, who cares. Many speakers, when they get up, will thank the host for the nice introduction or similar. I hardly characterize that as a massive speaker faux pau. Too, seems an egotistical view that you can 100 percent be assured that your audience is grateful to have you there and hear what you have to say. In my opinion, that is earned.

*which he claimed is an ironclad Toastmasters International principle

Weirdly, or perhaps not so weirdly, toastmasters was very popular amongst Scientologist business “elites”. I know for a fact that they did seminars at the Hubbard College Administration in the late 1990s. …I know because I was there (not taking LRH admin courses though) and someone invited me to sit in on a Toastmaster’s meeting.

Apparently the rules are different inside the bubble.

You forgot to mention the hundreds of times he did Lowers and finally after being accepted back into the group, realizing all of those amazing gains.