so well made and written! what a laugh riot!

You’re so right Aquamarine.

Laughter!

Anon,

A short time ago on this blog Mike (our Mike) explained to me that DM cut all funding for the DMSMH book ads as well as declared all the marketing people who used to create these ads, and never replaced them.

I think that’s very sad. I really do. For, despite all the MUs I got reading it, despite all my scepticism, my failed help buttons – all kinds of stuff I had going on back then – despite the big gaps in my understanding of it, something resonated in me, something communicated, and I walked myself into an org shortly after reading it, to find out more. So what LRH said about books bringing people into orgs was true in my case. I was a “one out of 25”. And I really do think its a damned shame that its not being promoted – not because its killing the RCS – that’s the silver lining in this dark cloud – but because it did put me on the path to handling some things which I had thought were hopelessly unsolvable. And what worked for me in Dianetics and Scientology worked only because it was not forced upon me. Its very sad the way the Bridge is forced on pulbic now. It just can’t ever work that way. But I digress.

They should have just posted the DVD for free on YouTube. That would have been progressive. But that would mean their goal would be to help people and clear the planet. Apparently they care about something else.

Yes!! Same at our org in the states, too. Oh boy, I had forgotten about the VM booklets. You would sell one of those cheap booklets and get a book sold stat!!! (A booklet that any other church would give away for free out of genuine concern for the person’s improvement).

And when they wouldn’t buy the book, you inevitably say as they walk away,”oh, I guess their confront just isn’t up enough.”

Apparently, Dianetics used to fly off the shelves in the 50’s. Not in my generation.

Also, where’s the marketing campaign when it comes to the book cover? Tremendously outdated and the photo has nothing to do with “personal enhancement.” No button whatsoever to catch a buyer’s eye.

I can believe this. They relied on volunteers. FSMs. BSOs and PES’ were desperate and stuck with the job unless they had volunteers. I was one of them once for a short while. I never did stress tests, just sold the books.

At one point the NY Org Senior C/S, Debbie Indursky, was made to go out daily to a table in front of the org there, like in the photo except the table was against the building wall, and do pinch tests ( but called a stress test ) on willing people as they walked by. The word ‘stress’ was used in the patter but i don’t recall if she used a sign. this may be the time frame Mike refers to about orders going in to get this done. Previous to this is was unheard of to see the C/S doing anything but being in the Ivory Tower.

Debbie was the only available meter trained staff member they could send out, who could leave their post to do this. There was usually someone there to tag the sale of a book or course start with her… she really didn’t know how to sell. They got many people in this way. This was back in the late 80’s or early 90s before the Ideal org was created from the run down building the org occupy. That location has always been dead, despite some efforts and a fancy renovation.

It’s a learning experience. All grist for the mill.

“…. COS is a worst case scenario version of an intrusive book club. The problem is book clubs worked fairly well back in the 70s, 80s and 90s, but the Internet has pulled the rug from under their feet. Not many people today are going to hear they need a self help book and then sign up for a book club at at street corner. Video killed the radio star, and now the Internet is killing book club cults.”

That’s an interesting comment.

$cientology to use a track & field analogy, has been “lapped” by technology. And they’re falling even further behind. Basically $cn. is a dinosaur who will not adapt.