Friday, November 2, 2007

Robbins-Con

While Gus gets in to E3 for free, I'm in the middle of a free 3 1/2 days of listening to Tony Robbins in Atlanta. I was heavily "encouraged" by my boss, but I'm trying to keep an open mind. Going in, I expected a mix of help focusing on what's important, BS psychology, and kool-aid drinking zealots. So far:

What's important - group dancing, repeating mantras, and talking for 14 hours without a food or bathroom break.

BS psychology - whether you're in a peak state or not, leaving hot coals stuck to your feet after walking across them hurts like hell, ass hat.

BS psychology - At one point, he picks up a 140 lb dude easily. He then tells him to find his center and root to the ground. Then he can't pick the guy up, suspending the laws of psychics.

Kool-aid drinking zealots - Groupies pounced on me every time I pulled out my camera, because it "de-focuses" people.

Kool-aid drinking zealots - People actually believe that chanting while walking across the coals somehow protects the body.

Kool-aid drinking zealots - I made the mistake of admitting to one of the Grateful Dead like followers, gaining me personal attention the whole time. It's not enough for these people to think this guy is Jesus, they need to push me as well.

8 comments:

cardinal23 said...

Stay strong. Fight the pod people.

Unknown said...

The upside is you can have some Chick Fil A.

Qhorin said...

That should have read, "admitted I was a skeptic."

Did have some Chick Fil A yesterday. I'll call that the highlight.

Tune in tonight - I'm expecting the Wookie Defense when we talk about alternate nutrition.

w1ndst0rm said...

You're not a skeptic. You are sane.

The thing that creeps me out is the way THESE people talk differently during and just after the indoctrination. Thier voice gets a little higher and a little whispier. Thier eyes are open wide and thier breathing shallow. Psychologically he just 'bent over' the believers (if you know what I mean) . . . and they liked it! Unfathomable, to me.

By 'THESE people' I meant "religious people" of all kinds.

andrew said...

did they use the old 'elbows-in-elbows-out' for picking the guy up?

If you have your eblows tight to your body, and your upper arms in line with your body, a person can relatively easily lift a smaller person by squatting down and putting their cupped hands on his testicles oh wait, umm, elbows, yea elbows. Throw the elbows back just a bit and the person tips rather than lifts easily

Unknown said...

I'm wondering if these things are an evo(devo?)lution of the touring sideshow or tent revival. Maybe the mutant offspring of the two.

avk said...

Clearly, keeping an open mind when Tony Robbins speaks is a dangerous policy.

I mean, didn't you see what he did to Jack Black in that movie?

Hose Juan said...

All I want to know is, does he look as plastic in real life as in the infomercials?

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