jon atack, family and friends

Latest Episodes:

the cult of the Singularity & the future of Artificial General Intelligence with Chris Shelton, MSc May 17, 2023

Show notes

GPT-4 has caused a storm, including a petition signed by Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak for a moratorium on research while we ponder the ethical implications. Chris and Jon react to Jean-Pierre Jeunet's excellent comic take on AGI, Big Bug, and delve into the deeper issues, including Microsoft's admission that GPT-4 'hallucinates'. Links: AlphaGo beats human Fan Hui at Go; Deep Blue beats Garry Kasparov at chess. petition to pause AI experiments New Scientist Article on Chat GPT Washington post article on Chat GPT Portugal sex abuse findings Australian Royal Commission

Bad Cadet - a childhood in Scientology's Sea Organization with Katherine Spallino May 07, 2023

Show notes

Bad Cadet is an excellent addition to the welter of biographies by former members. Katherine Spallino was born into the Sea Org in Los Angeles and gives a vivid description of her childhood and coming of age. I had intended to skim the book before talking with Katherine, but found the material so compelling that I read from cover to cover. Katherine reads a few passages and tells us about life after Scientology. Links: For more about Katherine's book Katherine's Twitter: @BadCadet Tony Ortega's Underground Bunker Ex-Scientology Kids Never Believe a Hypnotist the paper the video Possible Origins of Dianetics and Scientology: the paper the video part one the video part two

a warrior's journey in and out of Scientology - with Mark Plummer, part two May 07, 2023

Show notes

Mark continues the story of his amazing journey, including the shocking contents of the "cadet org / cadet estates org establishment eval", one of the most incriminating of all Scientology issues. This is part two; part one may be found here links: Mark's website cadet org / cadet estates org establishment eval Lisa McPherson story Spike's note: Qual = qualifications, where one has to go if you haven't gotten your "training" right. "Word Clearing" is where a Scientologist has to look up the meanings of the words involved in a given document and prove that they understand them. The idea is that the ONLY reason anyone would disagree with an order from Scientology management is that they had a "misunderstood word," that is, they didn't understand a word in the order. In Mark's case, management was essentially telling him that the only reason he didn't want to not spend time with his family was that he had misunderstood some word in one of the relevant Scientology policies, NOT because they were going against their own policies and ignoring the established "family time."

peak experiences, placebo, and the sunk cost fallacy - with Mike Rinder Apr 29, 2023

Show notes

Mike Rinder worked closely with both Ron Hubbard and David Miscavige before escaping Scientology. Mike talks with Jon about Hubbard's strange daily schedule, his self-auditing, his foul temper and his decline after his first heart attack in 1974. Mike and Jon also discuss peak experiences and the part that expectation or placebo plays in them, along with 'reverie' states and the inertia which locks us in even when the 'wins' evaporate.

a warrior’s journey in and out of Scientology - part one - with Mark Plummer Apr 22, 2023

Show notes

Mark "Warrior" Plummer has had an amazing life, of which his membership in Scientology is only a small fraction - but a fascinating one! Join us as Jon and Mark talk about Mark’s early days in Scientology, his entrance into the Sea Org, and his eventual exit and first days protesting against Scientology abuses. Links: Mark's website for more on Gregg Hagglund, read Tony Ortega's article: Spying, intimidation, and ruin: Two lives caught up in Scientology’s notorious ‘Fair Game’ Confront of Evil Checklist page one page two page three

hope for kids in Georgia with Kelvin Pierce Apr 22, 2023

Show notes

In this heartwarming chat, Kelvin Pierce tells us about his work helping hundreds of children in the small country of Georgia. Kelvin wrote The Sins of My Father about his own terrible childhood as the son of America's leading neo-Nazi - the author of The Turner Diaries. His childhood left him angry and with no self-esteem. He has come to exemplify the thriving survivor. In 1995, he and his wife adopted two babies from Georgia. Ten years later, Kelvin realized that the children were the greatest gift he'd ever received and wanted to give something back. The couple helped to turn around an orphanage in Georgia. Here Kelvin talks about their increasing commitment to children in Georgia through the Divine Child Foundation - not a religious organization, named with the idea that every child is divine.

Links: Divine Child Foundation The Mendota Mental Health Institute

overcoming the shame of cult membership - with Hoyt Richards Apr 22, 2023

Show notes

Documentarian, actor and former cult member Hoyt Richards talks with Jon about the need to take responsibility for what we did and said when in an authoritarian cult. It is important to understand how we hurt other people and not to excuse our misdeeds and harsh words by saying we were "in a cult". Once we've accepted our imperfect behavior, we can take steps to heal those we hurt and to heal ourselves.

Links: Dr. Steven Hassan talks with Hoyt Alan Scheflin's Social Influence Model Dr. Steven Hassan interviews Dr. Carl Marci, author of Rewired

Kacey at the cult vault Apr 08, 2023

Show notes

Kacey tells us about her Cult Vault project where she chats with survivors and experts about authoritarian cults and coercive control. Kacey also talks about Jon's Opening Our Minds and the pair discuss recent events relating to Harry and Meghan and whether the British Royal Family is a cult.

Links:

Blink, Think, Choice, Voice

Spike's Blink, Think, Choice, Voice song

Institute for propaganda analysis

Alan Scheflin's Social Influence Model

hypnosis, mind control and coercive control - with Chris Shelton, MSc Apr 01, 2023

Show notes

Chris Shelton has a master's degree in the psychology of coercive control. He was born into Scientology and has made a study of its use of mind control techniques. Jon explains his own extensive research into the real foundations of hypnotic susceptibility. Hypnosis is not something done to us but an aspect of our everyday processing of the world. Understanding this makes us much less vulnerable to advertising, spin doctoring, fake news and recruitment into authoritarian groups and relationships. Links: Possible Origins of Dianetics and Scientology the paper the videos - part one

part two

the Kalama Sutta:

“Don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability … When you know for yourselves that, ‘These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to welfare & to happiness’ — then you should enter & remain in them.”[i]

[i] translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1994), courtesy of the Pali Text Society. Retrieved on 04-07-23 from

Captive Minds Shrinking World of L. Ron Hubbard

Jon’s Greta poem

Avatar: Scientology, reworked - with Ariela Sarai Mar 25, 2023

Show notes

Harry Palmer transformed his Scientology Franchise into Avatar in the 1980s. Despite staff allegations of misconduct, he was able to create a worldwide movement with more members than the International Association of Scientologists. Ariela Sarai graduated from Columbia University in philosophy and religion and then spent six months working with Mother Theresa's outreach program before studying Tibetan Buddhism in the Dalai Lama's community. Returning to the US, she received a Master's in Social Work and was a practicing psychotherapist when therapist friends recruited her into Avatar; she was at the top of the organization by the time she left - after 21 years. Jon discusses the training methods - which borrow extensively from Scientology - the abuse within the group, and her departure and recovery from it. One of the most interesting chats on the channel! Notes from Ariela: -The Avatar courses were held in conference rooms in hotels with 200-4000 people from 50 countries attending. When we didn't have a student, we paid an internship fee of $650 plus hotel and airfare to teach the course. I was in the top inner circle, having daily contact with Harry Palmer's wife Avra Honey-Smith. I ran international teams, helping them recruit students and making sure they all had good results using the tools. I was on a course for 14-17 days per month. -I am now a therapist with a full private practice, and I also work as a leadership coach at a Venture Capital firm. I am dedicated to helping people understand the tactics of manipulation and how to protect themselves and heal from this type of abuse. Although I don't actively seek to get people out of Avatar, I have helped many Avatars who reached out to me and needed help leaving and recovering. -I am writing a memoir with my partner Mark to share our inner journey of this experience. I am also starting a Newsletter here. To sign up please go to www.ArielaSarai.com Additional Links: Ariela's talk with Chris Shelton Rachel Bernstein interviews Ariela’s son Ariela on Rachel Bernstein's podcast: part one part two Avatar's "forgiveness option" Taylor Swift documentary, Americana Girl

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