Behaviouristic View of Direct Pointing

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Paul Anthony, modified 12 Years ago at 7/12/11 5:19 PM
Created 12 Years ago at 7/12/11 5:10 PM

Behaviouristic View of Direct Pointing

Posts: 71 Join Date: 6/22/10 Recent Posts
Hi all,

I've been trying to get my head around this hardcore direct pointing for the last few days, and the following is just some thinking aloud on the topic. I'd be grateful for any responses or insights.

Rather than get lost in Ciaran's philosophical vortex, what if we view HDP as an instance of behavioural modification? Undesirable verbal behaviour ('selfing') is punished (with insults, profanity, etc.) whereas desirable verbal behaviour ('no-selfing') is rewarded with acceptance and congratulations. So in a short time, a behavioural shift occurs through extinction training. If the new behaviour is self-reinforcing then the shift may be permanent. If public verbal behaviour generalises to private verbalizations ('thinking') then the effects could be far-reaching and may be described as a type of enlightenment. In Ciaran's terms this "disrupt(s) the core mechanism that underlies all needless human suffering, as well as all destructive feelings, thoughts and behaviour"

So I suggest that what is unknown with regard to HDP is the real permanence and extent of the behavioural generalization and therefore the nature of the shift that is effected.

Viewed from this perspective, is HDP new? No - the encounter group known as 'est' (Erhard Seminars Training) used an almost identical method in the seventies, and they're actually doing it today ("Landmark Forum"). They even used similar lingo, e.g. ''popping', 'getting it'. Erhard openly acknowledged a debt to both BF Skinner and Alan Watts. Other groups, including Scientology, have arguably used similar methods but est is probalby the closest. Check out "The book of est" by Luke Rhinehart for an interesting account of this process. The similarity is quite striking.

Does this analysis invalidate HDP? Not at all. Based on minimal reading of Ciaran's site, his method seems to affect a major behavioural shift with considerable efficiency. I'm not qualified to say what that shift is - I'll leave that to the more accomplished practitioners to decide. Note - one possible objection to my reading is that Ciaran says he doesn't use punishment methods any longer - but I'd say that what he's actually done is tone it down a bit so as not to alienate too many people (as did Erhard). The behavioural process is unchanged.

Respectfully,

Paul
Matt L, modified 12 Years ago at 7/12/11 6:55 PM
Created 12 Years ago at 7/12/11 6:55 PM

RE: Behaviouristic View of Direct Pointing

Posts: 41 Join Date: 11/4/10 Recent Posts
Paul Anthony:
Hi all,

I've been trying to get my head around this hardcore direct pointing for the last few days


Hi Paul, I have a comment: in the spirit of the Dho perhaps instead of trying to get your head around it through intellectual exploration you might employ the method and thus gain an experiential knowledge of that which you're trying to understand. As they say 'ride the bike rather than looking at it'. After you ride, come back to your intellectual exploration with your new data and see if it makes sense.
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Paul Anthony, modified 12 Years ago at 7/12/11 7:55 PM
Created 12 Years ago at 7/12/11 7:51 PM

RE: Behaviouristic View of Direct Pointing

Posts: 71 Join Date: 6/22/10 Recent Posts
Hi Matt,

Fair comment - i think you're right, my analysis would be on firmer ground if I participated. But.... if I'm correct and this is a fairly powerful form of behaviour modifcation (without informed consent) then I'm also right to be a little bit circumspect. This bike may not have any brakes emoticon By the same logic, I wouldn't go for Scientology counselling, or any number of other things. Thanks for replying.

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