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The Game Part 4: Dissipations (Patreon)

Published:
2022-10-06 12:58:00
Edited:
2024-10-11 00:15:55
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

Part Four: Liquor, beatings and tax fraud bring trouble for Synanon, Straight Inc. blooms in Florida, WWASPs international criminal syndicate, and the cash-fueled ascent of behavioral modification programs.

This episode contains discussion of rape, self-harm, and suicide.

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Comments

Eli Herrnstadt

Aspen group survivor here. Thank you for making this.

sneauxman

The freaks who run these programs literally should be beaten to death with rocks.

Mx_EddyNikko

I was in one of these fucked up torture centers on the grounds of NJ state hospital. The scream yourself straight model of care. I was abused for being too masculine as afab and made to wear a feminine stewardess get up. Also had a clock hung around my neck. Humiliation verbal violence cleaning the floors with a tooth brush. It's trauma without a doubt. 62+ yrs later i never forget. I remember Daytop village, and all bullshit places. I ran away from there. It's impacted my relationship with everyone and everything

Chloe Macaroni

Holy fuck i just fucking realized smth. When i was in high school i got in a lot of fights. I was a shithead. My school counselor got a guy who i had disclosed that i had a crush on to sit down with me with said counselor and pitch me on what im realizing might have been a troubled teen program. My family wasnt rocking with that but like there was some kind of special program my counselor was trying to convince me and my family to get into and being really fucking predatory about it

AP

I made the mistake of contacting an "educational consultant" when trying to find a special education advocate after we moved to a different state a couple years back. When he said "residential programs," I couldn't hang up fast enough.

ShoNuff

This makes me want to make a movie/series where the kids (maybe as kids, or maybe after they’ve grown) who’ve been forced into these come together, creating their own “education group”, that reaches out and “touches” the lives of the ones instrumental to these “programs” And by “touching” I do mean bringing each attendee, slowly, as inhumanely as possible, to a state where, undeservingly, they are able to feel no more pain (because frankly, and I say this with sincerity, with deep respect for life, I say this from the pure love in my heart, this is what they all deserve) Oh and the motto they’d be forced to repeat: “If I were dead, I wouldn’t be here” - and they’d have plenty of time to repeat it

Dale Brennan

I’m absolutely loving this series!! You guys rule!

Graham Hoese

Honestly I haven't looked forward to something as much as I have for these episodes in a long time.

Sam

Love the series! There’s a podcast called Sent Away that focuses on the troubled teen industry, mostly in Utah, that is pretty good. Talks about Provo Canyon, if anyone is interested in more on the subject.

Matelda

So he got 5 years probation for an actual attempted hit, while in our day the Tiger King gets 20 years in prison for one that didn't happen. It's wild how times change.

Jawn Feddermang

Thanks so much BB, LF, and YC. Truly next level work done by everyone. Is this neo-Classico?

AbeLinkin

Wait so Cesar Chavez is a bad guy?

benafflecksamazonpackages

I just realized one of these troubled teen programs used to come and recruit at the church I went to growing up. It was called “Teen Challenge.” i googled it out of curiosity and there are a bunch of lawsuits against them and a New Yorker article about it. My mom just went to a Teen Challenge banquet the other day so they seem to still be going strong in the Midwest. WTF😱😱😱

Laura P

trailer said 5 part

Andrew Kristel

I've found this series so touching at times, and infuriating. That Brace could forgive his father just shows so much grace (sorry for the dumb rhyme it wasn't meant to be a pun).

Doug Cartel

I remember seeing news/MTV show these dopes screaming at teens and making them do pushups. Go figure, it's a cult, who knew

demisays

i used to work at a library in marin and i always used to read the pt reyes light when we’d get it because it was such a funny small town paper….had no idea about the pulitzer!!

Catherine Hutchinson

This is next level. Props to all of you for putting together such powerful work.

Doug Cartel

wait im confused, all this brainwashing and torture but in america? no commies to blame???? uhhh?????

Jared Sarnie

There's such a crazy blend of different storytelling techniques in this. The candid conversations, the heavily researched narration, the music, the radio play and re-enactment stuff-- it really comes together to be something greater than the sum of its parts. Such a cohesive and emotional series. And of course the music is my favorite thing YC has done, so dynamic and evocative. Definitely gonna have to return to this in the future

Ian Krasnow

I was sent to a boarding school for my senior year of high school which was sort of in between a prestigious prep school and a program for troubled teens. Of the 80 or so students there, most were either from prestigious prep schools but not able to make it there due to behavioral issues, or else came from wilderness programs and troubled teen schools. It was sort of an in between place. Also about 15 international students, all from Korea oddly enough. I heard horror stories from other teens who had been through those programs and some of them ended up getting expelled from this school through the year. Despite the fact that I didn’t get an “escort” and that I had a decent amount of freedom there (although there were several check ins every day), it was still traumatic and I managed to convince my parents to let me withdraw halfway through the year. Barely managed to graduate. I can’t even imagine how traumatic an actual troubled teen program would be.

Parochial Nimrod

This is so excellent but so heartbreaking. The original TA episode about this stuff has always been the one that stuck with me the most and it feels necessary to have this even more thorough, thoughtfully crafted look at it all. Damn. Glad you made it out of there Brace.

danny hotsauce

This is exactly whats happening right now in Missouri with the Agape Boarding school. Money and state legislators intertwined to continue the abuse of teens.

Michelle

Another excellent episode. I’m glad to hear about Brace and his dad. If this series is a preview of what’s to come from you guys, I’m here for it. Thank you.

TrueAnonPod

Yeah he sucked major ass huge negative influence on the labor movement

Graham Hoese

So you're telling me abandoning my child in the wilderness isn't gonna help him adjust socially? I should probably go get him...

Barnabas

Great episode, great series!

Of course

You know how the NYTimes and school books always refer to "Civil Rights hero John Lewis" - always with the title "Civil Rights hero" - like "swift-footed Achilles" in Homer? That's how Cesar Chavez is treated by the same folks - "gentle saint", "legendary organizer" - which leads to confusion when one critically reviews the history.

Ian H

Sometimes things just don't work out the way you want them to.

Sarah Kelly

i went to a therapeutic school in 2016. i am curious to see how things now have been informed :)

mya

holy shit yall crazy for this one. i hope u brawled with that motherfucker

AbeLinkin

Makes sense. Is “gentle saint” a euphemism/dog whistle to the bourgeoise that he’ll “keep the dogs at bay” and won’t cause too much trouble?

AbeLinkin

Time for another trueanon investigation??

DJ Meisner

Yo Dundee Ranch was in Costa Rica, not Puerto Rico

QUARANTINE DREAM

gaddamn! so rare to have that excitement of something NEW and VERY GOOD lately. thanks!

Kameron Devine

Amazing series, Amazing music and thank you brace fore being so open and vulnerable about your experience

TrueAnonPod

Damn you are right, the Ric fucked me up

Ben Hansen

Job well done all around. I love the back and forth between the general history, additional voices, the acting, great music, and the personal travelogues on the back-end of each episode that has been building up to this final moment. Bravo on carrying out such an incredible project.

Yup

I'm never gonna look at Cinnabon the same. damn

DJ Meisner

close tho, the CIA has had some wild operations in puerto rico

pulled a muscle yearning

This whole series has me thinking of a friend. I became friends with them after they returned to town from a rehab facility I believe in California. They had done study abroad and the party lifestyle led them to alcoholism. When we were hanging out they were sober, and we talked about the program and how hopeless life felt for them. The program at this facility sounds a lot like the game. We fell out of touch, but things seemed well. A few years later they died of alcohol poisoning after relapsing in San Francisco on Halloween (maybe Liz or Brace met them? I believe this was around 2014). I can't help shake the feeling that this facility may have been related to the synanon programs, and that had they gone somewhere else maybe they'd still be around. Incredible series, you guys never cease to amaze, and Brace your biopic is gonna be such great oscar-bait. I once again restate a tweet I did that the History Channel should be seized and given to the Blowback guys, who would of course incorporate Trueanon Investigates into the programming haha

NYCM&AHole

Normal people don’t act that way; you’re on drugs

Rangifer Tarandus

Incredible series; this episode was especially touching. Thank you for being so candid, Brace. I want to spread this podcast far and wide.

saysthemachine

best content out there. love your collective work ethic.

danny

heart wrenching. thank you

Brendan Garcia

I’m sorry, WASP? A little on the nose.

John McElroy

So impressed by this! Original, brave, cogent, and so well supported (unified). Thank you for this body of work, so important!!!!

DH

I really don’t know how someone would have the strength to confront someone who destroyed their life the way this guy did yours. Excited but very nervous for this next ep

TangiePower

Would be easy for a podcast to get big then just sit around and read Wikipedia pages and lawsuit docs each week. I’m generally glad to see the Left wing podcasts hold together post-Bernie and do new, innovative, high effort stuff that comports to the core values of our thing. It’s nice.

kallampero

Just having flashbacks and a panic attack in the soup isle of the supermarket. Nbd.

The Fine Art Revolution

but honestly brace, thanks for being so open and trusting your audience/fans. We got your back!

Laurel

I’m grateful for this series. I knew someone who went to one of the schools.

K8

Wasn’t expecting a Missoulian article to be cited! shame it has to do with such a topic. Thank you for this series, very difficult and painful but very meaningful coverage. Appreciate it you all!

John Reeves

This whole thing fills me with so much anger, it blows my mind we live in a world where the people involved in these child abduction and abuse cults are allowed to remain free. They should be living in fear of more than a lawsuit.

mckinley faas

yall really held this shit down this was some G shit i know this did a number on yall thanks as always for everything you do <3

kenton

troubling news about some Bad Kentons

crafah

thank you

Degrassi Knoll

It's MK JR and i wonder if they were direct Feeders to God knows what Pretty crazy how much of a white glove treatment these ppl have gotten Sick shit

kallampero

This is eerily similar to my own story

kallampero

It's too serendipitous to have reconnected with my best childhood friend, stolen away to just such a "school" for two years of rape, torture, brainwashing, etc. I would be kidnapped and sent away to a wilderness therapy program in Utah a few years later in what was a cake walk by comparison to her ordeal. We spent 7.5 hours on the phone last week, taking turns weeping as she went through old journals previously too painful to read, and then this drops...

Joseph Belden

We tested each other a lot and I think it made us both stronger. I could not be more proud of Brace and his resilience

Kate

This series has gotten to me more than most. I never attended one of these, but was threatened by my parents to be sent to one. Great work to you guys. That said, I do want to know more about what’s going on at these schools, especially in Montana. I happen to know someone of significant influence who would certainly be very interested to know how to intervene. I’ve been taking notes during the episodes, but would like to remain vague about this person’s job here. Please let me know (if you won’t be releasing more teen center episodes) how I can help and some details on the labor laws you’ve alluded to during BratCamp. <3

Sean

This is heart wrenching omfg you guys do such good work 💚

TrueAnonPod

I promise u we will do a Cesar Chavez episode

Degrassi Knoll

This series has blown me away! Twin Peaks level cliffhanger.

Degrassi Knoll

We Aren't Subtle People However, We Are Sexual Predators. Bleh...

Juno Parsons

I was in Provo in 2010. Hearing you recount your experience, repeating, sometimes verbatim, the words I’ve used to explain to others what I experienced, how it happened, why it continues to happen — has been sort of emotionally liberating for me. That this series happens to be coming out at the same time that I’m driving through Provo on tour, retracing my steps all these years ago — the collective unconscious seems to strike deep. Thank you for being candid. I hope you find what you’re looking for in the next episode.

Joe

Fucking chills at the end

AbeLinkin

Luv you guys. If you ever need an ignorant guest commenter to chime in look no further!

gilgachest

Please put the soundtrack on an LP I'll take the booty juice for it

Nathaniel Chesterton

Much love and respect to Brace, Liz, and YC for everything they have put into this series.

sam

i was sent to montana academy a while back. when they mentioned the missoulian i was floored. they’ve written about MA a decent bit, including an article about a kid who hung himself while in their care a few years back. shit’s hitting too close to home.

shampooflasks

wow. thanks so much for all this so far- brutal damaged stuff. can't wait for 5

Marshall Futch

This series has been incredible. In a manner i hesitate to describe as "but in a good way", this has shaken me to my core. Yall be some lazy communists and all, but goddamn.

Joe

Brace I'm so proud of you and have MAD respect and admiration for you for doing this. And I'm grateful to you for being vulnerable and showing this side of you. Props to all 3 of you on this brave and powerful series.

kallampero

The intersections between this series and Power Trip by NY Mag's "Cover Story" are too important, too powerful to be missed. That series should be required listening for anyone moved by the masterpiece assembled here.

NovalisGuy

Yung Chomsky Killed it

KingKirbyTheNewGod

I know they're insane and maybe I missed it but why were they going around just beating up people who lived in the apartment/ houses around where they were operating from

dogsynths

decades of the game without any career advancement and a total cult structure to one guy

Sam Bold

Incredible series so far team. Heartbreaking and thorough. Two things I can't seem to wrap my head around: I cannot fathom the sickness of these people who go from school to school commiting this abuse. I can grasp why politicians, regulators the transport guys etc ignore it for the money, but the people who do the abuse seem to be detirmined to do it. Do they enjoy it? Fucking sickos. And as someone not from America, is this sort of institutional depravity to children and the subsequent acceptance of the abuse unique to the country? The historical timeline outlined via Synanon, MKUltra etc helps explain it a little. But why did this happen in America? I'm in a Western country that wishes it was America and did all sorts of fucked up shit to kids throughout history, but it was mostly based on race, and mostly doesn't happen anymore. Can't imagine it thriving the way it has in the US.

Noodles

This is your best work yet, and probably the most fucked up thing I’ve heard on this podcast which is saying a lot

Thomas Stevens

Can’t believe you guys came out to Idaho and didn’t do a show specifically for me.

TrueAnonPod

Let’s Shoot guns when I’m in the bay I want to interview him

gilgachest

I have never been more disappointed to say that it's probably a different Meltzer... unless you're talking about the Chesapeake Bay. Would still love to shoot guns contigo tho

The Cheerful Comrade

My first sponsor was former synanon from the 70's. He went the other way and became super understanding, relaxed and empathetic. But he does have an obsession jazz guitar due to a number of famous jazz guitarists (whose names I can't remember) being synanons. I know Truanon has discussed it before, but it may be useful to take a close examination of the drug tx industry as a whole, the Minnesota model (inpatient social model funneling to AA & NA groups) that is currently dominant but not evidence based.

Gordon Schmidt

Glad to hear you guys touch on Chavez's connections to Synanon, and it would be great to hear more. Reminds me of when people were acting like Dolores Huerta was some kind of superhero when she shit-talked Bernie in 2016

Emma

They aren't the same, but British boarding schools do have something in common with this. In terms of a culture being OK with sending kids away to be institutionalised for years at a time and a massive culture of abuse and pedophilia at many of those institutions. I think part of what makes these places plausible for US parents is the culture of "summer camp"...it's pretty normal to send kids who aren't in trouble away to hang out in nature for 4-8 weeks every year, so I can see how so-called "wilderness programs" seem like they could be good. My brother once spent a month (voluntarily) hiking in Alaska as a teenager and at least one of the other kids there had been sent by parents to get "sorted out". Luckily for him they picked a reputable actual outdoor program but with some of these places it's hard to tell.

Broadway Joe

Teen Challenge is fucked up. My friend's parents worked there (his dad was a former heroin addict that gave up dope for Jesus). He kind of rejected his religious upbringing until he had a nervous breakdown and then became hyper Christian a few years ago.

Mugiwara

This is just ~theory~ but lately it's more a popular topic of conversation in America to reference the "Puritan/Protestant Work Ethic" - this question sort of reminds me of that. America was founded by religious radicals, and how much that ideology still has America in its grips is up for debate. But basically, there is a strong cultural belief that work (and, relatedly, suffering) are the highest moral actions, and clean your soul to get into heaven or whatever. I PERSONALLY would then draw a straight line to theodicy, i.e. God is Good, so if he let's you suffer, then that's Good too. And if I enact that suffering on you, then I am performing God's will. All of which creates an extremely punitive system, in which "coddling" anyone is akin to sin, and in fact will taint the soul of the one you "coddle".

Dean Watson

Really groundbreaking incredible fucking work here.

Dean Watson

Heartbreaking, but incredible.

AbeLinkin

Son, this is America. There’s always a commie or latent-commie to blame

Baron

This may be entirely boring and trite, but all I could think hearing this was Baptism by Fire, and that Bon Iver song 45 was just sitting in the background alongside YC’s music. Really tragic shit, and so glad you get a chance at closure or resolution here Brace. Grateful for you sharing all this, and to know more about what else is out there that these poor teens have to face. solidarity

Justlistening

Sounds like those 1800-1900s Native American boarding schools that were in the news again somewhat recently in Canada

Sean Carton

Why is there no mention of how much money this costs? I've heard upwards of 100K per year (insurance does not cover) --Brace's parents must be loaded. The whole industry is disgusting for many reasons, but I think it matters how much money they rake in, too...

Do They Ever Shut Up

It's crazy that so much of this came out of Marin, but it makes something in my life make a lot more sense. I went to highschool there in 2004-07 and like this happened to multiple people I know. Like one of our friends was what we thought kidnapped right in front of us, it was terrifying. No joke I think that at least 20 people I know we're just kidnapped. Like I know this story in a way that's so weird. I have had friends call me on the run in desperate need of help, I was like 15 dealing with this. My best friend of 17 years was run through this system in brutal ways

Peter Alliegro

I don’t think it’s impossible that Braces family has money, but I also know someone that went to one and his family wasn’t particularly wealthy.

Will Watson

if there were a podcasting emmys yc would sweep

LordDuder

What the actual fuck is wrong with people.

Emma

The Canadian residential schools were very active until the 1960s-70s and the last one closed in 1997. Lots of living survivors!

frybreadandjam

They also formed a militia which may have made them feel more entitled to commit violence — and righteous.

Rogus

I went on an outward bound Canada trip over covid, the councilors there had mentioned working in trouble teen programs and talked abit about kidnapping. I didn't realize how big of an industry it was

Josh

Omg I hope the interview is done at gunpoint

Philipp K

They did talk about how these things make money both from rich parents and from outsourcing dealing with kids with problems by the state (not sure which episode).

Philipp K

Australia has these too.

Scott

As someone who was put through a “behavioural modification” programme in my early teens, the things Brace was saying about that guilt, that unease that sticks in you like a splinter, the relationship with your family, that really resonated. It’s hard not to internalise it, but for me it was always another point of view, not the sole point of view, the worse case scenario, the coruscating super ego. I’ve had therapy, meds, since then, the difficult time was my untreated 20s, and it’s got better. Good show 😎

Anita Dabb

Is Yung Chomsky doing the music for the new GTA game?

Bill

This is an incredible series. I am enthralled.

Alexander Johnson

As someone living in Montana (though not a true Montanan) I hope this doesn't taint anyone's image of Montana. It's a gorgeous state filled with wonderful people. It breaks my heart to hear that some of Brace's worst experiences took place in what is such a beautiful part of the American West.

drawkward

I've been here since the beginning, even before the beginning. times are tough and i honestly can't tell my family i spend money on this.

SMO

Plenty of parents of modest means send their children to expensive schools. Internet says Monarch was 7k a year though.

Province

Well… everyone of these sick fucks need to be put into a blender. How could you do that as your fucking day job

surrander 2000

DOES Alexander Johnson have employment with the State of Montana, or the State's Chamber of Commerce ? The state isn't "full" of anything; its population would add up to one good-sized city.

surrander 2000

... and the Dozier School in FL, where they are still digging.......

surrander 2000

Trueanon has already earned 5 Pulitzers; they're just not gonna get 'em

surrander 2000

Chavez ep. YES, PLEASE. 👍👍👍Chavez is the perfect example of why Social Democracy is just a Ruling Class laundromat. "People will do stoop labor If you pay them an industrial wage."

TrueAnonPod

yeah to be honest I lived like ten miles inside the border from idaho so didn't really see much lol

not a lawyer

I went to college with Mel Semblers granddaughter. He once took me to a TB Baseball game and we hung out at a yacht club afterwards. He gave me the fucking creeps...

Max Gilles

Where can I read more about this stuff or find sources to share with people who dont have time to listen to a podcast?

Alexander Johnson

I don't get why you have to attack me like that... In terms of the metro areas & college towns, Montana's just like any other state. Missoula & Bozeman are very similar culturally to any college town in the Pacific NW. I don't hate on people who choose to live in cities, and I'd expect that same respect in return. God forbid I enjoy some open spaces & unpolluted air.

Charles Clark

Former Galena Ridge "student" here.... I knew Paul Clark well, and had pieced some of this together. Incredible to see.... Brace/Liz hit me up if you have any Qs, or anyone that went there and wants to chat. And really brace and liz, amazing to hear all of this. Incredible series, thank you.

Emma

Weird and aggressive, no need for that.

Rick Claymore

Used to see gas stations with “Synanon Operated” in the signage.

Swamp Kingdom

Friends, what is the song that is the basis for the theme for this series? It's right on the edge of my brain and I can't quite get to it, and it's driving me crazy.

TrueAnonPod

It’s a variant of the TrueAnon theme, which is based on the Twin Peaks theme

Swamp Kingdom

I'm very familiar with the Twin Peaks theme, but apparently this one is just far away enough that it's throwing off my ability to recognize it accurately, LOL

Hannah Pudner

Institutionalised violence. Violence in all its forms. Powerful series xx

Char Kelly

When TrueAnon mentioned Midwest Academy I was like “what the organization that trains unions and lefties to do organizing work?”

K8

Hell yeah MT fans of TrueAnon represent

Province

Wait wot… time stamp, I don’t think I was paying attention at that point, I’ve read that like organising text book they did

Alexander Johnson

There are dozens of us, dozens! I'm a teacher in Montana & try to spread the good word of TrueAnon through my Bush Did 9/11 hat & sprinkling in research I've cribbed from the pod in our class discussions. It's wild how responsive & interested the Zoomer generation is to the kind of topics TrueAnon addresses once they realize how deep it all goes.

DC

I grew up in West Marin and a kid I knew went to a teen "rehab" facility in either Montana or Idaho, so this series is hitting real close to home.

AbeLinkin

You can’t spend a lot if you have “modest means” no?

Kate

If you believe your child’s going to die if you don’t, many parents would willingly bankrupt themselves to prevent that.

sgl

Going to comment before I click on this and predict that this is the Linda Blair tape

sgl

I was right!!

syd

I live nearish to the (now abandoned) Élan school. I can’t remember how I learned about it but, after being curious for a while, I went to check the place out this past March. It was really, truly disturbing. The filing cabinets have been wiped clean but seemingly everything else is still there, it looks like everyone left randomly in the middle of the day without taking anything and never came back. Old Apple desktop computers, textbooks, Christmas decorations etc. In the attic of one of the buildings is a small room with just a bath tub and the entire floor is covered with papers. There were hundreds of photocopies of a strange, scratchy drawing that featured a large X in the middle, a hammer with wings that said “I could drop at any time”, a face in the corner with a bubble that said “WE’RE WATCHING” and a couple other things that utilized the strange, cryptic, very cult like terminology that appears everywhere else. There was so much stuff. So many written reports from kids talking about what they’d done wrong, what other people in their work groups had done wrong, etc. The most disturbing stuff, in my opinion, were the pages from legal pads where one kid would write down what another kid was doing either every minute or every couple of minutes. It seems as though this was part of one of the “solitary confinement” style punishments. It was incredibly disturbing to read through. Élan, like seemingly all of the rest of these places, had ties to Maine governmental officials. It’s just all so disgusting. I’m glad that school, at the very least, has been shut down.

dj hot fat baby boy

elan was a really disturbing place. i broke into all the buildings a few years ago and to my knowledge i was the first person in there since it closed in 2011. i found a bunch of those logbooks too, deeply awful stuff they had those kids doing to each other. i know they used to make kids fight in that big room with the stage and cafeteria windows. that attic is super creepy, when i went in there were these spooky halloween masks all over the place but i think they’ve since been taken as souvenirs.

Laura Sullivan

I'm glad you shared your experience. It was helpful, relatable and terrible and I love you for it

Nic Bodiford

Couple thoughts: Brace, I don’t know how you kept your composure in that voicemail. You’re a stronger person than I. Be proud of yourself. Also, I think that had to have been Patrick’s house. You asked the man if Patrick lived here and he repeatedly said, “I don’t think so”. For whatever reason, it seems like he didn’t have it in him to fully commit to the lie. Anyway, just my two cents. Good on ya for delivering the message as you did. And that line about ‘waking people up late’ was slick as hell.

a dentist

funny that i am listening to this primarily while bike riding in 5 degree montana winter. yall are keeping me warm as i embark on this journey of winter bike commuting. anyway, this is some truly next level podcasting, seriously in so many ways is this not only incredible investigative journalism, but also perfecting the art of the podcast. such a tragic tale, told so well. i just got off work, told my coworker i was stoked to ride home because i had trueanon to listen to and turns out he listens too! anyway, love it guys, ya'll wonderful.

El Cat

That's also a great series

El Cat

Yeah, what you're describing is real Calvinism and it underpins a lot of American Culture. I think it underpins AA and 12 step culture too.

El Cat

In NJ/NY in the 1980 we called these "therapeutic communities" There was one my friend went to in upstate NY called "The Family" that made the girls identify as "sluts" and used all the torture tactics described here. I too went to one of these facilities in the early 1980s, a place called "The Campus" in Columbus Ohio. The guy running it looked and acted like Manson. I feel guilt that I was able to talk my way out after 2 weeks.(yes, these programs teach you to lie!) I was then put into "aftercare" for 2 years. These programs are how I was introduced to hard drug users and opiates. The lasting pychological effect it had on me was I didn't trust my own thoughts or motives for decades. They turned me against myself.