Dulloldfart
Squirrel Extraordinaire
I know Hubbard had some prior reputation for being adept at hypnotizing people.
Excerpted from http://www.lermanet.com/cos/rondewolf.htm (my emphasis):
DMSMH contains a lot of theory that doesn't pan out in practice, such as the famous abilities of a Clear, for example. Some of it was (and is) clearly useful as it became so popular, but it seems to me that it could well have been written without his ever actually having audited anyone in the manner he describes, as Nibs says.
I vaguely remember reading somewhere that Hubbard hadn't expected DMSMH to sell so well, and had to change plans quickly in order to cash in on his unexpected success.
From an article in LIBERTY Magazine, Summer 1952, webbed at http://www.lermanet.com/dianetics-reviews.htm:
The CofS, that bastion of journalistic truth and integrity, at (CofS link) http://mediaresources.lronhubbard.org/chronicle/page04.htm says: "On 7 June L. Ron Hubbard delivers his first recorded lectures on Dianetics in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where the Hubbard Dianetics Research Foundation is formed."
So I think we can safely say that he didn't give any recorded Dianetics lectures before that date of 7 June 1950. But I can't tell when the Dianetics Organization was first set up, whether it was done before publication in anticipation of dealing with the huge demand for services, or hastily thrown together in response to the unexpected windfall.
Looking over the transcript of that 7 June lecture and demonstration session, it obviously isn't the first session he has ever given, assuming it is an accurate transcript. (Does the actual taped lecture exist in the field? Is it reasonable to assume this transcript is real and not a complete fabrication written 30 years later?)
The question is, when did he actually give his first Dianetics session? I don't think we can take Hubbard's documented statements as evidence of anything other than the fact that he made them. What do you guys think? Do you think he actually audited anyone before writing DMSMH? Is there any evidence of this?
Paul
Excerpted from http://www.lermanet.com/cos/rondewolf.htm (my emphasis):
AFFIDAVIT OF RONALD DeWOLF a/k/a L.RON HUBBARD, JR.
I, Ronald DeWolf, formerly L. Ron Hubbard, Jr., hereby
do and state as follows under the penalties of perjury:
. . .
6) My father represented orally and in writing that his theories
relating to the "science of the mind" were based on 30 years of
case studies conducted on a scientific basis by him as a nuclear
physicist and scientist. Most people that I knew who paid money
to my father's corporation to learn about this science also relied
on the above stated representations in addition to my father's
credentials. Similarly, the above stated representations are false.
I, Ronald DeWolf, formerly L. Ron Hubbard, Jr., hereby
do and state as follows under the penalties of perjury:
. . .
6) My father represented orally and in writing that his theories
relating to the "science of the mind" were based on 30 years of
case studies conducted on a scientific basis by him as a nuclear
physicist and scientist. Most people that I knew who paid money
to my father's corporation to learn about this science also relied
on the above stated representations in addition to my father's
credentials. Similarly, the above stated representations are false.
My father wrote his books off the top of his head based on his
imagination. There were no case studies. He is not a nuclear
physicist and flunked nearly all of his science related courses in
high school and college.
There are no famous Hubbard archives of his personal pcs' case folders, even though he was a pack rat and stored mountains of trivial documentation about himself.imagination. There were no case studies. He is not a nuclear
physicist and flunked nearly all of his science related courses in
high school and college.
DMSMH contains a lot of theory that doesn't pan out in practice, such as the famous abilities of a Clear, for example. Some of it was (and is) clearly useful as it became so popular, but it seems to me that it could well have been written without his ever actually having audited anyone in the manner he describes, as Nibs says.
I vaguely remember reading somewhere that Hubbard hadn't expected DMSMH to sell so well, and had to change plans quickly in order to cash in on his unexpected success.
From an article in LIBERTY Magazine, Summer 1952, webbed at http://www.lermanet.com/dianetics-reviews.htm:
First, I discovered, Dianetics is sweeping the country. Originally written as an article in "Astounding-Science Fiction" in May, 1950, the book, "Dianetics," was published in June, 1950. In July its author, L. Ron Hubbard, opened the Hubbard Dianetic Research Foundation Elizabeth, New Jersey, and immediately started training auditors, who in turn trained more auditors who set up practices both in New York and New Jersey. During the summer, the book climbed near the top of the New York Times best-seller list and by the end of the summer more than 75,000 copies had been sold. The book's publisher, Hermitage House, said, "At least 500,000 people are talking Dianetics and we predict this figure will hit the million mark in, six rnonths."
But the Wikipedia article on Hubbard conveniently says "In April 1950, Hubbard and several others established the Hubbard Dianetic Research Foundation in Elizabeth, New Jersey to coordinate work related for the forthcoming publication of a book on Dianetics," giving as its source Thomas Streissguth's 1995 book, Charismatic Cult Leaders.The CofS, that bastion of journalistic truth and integrity, at (CofS link) http://mediaresources.lronhubbard.org/chronicle/page04.htm says: "On 7 June L. Ron Hubbard delivers his first recorded lectures on Dianetics in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where the Hubbard Dianetics Research Foundation is formed."
So I think we can safely say that he didn't give any recorded Dianetics lectures before that date of 7 June 1950. But I can't tell when the Dianetics Organization was first set up, whether it was done before publication in anticipation of dealing with the huge demand for services, or hastily thrown together in response to the unexpected windfall.
Looking over the transcript of that 7 June lecture and demonstration session, it obviously isn't the first session he has ever given, assuming it is an accurate transcript. (Does the actual taped lecture exist in the field? Is it reasonable to assume this transcript is real and not a complete fabrication written 30 years later?)
The question is, when did he actually give his first Dianetics session? I don't think we can take Hubbard's documented statements as evidence of anything other than the fact that he made them. What do you guys think? Do you think he actually audited anyone before writing DMSMH? Is there any evidence of this?
Paul