Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id PAA01214 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Wed, 25 Apr 2001 15:32:58 +0100 From: "Lawrence DeBivort" <debivort@umd5.umd.edu> To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: NLP Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 10:31:41 -0400 Message-ID: <NEBBKOADILIOKGDJLPMAAEKDCCAA.debivort@umd5.umd.edu> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2910.0) X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2919.6600 In-Reply-To: <20010425074403.97132.qmail@web10108.mail.yahoo.com> Importance: Normal Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
I had deleted the initial messages on NLP as I'm not interested in
discussing its merits, but then worried that those on this list who do not
know about NLP might take what has been offered here as accurate and so lose
potential interest in something that actually is significantly more
substantial.
The quote from the Skeptical _something_ (?) was quite inadequate: it
addresses at best one sub-sub-element of NLP, 'hypnosis'.
NLP is a codification of 'best-practices' from the worlds of semantics and
psycho-therapy. Despite the shabby overall record of therapists, some of
them have done some remarkable and useful work. The early pioneers of NLP
sought out this work, analyzed its patterns, and packaged it into
intervention tools so that others could be trained to carry on with the new
tools.
Subsequently, at least one of these founders and quite a few
second-generation NLPers became irresponsible promoters of NLP training
programs, together with unsubstantiated claims and shabby training
practices. This professional irresponsibility was mirrored in their chaotic
and at times irresponsible personal lives.
But if one peels off this irresponsibility (a non-trivial effort!) one is
left with a significant body of understanding about human behavioral and
decision-making patterns, an understanding that underlies a growing body of
practical intervention tools that can generate remarkable and positive
changes for individuals, families and organizations. Some of the more recent
developments, while owing a significant debt to NLP and other fields, are
being done without the name of NLP, if part to distance themselves from the
irresponsibility mentioned above.
'Hypnosis' itself is intrinsically controversial, and was so long before the
advent of NLP. I look into it some years ago and came away unimpressed,
realizing that the 'truth' of hypnosis resided essentially in how one
defined hypnosis. The more plausible the definition, e.g. 'a change in a
person's state' the less interesting the idea of hypnosis became
technically. The important thing here is to realize that the significance of
NLP does not lie in 'hypnosis' as classically defined ('putting someone into
a state of unconsciousness such that the hypnotist can 'make' them do things
they would otherwise refuse to do'), and NLP should not be judged by that
standard, as NLP neither embraces that standard nor, technically, requires
that form of hypnosis.
Given the attention getting irresponsibility referred to earlier, it is
difficult to criticize those who might be generally critical of NLP. But it
would be a pity to lose sight of the genuinely important useful patterns of
understanding and intervention tools that NLP codified, and those that were
later achieved with the use of those codifications.
I can provide more information on this if anyone is interested.
- Lawrence
-----Original Message-----
From: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk [mailto:fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk]On Behalf
Of Trupeljak Ozren
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2001 3:44 AM
To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Subject: RE: Is Suicide Contagious? A Case Study in Applied Memetics
Really? I have not known that it was so controversial...why? Is it only
because of the outregous claims they make in their advertisements? Are
there *any* people who had positive experience with it all? What about
the clinical establishment?
see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
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