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{{Importance-section|date=January 2015}} {{Importance-section|date=January 2015}}


== History == ===Background===
The Landmark Forum, its direct predecessors the Forum, est (Erhard Seminars Training) and its other, related, iterations have been proffered by a continuum of various companies beginning with the founding of Erhard Seminars Training, Inc. by Werner Erhard in the early 1970s.<ref>See:
Landmark Worldwide LLC was founded in January 1991 by several of the presenters of a training program known as "The Forum".<ref>] (1993). '']: The dark journey of ] from ] to exile''. ]: ]. ISBN 0-312-09296-2, p. 254. (]).</ref> Landmark purchased the intellectual property rights to The Forum from ] and used that as the basis for its foundation course named "The Landmark Forum", which has been further updated over the years. It has since developed around 55 additional training courses and seminar programs throughout 20 different countries around the world.
*{{harv|Anderson|2007|p=413}};
*{{harv|Atkin|2004|p=101}};
*{{harv|Boulware|2000|p=38}};
*{{harv|Colman|2009|pp=260, 412}};
*{{harv|Eisner|2000|p=60}};
*{{harv|Gastil|2010|pp=226–227}};
*{{harv|Grigoriadis|2001}};
*{{harv|Hukill|1998}};
*;{{sfn|Marshall|1997}}
*{{harv|McClure|2009}};
*{{harv|Saliba|2003|p=88}};
*{{harv|Scioscia|2000}}.</ref> Erhard had no formal training in psychology or psychiatry and had previously been a successful salesman, became involved with ], ] and ].<ref>See:
*{{harv|Koocher and Keith-Spiegel|2008|p=151}};
*{{harv|Paris|2013|p=20}};
*{{harv|Goldwag|2009|p=29}};
*{{harv|Jones|2003}}
*{{harv|Kornbluth|1976|pp=29–52}};
*{{harv|Marshall|1997}};
*{{harv|Rolfe|2008}}.</ref> This brought about the idea of starting an organization to promote his vision of ], which he entitled ''est'' (both for the Latin "it is" and as an acronym for "Erhard Seminars Training"). He considered setting up est as a church,{{sfn|Lockwood|2011|p=229}}{{sfn|Bartley|1978|pp=176–177}} but instead chose a for-profit model, with a complex web of onshore and offshore companies. These were set up by the "controversial" corporate attorney Harry Margolis.{{sfn|Bartley|1978|pp=176–177}}{{sfn|Pressman|1993|pp=48–50, 88}}


A company controlled by Margolis was renamed Erhard Seminars Training Inc (EST Inc). Erhard sold his intellectual rights (which Erhard and Landmark call the "technology") to a Panamanian company Presentaciones Musicales S.A.(protected by Panama's corporate secrecy laws) and run on his behalf by Margolis. This in turn licensed the "technology" to EST Inc for $1 million and licence fees.{{sfn|Pressman|1993|pp=48–50}}{{sfn|Gordon|1978|p=52}} Erhard was employed at a very modest salary while and license fees were made to offshore companies.{{sfn|Pressman|1993|pp=48–50, 88}} As corporate staff expanded, Erhard hired ] to create a program (the "Well Being Department") to monitor and motivate employees and volunteers.{{sfn|Kornbluth|1976|pp=29-52}}{{sfn|Pressman|1993|pp=65, 125–126, 129}}
The corporation was originally registered as Transnational Education and changed its name to Landmark Education Corporation in May 1991.<ref name=LLC>. ]. Filed February 26, 2003. Retrieved on October 23, 2008.</ref> In June 2003 it was re-structured as Landmark Education LLC,<ref>. California Secretary of State. Filed June 22, 1987. Retrieved on October 23, 2008.
</ref> and in July 2013 renamed Landmark Worldwide LLC.


After Erhard's attorney was indicted for irregularities involving his tax shelter schemes, he and Margolis went about restructuring the business on a non-profit model.{{sfn|Gardner|2007}} In 1979, EST Inc. was dissolved and replaced by a charitable foundation named "est, An Educational Corporation". At the same time his intellectual property was transferred from the Panamanian company to, a new company in the Netherlands named, Welbehagen. which licensed the foundation to present the seminars. to "est, An Educational Corporation". A ] Charitable Settlement to own the foundation with a Swiss entity, the Werner Erhard Foundation for est, set up to control it.{{sfn|Pressman|1993|pp=48–50, 88}}
According to Landmark, Werner Erhard (creator of the est training which ran from 1971 to 1984) consults from time to time with its "Research and Design team".<ref name=TIME>Faltermayer, Charlotte; Richard Woodbury (March 16, 1998). . '']''. Retrieved on October 22, 2008.</ref> Terry Giles, ], is credited with resolving a long-standing rift among the descendants of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.<ref>{{cite news|work=]|publisher=]|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/04/us/04giles.html|accessdate=2010-11-02|title=Hired to Bring Order, Kings' Adviser Brings Peace|date=May 3, 2010|last=Dewan|first=Shaila|quote=Terry M. Giles ... the self-improvement techniques of EST. (Werner Erhard, the creator of EST, is a client.)}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Landmark Education Corporation|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/profiles/us/ca/san_francisco/landmark_education_corporation/60668/|accessdate=2010-11-02|publisher=American City Business Journals, Inc.|work=The Business Journals|year=2010|quote=Landmark Education Corporation - Company Executives - Terry Giles - Chairman of the Board|author=Dow Jones & Co., Inc.}}</ref>


By 1981 Erhard decided to simplify the complicated structure of est-related entities. ] (WE&A)was established, with Erhard as sole proprietor, which purchased the assets of the various corporations and charities. This was arranged through a series of loans {{sfn|Pressman|1993|pp=157, 165–167}}
== Corporation ==

In 1984 Erhard launched another company, Transformational Technologies (TT), to market est-based courses and consulting services to corporations and government entities.{{sfn|Rupert|1992}} In its first 18 months, TT licensed over 50 franchises at a $25,000 licensing fee with revenue based royalties.{{sfn|Pressman|1993|pp=217–218}}

Erhard had experimented with a modified version of est as early as 1983. By 1985, faced with increasing controversy and drastically falling recruitment numbers, Erhard replaced the est seminars with a slightly modified and less authoritarian program which he "rebranded" as '''The Forum'''.<ref>See:
*{{harv|Conway and Siegelman|1995|p=17}};
*{{harv|Goldwag|2009|p=29}};
*{{harv|Grigoriadis|2001}};
*{{harv|Richardson|1998|pp=167–169}}.</ref> {{sfn|Hukill|1998}}{{sfn|Jones|2003}} Later, managers realized that there was significant revenue generated from signing up participants for follow-up courses. The duration of the The Forum was reduced from 6 to 3 days which enabled presenters to hold more courses. With the same staff WE&A was able to reduce the cost and increased the throughput of recruits, which also increased the number of the acquaintances to whom participants marketed The Forum. period. More recruits resulted in increased enrollment for the higher-priced follow-up courses.{{sfn|Pressman|1993|pp=212–214, 244–245}}

===Incorporation of Landmark===
By 1990, Werner Erhard and Associates was faced with lawsuits, tax investigations, bad press and declining enrollments.{{sfn|Hukill|1998}} Erhard decided to leave the U.S. and began liquidating his personal assets.{{sfn|Pressman|1993|pp=245–246, 254–255}}{{sfn|Hellard|2006}} A company named Transnational Education Corporation (TEC) was set up, headed by Erhard's brother Harry Rosenberg.{{sfn|Hukill|1998}} TEC acquired various assets from WE&A and Erhard on 31 January 1991. Erhard had no direct ownership of the new entity, but retained control of the intellectual property used in the courses. He also retained rights to run the Forum operations in Japan (which accounted for 70% of Werner Erhard & Associates International's revenue) and in Mexico.{{sfn|Grigoriadis|2001}}{{sfn|Pressman|1993|pp=254–255}} TEC licensed the intellectual property for a period of 15 years in exchange for $3 million and license royalties.{{sfn|Hukill|1998}} These amounts were not paid to Erhard but rather to overseas corporations and trusts. {{sfn|Pressman|1993|pp=254–255}} The business of WE&A continued operations with much of the same staff under the new name.{{sfn|Marshall|1997}}{{sfn|Pressman|1993|pp=245–246, 254–255}}
In May 1991 TEC changed its name to Landmark Education Corporation.{{sfn|Pressman|1993|pp=245–246, 254–255}} In June 2004, the company was reorganized into a ], Landmark Education LLC, and subsequently renamed to Landmark Worldwide LLC in July 2013.{{sfn|CASS staff|2003}}

Landmark has claimed that it has never paid royalties to Erhard.{{sfn|Landmark (Art Schreiber)|2005|pp=3–4}} which is true, as the payments were paid to Erhard's corporations and trusts.{{sfn|Pressman|1993|pp=254–255}}{{sfn|Bauder|1994}} Landmark CEO Rosenberg has stated that Erhard's rights on the intellectual property on which the Forum and other courses are based was purchased by 2002.{{sfn|Grigoriadis|2001}}{{sfn|Salerno|2010}}

While Erhard has maintained a degree of relationship with Landmark and has appeared at company events, Landmark has insistently denied that he has any involvement with the current business and has downplayed its historical connection to Erhard and to est.<ref>See:
*{{harv|Faltermayer|2001}};
*{{harv|Grigoriadis|2001}};
*{{harv|Hukill|1998}};
*{{harv|Jones|2003}};
*{{harv|McClure|2009}};
*{{harv|Landmark (Art Schreiber)|2005|pp=3–4}};
*{{harv|Scioscia|2000}}.
</ref>

==Current operations==
Landmark Worldwide LLC operates as an ] ] ]. According to Landmark's website, its employees own all the ] of the ], with no individual holding more than 3%. The company states that it operates in such a way as to invest its surpluses into making its programs, initiatives, and services more widely available.<ref name="FactSheet">LandmarkWorldwide.com. . Retrieved on October 22, 2008.</ref> In addition, its subsidiary, the Vanto Group, focuses on marketing and delivering training and consultation services to corporate clients and other organizations.<ref name=Reuters>(February 1, 2008). "". ]. Retrieved on October 22, 2008.</ref> Landmark Worldwide LLC operates as an ] ] ]. According to Landmark's website, its employees own all the ] of the ], with no individual holding more than 3%. The company states that it operates in such a way as to invest its surpluses into making its programs, initiatives, and services more widely available.<ref name="FactSheet">LandmarkWorldwide.com. . Retrieved on October 22, 2008.</ref> In addition, its subsidiary, the Vanto Group, focuses on marketing and delivering training and consultation services to corporate clients and other organizations.<ref name=Reuters>(February 1, 2008). "". ]. Retrieved on October 22, 2008.</ref>


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*LandmarkWorldwide.com. . Retrieved on October 22, 2008. *LandmarkWorldwide.com. . Retrieved on October 22, 2008.
*Badt, Karen (March 5, 2008). "". '']''. Retrieved on October 22, 2008. *Badt, Karen (March 5, 2008). "". '']''. Retrieved on October 22, 2008.
*LandmarkEducation.com. . Retrieved on October 22, 2008.
*Nathan Thornberg April 10, 2011 </ref> Landmark stated in 2005 that annual attendance at its courses was 200,000, with 70,000 to 80,000 participants in the Landmark Forum.<ref name=About> *Nathan Thornberg April 10, 2011 </ref> Landmark stated in 2005 that annual attendance at its courses was 200,000, with 70,000 to 80,000 participants in the Landmark Forum.<ref name=About>
LandmarkWorldwide.com. . Retrieved on July 16, 2013.</ref> It has stated that from 1991 to 2008 more than 1 million people had taken part in Landmark's introductory program, the Landmark Forum.<ref name=Stassen>Stassen, Wilma (September 2008). Health 24{{Dead link|date=September 2013}}</ref> Landmark reported revenues of approximately $81 million {{as of|2011|lc=on}}.<ref name=FactSheet/> LandmarkWorldwide.com. . Retrieved on July 16, 2013.</ref> It has stated that from 1991 to 2008 more than 1 million people had taken part in Landmark's introductory program, the Landmark Forum.<ref name=Stassen>Stassen, Wilma (September 2008). Health 24{{Dead link|date=September 2013}}</ref> Landmark reported revenues of approximately $81 million {{as of|2011|lc=on}}.<ref name=FactSheet/>


Terry Giles is Chairman of the Board and Erhard's lawyer.{{sfn|Dewan|3 May 2010}}
=== Business consulting ===
Vanto Group, Inc., founded in 1993 as "Landmark Education Business Development" (LEBD), a wholly owned subsidiary of Landmark Worldwide Enterprises, Inc., uses the techniques of Landmark to provide consulting services to various companies. The ] (USC) ] carried out a ] in 1998 into the work of LEBD with ]. The report concluded that the set of interventions in the organization produced a 50% improvement in safety, a 15% to 20% reduction in key benchmark costs, a 50% increase in ], and a 20% increase in raw steel production.<ref>
Logan, David C. (1998). "Transforming the Network of Conversations in BHP New Zealand Steel: Landmark Education Business Development's New Paradigm for Organizational Change", University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business, L984-01.</ref> LEBD became the Vanto Group in 2007.


===Business consulting===
Companies such as ] and ] pay for and encourage employees to take part in The Landmark Forum.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_48/b4205098143983.htm |publisher=Business Week |title=General Tso, Meet Steven Covey |accessdate=2011-03-14 |date=2010-11-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/134/om-my.html |publisher=Fast Company |title=Lululemon’s Cult of Selling |accessdate=2011-03-14 |date=2009-04-01}}</ref>
Vanto Group, Inc., founded in 1993 as "Landmark Education Business Development" (LEBD), a wholly owned subsidiary of Landmark Worldwide Enterprises, Inc., uses the techniques of Landmark to provide consulting services to various companies. The ] (USC) ] carried out a ] in 1998 into the work of LEBD with ]. The report concluded that the set of interventions in the organization produced a 50% improvement in safety, a 15% to 20% reduction in key benchmark costs, a 50% increase in ], and a 20% increase in raw steel production.{{sfn|Logan|1998|p=}} LEBD became the Vanto Group in 2008.{{sfn|Landmark press release|2008}}


=== Licensing intellectual property === ===Licensing intellectual property===
Tekniko, Inc., formerly owned by Werner Erhard, was the successor organization to Transformational Technologies, which was incorporated in 1984 by Erhard and management consultant James Selman.<ref>Norman Bodek (1985). '']: The Journal of Consciousness and Change'', Vol 7, No. 2, Winter 1984 / Spring 1985</ref> Tekniko Licencing Corporation, a California corporation owned by Terry M. Giles, later acquired this technology<!-- which 'technology"? The est-influenced "technology"? -->. In 2001 Landmark Education formed Tekniko Licensing Corporation, a Nevada corporation, which purchased Tekniko Technology from Giles' company.<ref> Tekniko, Inc., formerly owned by Werner Erhard, was the successor organization to Transformational Technologies, which was incorporated in 1984 by Erhard and management consultant James Selman.<ref>Norman Bodek (1985). '']: The Journal of Consciousness and Change'', Vol 7, No. 2, Winter 1984 / Spring 1985</ref> Tekniko Licencing Corporation, a California corporation owned by Terry M. Giles, later acquired this technology<!-- which 'technology"? The est-influenced "technology"? -->. In 2001 Landmark Education formed Tekniko Licensing Corporation, a Nevada corporation, which purchased Tekniko Technology from Giles' company.<ref>
Tekniko, Inc., formerly owned by Werner Erhard, was the successor organization to Transformational Technologies, which was incorporated in 1984 by Erhard and management consultant James Selman.<ref>Norman Bodek (1985). '']: The Journal of Consciousness and Change'', Vol 7, No. 2, Winter 1984 / Spring 1985</ref> Tekniko Licencing Corporation, a California corporation owned by Terry M. Giles, later acquired this technology<!-- which 'technology"? The est-influenced "technology"? -->. In 2001 Landmark Education formed Tekniko Licensing Corporation, a Nevada corporation, which purchased Tekniko Technology from Giles' company.<ref>
. ] on secinfo.com. Filed May 3, 2000. Retrieved on October 23, 2008.<br>Quote: "Mr. Giles is the owner of Tekniko Licensing Corporation, which licenses intellectual properties owned by Tekniko to businesses throughout the world."
. ] on secinfo.com. Filed May 3, 2000. Retrieved on October 23, 2008.<br>Quote: "Mr. Giles is the owner of Tekniko Licensing Corporation, which licenses intellectual properties owned by Tekniko to businesses throughout the world."</ref><ref>. Form SB-2. Retrieved on October 23, 2008.<!-- Quote: Mr. Giles currently also serves as Chairman of Giles Enterprises, a private holding company for various business enterprises, as Chairman of the Board of Landmark Education Corporation, a private company providing seminars on personal growth and responsibility, as Chairman of Mission Control Productivity, Inc., a private company, and as the owner of GWE, LLC, a private company specializing in lender financing. Not in reference --></ref>Since that time, the Vanto Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Landmark Worldwide, has used Tekniko to license the "Tekniko methodology and intellectual property to a wide variety of corporations".<ref>.</ref>
</ref><ref>
. Form SB-2. Retrieved on October 23, 2008.<!-- Quote: Mr. Giles currently also serves as Chairman of Giles Enterprises, a private holding company for various business enterprises, as Chairman of the Board of Landmark Education Corporation, a private company providing seminars on personal growth and responsibility, as Chairman of Mission Control Productivity, Inc., a private company, and as the owner of GWE, LLC, a private company specializing in lender financing. Not in reference --></ref>

Since that time, the Vanto Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Landmark Worldwide, has used Tekniko to license the "Tekniko methodology and intellectual property to a wide variety of corporations".<ref>.</ref>


== The Landmark Forum == == The Landmark Forum ==
Landmark's entry course, The Landmark Forum, is a prerequisite for the majority of their other programs.{{sfn|Landmark staff|2015}} The course varies in size between 75 and 250 people,{{sfn|Badt|5 March 2008}} and is arranged as a discussion where the course leader presents certain ideas and the course participants engage in voluntary discussions applying those ideas to their own life.{{sfn|Stassen|2008}} Landmark's entry course, The Landmark Forum, is a prerequisite for the majority of their other programs.{{sfn|Landmark staff|2015}} The Landmark Forum takes place over three consecutive days and an evening session (generally Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday evening.){{fact}} Each full day begins at 9:00 a.m. and typically ends at approximately 10:00 p.m. Breaks are approximately every 2–3 hours, with a 90-minute dinner break. The evening session generally runs from 7:00 p.m. to 10:15 p.m.{{fact}} The course varies in size between 75 and 250 people,{{sfn|Badt|5 March 2008}} and is arranged as a dialog in which the Forum leader presents certain ideas and participants are encouraged to take the floor to relate how those ideas apply to their own lives.{{sfn|Stassen|2008}} Rules are set up at the beginning of the program, such as strongly encouraging participants not to miss any part of the program.{{sfn|Hill|13 December 2008}} Attendees are also urged to be “coachable” and not just be observers during the course.{{sfn|Hill|13 December 2008}}{{sfn|McCrone|1 February 2008}}
Rules are set up at the beginning of the program, such as strongly encouraging participants not to miss any part of the program.{{sfn|Hill|13 December 2008}} Attendees are also urged to be “coachable” and not just be observers during the course.{{sfn|Hill|13 December 2008}}{{sfn|McCrone|1 February 2008}}


Various ideas are presented, asserted and discussed during the course. For example, the course maintains that there is a big difference between what actually happened in a person’s life and the meaning or interpretation they made up about it,{{sfn|Stassen|2008}} and that human behavior is governed by a need to look good.{{sfn|Hill|13 December 2008}} Another tenet of the course is that people pursue an "imaginary 'someday' of satisfaction",{{sfn|Badt|5 March 2008}} and that people create meaning for themselves since "there is none inherent in the world".{{sfn|Badt|5 March 2008}} The course also maintains that people have persistent complaints that give rise to unproductive fixed ways of being,<ref>See: Various ideas are asserted and explored during the course. For example, the course maintains that there is a big difference between what actually happened in a person’s life and the meaning or interpretation they made up about it,{{sfn|Stassen|2008}} and that human behavior is governed by a need to look good.{{sfn|Hill|13 December 2008}} Another tenet of the course is that people pursue an "imaginary 'someday' of satisfaction",{{sfn|Badt|5 March 2008}} and that people create meaning for themselves since "there is none inherent in the world".{{sfn|Badt|5 March 2008}} The course also maintains that people have persistent complaints that give rise to unproductive fixed ways of being,<ref>See:
*{{harv|Hill|13 December 2008}}; *{{harv|Hill|13 December 2008}};
*{{harv|McCrone|1 February 2008}}; *{{harv|McCrone|1 February 2008}};
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*{{harv|Odasso|5 June 2008}}.</ref> *{{harv|Odasso|5 June 2008}}.</ref>


Companies such as ] and ] pay for and encourage employees to take part in The Landmark Forum.{{sfn|Businessweek|18 November 2010|p=}}{{sfn|Sacks|1 April 2009|p=}}


==Religious characteristics==
=== Course content ===
Some scholars have categorized Landmark and its predecessor organizations as ], ] or a ].<ref>See:
The Landmark Forum takes place over three consecutive days and an evening session (generally Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday evening.) Each full day begins at 9:00 a.m. and typically ends at approximately 10:00 p.m. Breaks are approximately every 2–3 hours, with a 90-minute dinner break. The evening session generally runs from 7:00 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. Course size varies between 75 and 250 people.<ref name="Badt">Badt, Karen (March 5, 2008). "". '']''. Retrieved on October 22, 2008.</ref>
*{{harv|Barker|1996|p=126}};
Rules are set up at the beginning of the program, such as strongly encouraging participants not to miss any part of the program.<ref name=Hill>{{cite news | first = Amelia | last = Hill | title = I thought I’d be brainwashed. But how wrong could I be… | url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2003/dec/14/ameliahill.theobserver| work = ]| publisher=www.guardian.co.uk |date = 2008-03-05| accessdate = 2009-12-09 | location=London}}</ref> Attendees are also urged to be “coachable” and not just be observers during the course.<ref name=Hill/><ref name=McCrone>{{cite news | first = John | last = McCrone | title = A Landmark Change | work = ]| publisher= The Press (New Zealand) |date = 2008-11-22}}</ref>
*{{harv|Beckford|2003|p=156}};
The program is arranged as a discussion where the course leader presents certain ideas and the course participants engage in voluntary sharing with the course leader to discuss how those ideas apply to their own life.<ref name=Stassen/> Ideas presented, asserted and discussed include the following:
*{{harv|Lockwood|2011|pp=225–254}};

*{{harv|Beckford|2004|p=256}};
*There is a big difference between what actually happened in a person’s life and the meaning or interpretation they made up about it<ref name=Stassen/>
*{{harv|Clarke|2012|p=123}};

*{{harv|Heelas|1991|pp=165–166, 171}};
*People pursue an imaginary someday of satisfaction<ref name=Badt/>
*{{harv|Ramstedt|2007|pp=196–197}}.</ref> Other observers have noted relationships between the training programs and a spiritual experience, including a lack of religious elements in the programs and the compatibility of the programs with existing religions.<ref>See:

*{{harv|Bhugra|1997|p=126}};
*Human behavior is governed by a need to look good <ref name=Hill/>
*{{harv|Chryssides|2006|pp=197–198}};

*{{harv|Beckford|2003|p=156}};
*People add meaning to events in their life which are not necessarily true<ref name=Badt/>
*{{harv|Lazarus|11 April 2008}};

*{{harv|Partridge|2004|p=406}}.</ref> Others, such as Chryssides, classify Landmark as either quasi-religious or secular with some elements of religion (although various scholars have disputed this characterization).<ref>See:
*People have persistent complaints that give rise to unproductive fixed ways of being<ref name=Hill/><ref name=McCrone/><ref name=Odasso>{{cite news | first = Diane | last = Odasso | title = My Landmark Experience | url = http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diana-odasso/my-landmark-experience_b_105502.html| work = ]| publisher=www.huffingtonpost.com |date = 2008-06-05| accessdate = 2009-12-09}}</ref>
*{{harv|Beckford et al., eds.|2007|pp=229, 687}};

*{{harv|Chryssides|1999|p=314}};
*People can “transform” by a creative act of bringing forth new ways of being, rather than trying to change themselves in comparison to the past<ref name=Badt/>
*{{harv|Bromley|2007|p=48}}.

</ref> Landmark has denied that it is a religion, cult or sect,{{sfn|Puttick|2004|pp=406–407}} and "freely threatens or pursues lawsuits against those who call it ".{{sfn|Scioscia|2000}}
*Course participants are encouraged to call people they know during the course who they are incomplete with and either be in communication with the other person or be responsible for their own behavior.<ref name=Badt/><ref name=Hill/><ref name=Odasso/>

*The Tuesday evening session completes the Landmark Forum with several further distinctions and sharing by participants about the results they got. Course attendees bring guests to learn about the Landmark Forum.<ref name=Badt/><ref name=McCrone/><ref name=Odasso/>

===Community projects===
Some other Landmark courses encourage or require participants to create a community project.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/26426/Velo_and_Vintage_on_Second_Saturday | title = Velo and Vintage on Second Saturday| publisher = Sacramento Press | accessdate = 2011-03-14 | date=2010-05-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = http://articles.philly.com/2008-07 31/entertainment/24990821_1_breast-cancer-survivors-breast-cancer-survivors-duck-breast | title = Cherish the mammary: Restaurants raise funds for breast cancer survivors
| publisher = Philadelphia Daily News | accessdate = 2011-03-14 | date=2008-07-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = http://detroit.blogs.time.com/2010/09/21/some-of-detroits-major-miracle-makers/| title = Some of Detroit’s Major Miracle Makers | publisher = Time Magazine, Detroit Blog | accessdate = 2011-09-20 | date=2010-09-21}}</ref> In the ''Self-Expression and Leadership Program'', participants are required to undertake a project that benefits the larger community or society as a whole.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://legacy.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080419/news_1ez19bike.html | title = Cyclists gear up for challenging event | publisher = San Diego Union-Tribune | accessdate = 2011-03-14 | date=2008-04-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url =http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2001-10-26/entertainment/0110260370_1_belly-dancing-middle-eastern-arab | title = Middle Eastern arts on tap| publisher = Chicago Tribune | accessdate = 2011-10-14 | date=2001-10-26 | first=Lucia | last=Mauro}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url =http://hindu.com/2010/09/13/stories/2010091362530400.htm | title = Helping professionals take up community welfare projects | publisher = Hindu Times | accessdate = 2011-10-14 | date=2010-09-13 | location=Chennai, India}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url =http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/news/charity-walk-boost-anti-suicide-initiatives/1074975/ | title = Charity walk to boost anti-suicide initiatives | publisher = Bay of Plenty Times | accessdate = 2011-10-14 | date=2011-08-20}}</ref>

In the ''Team, Management, and Leadership Program'', participants create four team-based community projects.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=90632
| title = Local couple finds true love is closer than you think| publisher = The Daily Courier | accessdate = 2011-10-29 | date=2011-02-13}}</ref>


Journalist Amelia Hill with '']'' witnessed the Landmark Forum and concluded that, in her view, it is not religious or a cult. Hill wrote, "It is ... simple common sense delivered in an environment of startling intensity." Karin Badt from '']'' criticized the organisation's emphasis on "'spreading the word' of the Landmark forum as a sign of the participants' 'integrity'" in recounting her personal experience of an introductory "Landmark Forum" course, but noted, "at the end of the day, I found the Forum innocuous. No cult, no radical religion: an inspiring, entertaining introduction of good solid techniques of self-reflection, with an appropriate emphasis on action and transformation (not change)".{{sfn|Badt|5 March 2008}}
== Reviews and Criticisms ==
'']'' reporter Henry Alford summarized his review of The Landmark Forum by saying "Two months after the Forum, I'd rate my success at 84 percent. I'm more prone to telling loved ones and colleagues, in person and without glibness, that I love or admire them. But I still operate from a base position that people are a lot of effort."<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/fashion/28Landmark.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2 | title = You're O.K., but I'm Not. Let's Share. | publisher = New York Times | accessdate = 2011-03-14 | date=2010-11-26 | first=Henry | last=Alford}}</ref> ] reporter Nathan Thornburgh, in his review of The Landmark Forum, said "At its heart, the course was a withering series of scripted reality checks meant to show us how we have created nearly everything we see as a problem …I benefited tremendously from the uncomfortable mirror the course had put in front of me."<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2055188,00.html | title = Change We Can (Almost) Believe In | publisher = TIME Magazine | accessdate = 2011-03-14 | date=2011-03-07}}</ref>


== Public reception == <!-- Courtesy note: ] redirects here -->
The '']'' says the effects of The Landmark Forum "...can be startling. People find themselves reconciled with parents, exes and friends. They have conversations they have wanted to have with their families for years; they meet people or get promoted in work."<ref>{{cite news | title = Landmark Forum: One Weekend to fix your LIFE?| publisher = Irish Mail on Sunday| date=2012-02-18}}</ref>
In his review of the Landmark Forum, '']'' reporter Henry Alford wrote that he "resented the pressure" placed on him during a session, but also noted that "two months after the Forum, I'd rate my success at 84 percent."{{sfn|Alford|26 November 2010|p=L1}} ] reporter Nathan Thornburgh, in his review of The Landmark Forum, said "At its heart, the course was a withering series of scripted reality checks meant to show us how we have created nearly everything we see as a problem …I benefited tremendously from the uncomfortable mirror the course had put in front of me."{{sfn|Thornburgh|7 March 2011}}


A series of investigative articles in the Swedish national daily '']'' reported serious complaints about Landmark practices, including a report of one person who suffered from acute psychosis after taking a Landmark course.{{sfn|Palme|3 June 2002|p=}} The chairman of Föreningen Rädda individen, a support organization for those affected by cults and destructive movements, told ''Dagens Nyheter'' that Landmark is one of the most dangerous sects in Sweden.{{sfn|Palme|3 June 2002|p=}}
Landmark makes extensive use of web-published and word-of-mouth
<!-- <ref>"". LandmarkEducation.com. Retrieved on October 23, 2008.
<blockquote>"Someone important to you probably recommended The Landmark Forum. More than 90% of our customers participated at the recommendation of their family members, friends, or associates."</blockquote></ref>
Not in reference. -->
] from ]s to portray its effectiveness, and supplements these with ], ], and ].<ref>
"". LandmarkEducation.com. Retrieved on October 23, 2008.</ref>


=== ''Pièces à Conviction'' ===
Some observers{{Who|date=July 2011}} question whether and to what degree Landmark courses benefit participants. Others{{Who|date=December 2011}} criticize the use of volunteers by Landmark; others{{Who|date=July 2011}} highlight the connections with other groups and with ]. Landmark has been criticized by some for being overzealous in encouraging people to participate in its courses.<ref name=vv>Graham Rayman, , ''Village Voice'', 20 May 2008</ref><!-- <ref>
(retrieved 2006-12-13) p. 69, as referenced at
retrieved 2007-12-10</ref>
Access to http://www.berlin.de/sen/familie/sog_sekten_psychogruppen/ekten_psychogruppen/ has been blocked by the site owner via robots.txt. Irretrievable through Internet Archive. -->


In 2004, ] aired a television documentary on Landmark in their investigative series '']''. The episode, called "Voyage Au Pays des Nouveaux Gourous" ("Journey to the land of the new gurus") aired during prime time, a first for the show, and was highly critical of its subject.<ref>See:
Journalists Amelia Hill with '']'' and Karin Badt from '']'' have witnessed the Landmark Forum and concluded that, in their view, it is not a cult. Hill wrote, "It is ... simple common sense delivered in an environment of startling intensity." Badt noted the organisation's emphasis on "'spreading the word' of the Landmark forum as a sign of the participants' 'integrity'" in recounting her personal experience of an introductory "Landmark Forum" course. Part of this theme included repeated comparisons between program participants and Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi.<ref>{{cite news |first=Karin |last=Badt |title=Inside The Landmark Forum |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/karin-badt/inside-the-landmark-forum_b_90028.html |work=The Huffington Post |publisher=HuffingtonPost.com |date=2008-03-05 |accessdate=2009-08-11 |quote=I questioned the odd apolitical bias of the program. Martin Luther King and {{sic|Gha|ndi}} were not just victors of positive thinking: they had a radical political agenda to re-adjust political inequality. Their belief system was based in believing in something more than ourselves. Why were we being compared to Gandhi and King if we could stand up to our husbands and get a more successful career? concluded, per forma, with moving descriptions of Gandhi and King.}}</ref> Badt also noted that, "At the end of the day, I found the Forum innocuous. No cult, no radical religion: an inspiring, entertaining introduction of good solid techniques of self-reflection, with an appropriate emphasis on action and transformation (not change)", pointing instead to problems lying with uncritical participants.<ref name=Badt/>
*{{harv|Roy|24 May 2004}};
*{{harv|TD|24 May 2004}};
*{{harv|Tessier|20 May 2004}}.</ref>


Shot in large part with a hidden camera, the episode was an expose of sorts and had filmmaker Laurent Richard attend a Landmark course and visit their offices.{{sfn|Roy|24 May 2004}} In addition, the program included interviews with former course participants, anti-cultists, and commentators including the then vice-president of the ], ], as well as ], ], ] and Gilles Bottine, the secretary general of ]. Landmark left France following the airing of the episode and a subsequent site visit by labor inspectors that noted the activities of volunteers,<ref>See:
Landmark makes no claims to being a religion, but some academic observers have nonetheless noted relationships between the training programs and religion. Others have noted a lack of religious elements in the programs or the compatibility of the programs with existing religions.<ref>See:
*{{harv|Lemonniera|19 May 2005}}, French text: "L’'Inspection du Travail débarque dans les locaux de Landmark, constate l'’exploitation des bénévoles et dresse des procès-verbaux pour travail non déclaré." English translation: "Labor inspectors turned up at the offices of Landmark, noted the exploitation of volunteers and drew up a report of undeclared employment.";
*{{Cite news |last=Ben Porat |first=Shahar |title=Teacher of the Confused |newspaper=Time Out |location=Israel |pages=42–44 |date=April 2006 }}
*{{harv|Landmark staff|2004}}, Landmark's response;
*{{Cite journal |last=Cannon |first=Patrick Owen |title=Communication for Planetary Transformation and the Drag of Public Conversations: The Case of Landmark Education Corporation |pages=1–504 |publisher=University of South Florida |location=Tampa, Florida |date=June 14, 2007 | url=http://kong.lib.usf.edu:8881/R/7M18C94JUL2GRRD6L46U62EL47JUK9CKM7F7CG891VSMGQMBIE-00353?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=111754&local_base=GEN01&pds_handle=GUEST |id=SFE0002150 |accessdate=26 January 2010}}
*{{harv|Badt|5 March 2008}}, quote: It was this TV program that closed down the Landmark in France, leaving it only 24 other countries in which to spread its word.</ref> and sued ] in 2004 following his appearance on the show.{{sfn|Palmer|2011}}
*{{Cite news |last=Lazarus |first=Baila |title=Attain Freedom from the Past |newspaper=Jewish Independent |date=April 11, 2008 }}</ref> Academic sources have suggested that the programs possess religious features and/or address participants' spiritual needs.<ref>See:
*{{cite book |last=Bhugra |first=Dinesh |title=Psychiatry and Religion: Context, Consensus and Controversies |publisher=Routledge |year=1997 |page=126 | isbn =0-415-16512-1 }}
*{{cite book |last =Chryssides |first=George D. |authorlink=George D. Chryssides |title =The A to Z of New Religious Movements |publisher=Scarecrow Press |year=2006 |pages=197–198 |isbn=0-8108-5588-7 }}
*{{cite journal |last =Kronberg |first=Robert |coauthors=Kristina Lindebjerg |title=Psychogroups and Cults in Denmark |journal=] |volume=1 |issue=1 |publisher=] |year=2002 }}
*{{cite book |last=Beckford |first=James A. |title=Social Theory and Religion |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2003 |page=156 |isbn=0-521-77431-4 }}
*{{cite book |last=Partridge |first=Christopher |authorlink=Christopher Partridge |coauthors=Elizabeth Puttick (contributor) |title=New Religions: A Guide |publisher =Oxford University Press, USA |year=2004 |page=406 |isbn=0-19-522042-0 }}
*{{cite book |last=Arweck |first=Elisabeth |title=Researching New Religious Movements |publisher=Routledge |year=2005 |page=166 |isbn=0-415-27755-8}}
*{{cite book |last=Lewis |first=James R. |authorlink=James R. Lewis (scholar) | title=Cults |publisher=] |year=2005 |pages=123–124 |isbn=1-85109-618-3 }}</ref>


The ''Pièces à Conviction'' episode was uploaded to a variety of websites, and in October 2006 Landmark issued subpoenas pursuant to the ] to ], ], and the ] demanding details of the identity of the person(s) who had uploaded those copies. These organizations challenged the subpoenas and the ] (EFF) became involved, planning to file a motion to quash Landmark's DMCA subpoena to Google Video.<ref>See:
Following a series of investigative articles in the national daily '']''<ref>{{dead link|date=April 2012}}</ref><ref>{{dead link|date=April 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Christian Palme |url=http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/landsting-kopte-kurs-av-landmark-1.86286 |title=Landsting köpte kurs av Landmark |publisher=DN.SE |date=2002-06-03 |accessdate=2012-04-18}}</ref> and programs on the private TV channel ], Landmark closed its offices in Sweden<ref></ref> in June 2004. The French office of Landmark also closed in July 2004 after labor inspectors, visiting the site noting the activities of volunteers, made a report of undeclared employment.<ref>See:
*{{harv|EFF staff|2011}};
*Marie Lemonniera, , ''Le Nouvel Observateur'', 19 May 2005, accessed 7 December 2008; French text: "L’'Inspection du Travail débarque dans les locaux de Landmark, constate l'’exploitation des bénévoles et dresse des procès-verbaux pour travail non déclaré." English translation: "Labor inspectors turned up at the offices of Landmark, noted the exploitation of volunteers and drew up a report of undeclared employment."
*{{harv|Landmark (Art Schreiber)|2006a}};
*, ''ABC News'', 2 April 2008
*{{harv|Landmark (Art Schreiber)|2006b}};
*(1996) "" (French). atheisme.free.fr. Retrieved on October 23, 2008.
*{{harv|EFF staff|2007}}.</ref> Landmark eventually withdrew its subpoenas.
*(May 26, 2004). "" (French). landmarkeducation.fr. Retrieved on October 23, 2008.</ref>


== Footnotes == == Footnotes ==

Revision as of 10:21, 12 February 2015

Not to be confused with Landmark School or Landmark College.
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Landmark Worldwide
Company typePrivate LLC
IndustrySelf-help
FoundedJanuary 1991
HeadquartersSan Francisco, California
Key peopleHarry Rosenberg: director, CEO; Mick Leavitt: President
ProductsThe Landmark Forum, associated coursework
RevenueDecreaseUSD$77 million (2009)
Number of employees525+ employees
Subsidiaries
  • The Vanto Group
  • Tekniko Licensing Corporation
Websitelandmarkworldwide.com

Landmark Worldwide (formerly Landmark Education), or simply Landmark, is a limited liability company headquartered in San Francisco, California. It offers programs in personal development.

The company started with the purchase of intellectual property based upon Werner Erhard's est training seminars. Landmark has developed and delivered over 40 personal development programs. Its subsidiary, the Vanto Group, also markets and delivers training and consulting to organizations.

Landmark's programs have been categorized by some scholars as religious or quasi-religious in nature. Landmark and many of the company's customers deny such characterizations, while some researchers question that categorization as well.

Corporation

History

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Background

The Landmark Forum, its direct predecessors the Forum, est (Erhard Seminars Training) and its other, related, iterations have been proffered by a continuum of various companies beginning with the founding of Erhard Seminars Training, Inc. by Werner Erhard in the early 1970s. Erhard had no formal training in psychology or psychiatry and had previously been a successful salesman, became involved with Zen Buddhism, Scientology and Mind Dynamics. This brought about the idea of starting an organization to promote his vision of human transformation, which he entitled est (both for the Latin "it is" and as an acronym for "Erhard Seminars Training"). He considered setting up est as a church, but instead chose a for-profit model, with a complex web of onshore and offshore companies. These were set up by the "controversial" corporate attorney Harry Margolis.

A company controlled by Margolis was renamed Erhard Seminars Training Inc (EST Inc). Erhard sold his intellectual rights (which Erhard and Landmark call the "technology") to a Panamanian company Presentaciones Musicales S.A.(protected by Panama's corporate secrecy laws) and run on his behalf by Margolis. This in turn licensed the "technology" to EST Inc for $1 million and licence fees. Erhard was employed at a very modest salary while and license fees were made to offshore companies. As corporate staff expanded, Erhard hired Scientologists to create a program (the "Well Being Department") to monitor and motivate employees and volunteers.

After Erhard's attorney was indicted for irregularities involving his tax shelter schemes, he and Margolis went about restructuring the business on a non-profit model. In 1979, EST Inc. was dissolved and replaced by a charitable foundation named "est, An Educational Corporation". At the same time his intellectual property was transferred from the Panamanian company to, a new company in the Netherlands named, Welbehagen. which licensed the foundation to present the seminars. to "est, An Educational Corporation". A Jersey Charitable Settlement to own the foundation with a Swiss entity, the Werner Erhard Foundation for est, set up to control it.

By 1981 Erhard decided to simplify the complicated structure of est-related entities. Werner Erhard and Associates (WE&A)was established, with Erhard as sole proprietor, which purchased the assets of the various corporations and charities. This was arranged through a series of loans

In 1984 Erhard launched another company, Transformational Technologies (TT), to market est-based courses and consulting services to corporations and government entities. In its first 18 months, TT licensed over 50 franchises at a $25,000 licensing fee with revenue based royalties.

Erhard had experimented with a modified version of est as early as 1983. By 1985, faced with increasing controversy and drastically falling recruitment numbers, Erhard replaced the est seminars with a slightly modified and less authoritarian program which he "rebranded" as The Forum. Later, managers realized that there was significant revenue generated from signing up participants for follow-up courses. The duration of the The Forum was reduced from 6 to 3 days which enabled presenters to hold more courses. With the same staff WE&A was able to reduce the cost and increased the throughput of recruits, which also increased the number of the acquaintances to whom participants marketed The Forum. period. More recruits resulted in increased enrollment for the higher-priced follow-up courses.

Incorporation of Landmark

By 1990, Werner Erhard and Associates was faced with lawsuits, tax investigations, bad press and declining enrollments. Erhard decided to leave the U.S. and began liquidating his personal assets. A company named Transnational Education Corporation (TEC) was set up, headed by Erhard's brother Harry Rosenberg. TEC acquired various assets from WE&A and Erhard on 31 January 1991. Erhard had no direct ownership of the new entity, but retained control of the intellectual property used in the courses. He also retained rights to run the Forum operations in Japan (which accounted for 70% of Werner Erhard & Associates International's revenue) and in Mexico. TEC licensed the intellectual property for a period of 15 years in exchange for $3 million and license royalties. These amounts were not paid to Erhard but rather to overseas corporations and trusts. The business of WE&A continued operations with much of the same staff under the new name. In May 1991 TEC changed its name to Landmark Education Corporation. In June 2004, the company was reorganized into a limited liability company, Landmark Education LLC, and subsequently renamed to Landmark Worldwide LLC in July 2013.

Landmark has claimed that it has never paid royalties to Erhard. which is true, as the payments were paid to Erhard's corporations and trusts. Landmark CEO Rosenberg has stated that Erhard's rights on the intellectual property on which the Forum and other courses are based was purchased by 2002.

While Erhard has maintained a degree of relationship with Landmark and has appeared at company events, Landmark has insistently denied that he has any involvement with the current business and has downplayed its historical connection to Erhard and to est.

Current operations

Landmark Worldwide LLC operates as an employee-owned for-profit private company. According to Landmark's website, its employees own all the stock of the corporation, with no individual holding more than 3%. The company states that it operates in such a way as to invest its surpluses into making its programs, initiatives, and services more widely available. In addition, its subsidiary, the Vanto Group, focuses on marketing and delivering training and consultation services to corporate clients and other organizations.

The company reports more than 2.2 million people have participated in its programs since 1991. Landmark holds seminars in approximately 115 locations in more than 20 nations. Landmark stated in 2005 that annual attendance at its courses was 200,000, with 70,000 to 80,000 participants in the Landmark Forum. It has stated that from 1991 to 2008 more than 1 million people had taken part in Landmark's introductory program, the Landmark Forum. Landmark reported revenues of approximately $81 million as of 2011.

Terry Giles is Chairman of the Board and Erhard's lawyer.

Business consulting

Vanto Group, Inc., founded in 1993 as "Landmark Education Business Development" (LEBD), a wholly owned subsidiary of Landmark Worldwide Enterprises, Inc., uses the techniques of Landmark to provide consulting services to various companies. The University of Southern California (USC) Marshall School of Business carried out a case study in 1998 into the work of LEBD with BHP New Zealand Steel. The report concluded that the set of interventions in the organization produced a 50% improvement in safety, a 15% to 20% reduction in key benchmark costs, a 50% increase in return on capital, and a 20% increase in raw steel production. LEBD became the Vanto Group in 2008.

Licensing intellectual property

Tekniko, Inc., formerly owned by Werner Erhard, was the successor organization to Transformational Technologies, which was incorporated in 1984 by Erhard and management consultant James Selman. Tekniko Licencing Corporation, a California corporation owned by Terry M. Giles, later acquired this technology. In 2001 Landmark Education formed Tekniko Licensing Corporation, a Nevada corporation, which purchased Tekniko Technology from Giles' company.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). Tekniko Licencing Corporation, a California corporation owned by Terry M. Giles, later acquired this technology. In 2001 Landmark Education formed Tekniko Licensing Corporation, a Nevada corporation, which purchased Tekniko Technology from Giles' company.Since that time, the Vanto Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Landmark Worldwide, has used Tekniko to license the "Tekniko methodology and intellectual property to a wide variety of corporations".

The Landmark Forum

Landmark's entry course, The Landmark Forum, is a prerequisite for the majority of their other programs. The Landmark Forum takes place over three consecutive days and an evening session (generally Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday evening.) Each full day begins at 9:00 a.m. and typically ends at approximately 10:00 p.m. Breaks are approximately every 2–3 hours, with a 90-minute dinner break. The evening session generally runs from 7:00 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. The course varies in size between 75 and 250 people, and is arranged as a dialog in which the Forum leader presents certain ideas and participants are encouraged to take the floor to relate how those ideas apply to their own lives. Rules are set up at the beginning of the program, such as strongly encouraging participants not to miss any part of the program. Attendees are also urged to be “coachable” and not just be observers during the course.

Various ideas are asserted and explored during the course. For example, the course maintains that there is a big difference between what actually happened in a person’s life and the meaning or interpretation they made up about it, and that human behavior is governed by a need to look good. Another tenet of the course is that people pursue an "imaginary 'someday' of satisfaction", and that people create meaning for themselves since "there is none inherent in the world". The course also maintains that people have persistent complaints that give rise to unproductive fixed ways of being, but that people can “transform”, by a creative act of bringing forth new ways of being, rather than trying to change themselves in comparison to the past. Course participants are encouraged to call people they know during the course, with whom they feel they have unresolved tensions, and either be in communication with the other person or be responsible for their own behavior.

An evening session follows closely on the three consecutive days of the course and completes the Landmark Forum. During this final session, the participants share information about their results, and bring guests to learn about the Forum.

Companies such as Panda Express and Lululemon Athletica pay for and encourage employees to take part in The Landmark Forum.

Religious characteristics

Some scholars have categorized Landmark and its predecessor organizations as new age, self religion or a new religious movement. Other observers have noted relationships between the training programs and a spiritual experience, including a lack of religious elements in the programs and the compatibility of the programs with existing religions. Others, such as Chryssides, classify Landmark as either quasi-religious or secular with some elements of religion (although various scholars have disputed this characterization). Landmark has denied that it is a religion, cult or sect, and "freely threatens or pursues lawsuits against those who call it ".

Journalist Amelia Hill with The Observer witnessed the Landmark Forum and concluded that, in her view, it is not religious or a cult. Hill wrote, "It is ... simple common sense delivered in an environment of startling intensity." Karin Badt from The Huffington Post criticized the organisation's emphasis on "'spreading the word' of the Landmark forum as a sign of the participants' 'integrity'" in recounting her personal experience of an introductory "Landmark Forum" course, but noted, "at the end of the day, I found the Forum innocuous. No cult, no radical religion: an inspiring, entertaining introduction of good solid techniques of self-reflection, with an appropriate emphasis on action and transformation (not change)".

Public reception

In his review of the Landmark Forum, New York Times reporter Henry Alford wrote that he "resented the pressure" placed on him during a session, but also noted that "two months after the Forum, I'd rate my success at 84 percent." Time reporter Nathan Thornburgh, in his review of The Landmark Forum, said "At its heart, the course was a withering series of scripted reality checks meant to show us how we have created nearly everything we see as a problem …I benefited tremendously from the uncomfortable mirror the course had put in front of me."

A series of investigative articles in the Swedish national daily Dagens Nyheter reported serious complaints about Landmark practices, including a report of one person who suffered from acute psychosis after taking a Landmark course. The chairman of Föreningen Rädda individen, a support organization for those affected by cults and destructive movements, told Dagens Nyheter that Landmark is one of the most dangerous sects in Sweden.

Pièces à Conviction

In 2004, France 3 aired a television documentary on Landmark in their investigative series Pièces à Conviction. The episode, called "Voyage Au Pays des Nouveaux Gourous" ("Journey to the land of the new gurus") aired during prime time, a first for the show, and was highly critical of its subject.

Shot in large part with a hidden camera, the episode was an expose of sorts and had filmmaker Laurent Richard attend a Landmark course and visit their offices. In addition, the program included interviews with former course participants, anti-cultists, and commentators including the then vice-president of the Parliamentary Commission on Cults in France, Jean-Pierre Brard, as well as Catherine Picard, Jean-Pierre Jougla, Jean-Marie Abgrall and Gilles Bottine, the secretary general of MIVILUDES. Landmark left France following the airing of the episode and a subsequent site visit by labor inspectors that noted the activities of volunteers, and sued Jean-Pierre Brard in 2004 following his appearance on the show.

The Pièces à Conviction episode was uploaded to a variety of websites, and in October 2006 Landmark issued subpoenas pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act to Google Video, YouTube, and the Internet Archive demanding details of the identity of the person(s) who had uploaded those copies. These organizations challenged the subpoenas and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) became involved, planning to file a motion to quash Landmark's DMCA subpoena to Google Video. Landmark eventually withdrew its subpoenas.

Footnotes

  1. Landmark staff 2002a.
  2. ^ Landmark staff 2014b.
  3. See:
  4. See:
  5. Lockwood 2011, p. 229. sfn error: no target: CITEREFLockwood2011 (help)
  6. ^ Bartley 1978, pp. 176–177.
  7. ^ Pressman 1993, pp. 48–50, 88.
  8. Pressman 1993, pp. 48–50.
  9. Gordon 1978, p. 52.
  10. Kornbluth 1976, pp. 29–52.
  11. Pressman 1993, pp. 65, 125–126, 129.
  12. Gardner 2007. sfn error: no target: CITEREFGardner2007 (help)
  13. Pressman 1993, pp. 157, 165–167.
  14. Rupert 1992.
  15. Pressman 1993, pp. 217–218.
  16. See:
  17. ^ Hukill 1998.
  18. Jones 2003.
  19. Pressman 1993, pp. 212–214, 244–245.
  20. ^ Pressman 1993, pp. 245–246, 254–255.
  21. Hellard 2006.
  22. ^ Grigoriadis 2001.
  23. ^ Pressman 1993, pp. 254–255.
  24. Marshall 1997.
  25. CASS staff 2003.
  26. Landmark (Art Schreiber) 2005, pp. 3–4. sfn error: no target: CITEREFLandmark_(Art_Schreiber)2005 (help)
  27. Bauder 1994.
  28. Salerno 2010. sfn error: no target: CITEREFSalerno2010 (help)
  29. See:
  30. ^ LandmarkWorldwide.com. Landmark Fact Sheet. Retrieved on October 22, 2008.
  31. (February 1, 2008). "Landmark Education Business Development, LEBD, Changes Name to Vanto Group". Reuters. Retrieved on October 22, 2008.
  32. LandmarkWorldwide.com. Who Participates. Retrieved on September 1, 2013.
  33. See:
  34. LandmarkWorldwide.com. About Landmark. Retrieved on July 16, 2013.
  35. Stassen, Wilma (September 2008). "Inside a Landmark Forum Weekend" Health 24
  36. Dewan & 3 May 2010.
  37. Logan 1998.
  38. Landmark press release 2008.
  39. Norman Bodek (1985). ReVision: The Journal of Consciousness and Change, Vol 7, No. 2, Winter 1984 / Spring 1985
  40. Case Financial Inc • DEFM14A. SEC filings on secinfo.com. Filed May 3, 2000. Retrieved on October 23, 2008.
    Quote: "Mr. Giles is the owner of Tekniko Licensing Corporation, which licenses intellectual properties owned by Tekniko to businesses throughout the world."
  41. Pacific Biometrics, filings. Form SB-2. Retrieved on October 23, 2008.
  42. Landmark Education information.
  43. Landmark staff 2015.
  44. ^ Badt & 5 March 2008.
  45. ^ Stassen 2008.
  46. ^ Hill & 13 December 2008.
  47. McCrone & 1 February 2008.
  48. See:
  49. See:
  50. See:
  51. Businessweek & 18 November 2010.
  52. Sacks & 1 April 2009.
  53. See:
  54. See:
  55. See:
  56. Puttick 2004, pp. 406–407.
  57. Scioscia 2000.
  58. Alford & 26 November 2010, p. L1.
  59. Thornburgh & 7 March 2011.
  60. ^ Palme & 3 June 2002.
  61. See:
  62. Roy & 24 May 2004.
  63. See:
    • (Lemonniera & 19 May 2005), French text: "L’'Inspection du Travail débarque dans les locaux de Landmark, constate l'’exploitation des bénévoles et dresse des procès-verbaux pour travail non déclaré." English translation: "Labor inspectors turned up at the offices of Landmark, noted the exploitation of volunteers and drew up a report of undeclared employment.";
    • (Landmark staff 2004), Landmark's response;
    • (Badt & 5 March 2008), quote: It was this TV program that closed down the Landmark in France, leaving it only 24 other countries in which to spread its word.
  64. Palmer 2011.
  65. See:
Cite error: A list-defined reference named "FOOTNOTEMarshall1997" is not used in the content (see the help page).

References

  • Anderson, Kurt (2007). "Son of EST: The Terminator of Self-Doubt". In Ross, Lillian (ed.). The Fun of It: Stories from The Talk of the Town; The New Yorker. New York: Vintage Books/Random House. ISBN 0375756493. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Atkin, Douglas (2004). "What Is Required of a Belief System?". The Culting of Brands: Turn Your Customers Into True Believers. New York: Penguin/Portfolio. ISBN 9781591840275. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Bartley, William W. (1978). Werner Erhard: The Transformation of a Man. New York: Clarkson N. Potter. ISBN 0517535025. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Bauder, Don (7 August 1994). "Firm Turns to est Guru; Still Slides". Union-Tribune. San Diego.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • Beckford, James A. (2003). Social Theory and Religion. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521774314. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Beckford, James A. (2004). "New Religious Movements and Globalization". In Lucas, Phillip Charles; Robbins, Thomas (eds.). New Religious Movements in the 21st Century. Abingdon and New York: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-96576-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Bhugra, Dinesh (1997). Psychiatry and Religion: Context, Consensus and Controversies. Routledge. ISBN 0415165121. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • CASS staff (2003). "LP/LLC Information". California Secretary of State. Sacramento, California: California. Archived from the original on 31 January 2008. Retrieved 23 October 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • CASS staff (1987). "Entity Number C1197599". California Secretary of State. Sacramento, California: California. Retrieved 23 October 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • Chryssides, George (1999). Exploring New Religions. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Eisner, Donald A. (2000). The Death of Psychotherapy: From Freud to Alien Abductions. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger. ISBN 0275964132. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Faltermayer, Charlotte (24 June 2001). "The Best of est?". Time Magazine. New York. Retrieved 8 December 2014.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • Farber, Sharon Klayman (2012). Hungry for Ecstasy: Trauma, the Brain, and the Influence of the Sixties. Lanham, Maryland: Jason Aronson/Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780765708588. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Goldwag, Arthur (2009). Cults, Conspiracies, and Secret Societies. New York: Vintage/Random House. ISBN 9780307390677. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Gordon, Suzanne (December 1978). "Let Them Eat est". Mother Jones. San Francisco, California. Retrieved 8 December 2014.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • Grigoriadis, Vanessa (9 July 2001). "Pay Money, Be Happy". New York Magazine. New York, New York. Retrieved 6 September 2014.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • Heelas, Paul (1991). "Western Europe: Self Religions". In Sutherland, S.R.; Clarke, P.B. (eds.). The Study of Religion: Traditional and New Religions. London: Routledge. ISBN 0415064325. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Hellard, Peta (11 June 2006). "Stress Fear in $700 Child Forum: WA children as young as eight who attend "life-changing" coaching sessions by a controversial US company could have difficulty with their schoolwork afterwards, according to experts". Sunday Times. Perth, Western Australia: News Corporation.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • Koocher, Gerald P.; Keith-Spiegel, Patricia (2008). Ethics in Psychology and the Mental Health Professions: Standards and Cases. New York: Oxford University Presss. ISBN 978-0195149111.
  • Kornbluth, Jesse (19 March 1976). "The Fuhrer over EST". New Times. New York: Hirsch.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • Landmark staff (2002). "Overview". Landmark Education. San Francisco, California: Landmark Education. Archived from the original on 3 August 2002. Retrieved 24 January 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  • Landmark staff (2014). "Overview". Landmark Education. San Francisco, California: Landmark Education. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  • Landmark staff (2014). "Landmark Fact Sheet". Landmark Worldwide. San Francisco, California: Landmark Worldwide. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  • Lazarus, Baila (11 April 2008). "Attain Freedom from the Past". Jewish Independent.
  • Logan, David C. (1998). Transforming the Network of Conversations in BHP New Zealand Steel: Landmark Education Business Development's New Paradigm for Organizational Change (Case). USC Marshall School of Business. {{cite thesis}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Marshall, Jeannie (23–27 June 1997). "The est in the Business: That old seventies personal growth fad has been resurrected and retooled, and it's coming soon to a corporation near you". National Post: Saturday Night. Toronto, Ontario.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • McCrone, John (22 November 2008). "A Landmark Change". The Press Supplement. Christchurch New Zealand.
  • Mullally, Una; Burke, John (31 July 2005). "Labour senator promotes group classified in France as 'cult-like'". Sunday Tribune. Dublin Ireland.
  • Odasso, Diane (5 June 2008). "My Landmark Experience". Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com. Retrieved 9 December 2009.
  • Paris, Joel (2013). Psychotherapy in an Age of Narcissism: Modernity, Science, and Society. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9780230336964. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Pressman, Steven (1993). Outrageous Betrayal: The Dark Journey of Werner Erhard from est to Exile. New York: St. Martin's. ISBN 0312092962. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Puttick, Elizabeth (2004). "Landmark Forum (est)". In Partridge, Christopher Hugh (ed.). Encyclopedia of New Religions. Oxford: Lion. ISBN 9780745950730. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Ramstedt, Martin (2007). "New Age and Business: Corporations as Cultic Milieus?". In Kemp, Daren; Lewis, James R. (eds.). Handbook of the New Age. Brill Handbooks on Contemporary Religion. Vol. 1. Leiden: BRILL. p. 196. ISBN 9789004153554. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Richardson, James T. (1998). "est (THE FORUM)". In Swatos, Jr., William H. (ed.). Encyclopedia of Religion and Society. Walnut Creek, California: AltaMira. ISBN 0761989560. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Rolfe, Peter (9 March 2008). "We Pay for Seminars: TAXPAYERS are picking up the bill to send police officers and bureaucrats on a controversial personal enlightenment course". Sunday Herald Sun. Melbourne, Victoria.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • Rupert, Glenn A. (1992). "Employing the New Age: Training Seminars". In Lewis, James R.; Melton, J. Gordon (eds.). Perspectives on the New Age. Albany, New York: SUNY Press. ISBN 079141213X. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Saliba, John A. (2003). Understanding New Religious Movements. Walnut Creek, California: Rowman Altamira. p. 88. ISBN 9780759103559. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Schneider (1995). "Der Pädagogische Bereich als Operationsfeld für Psychokulte". 20 Jahre Elterninitiative. e.V.. University of Tubingen, Theologische Abteilung: 189–190. ISBN 3927890235. ISSN 0720–3772. {{cite journal}}: Check |issn= value (help); Invalid |ref=harv (help);
  • Sharot, Stephen (2011). Comparative Perspectives on Judaisms and Jewish Identities. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 9780814334010. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • D'Souza, Christa (13 July 2008). "Sex Therapy". The Times. London.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
Werner Erhard
History
Books
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