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Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health (often abbreviated as DMSMH) is a book by L. Ron Hubbard setting out some of the philosophy, some of the science, but specifically the therapy, the self-improvement techniques he had devised, called Dianetics.

In the book, Hubbard claims to have isolated the dynamic principle of existence, "Survive", and provides his description of the human mind. He states the source of all human aberration is the reactive mind and its engrams. He then developed counseling ("auditing") techniques for getting rid of engrams. This is still the technique used in many Dianetics groups and modern courses on Dianetics to introduce the subject. Courses that include the 50 years of developement since that time are then taken up by the serious student. See the main article on Dianetics for a fuller description of its theoretical basis.

The test results of a study of 88 students, new to Dianetics, using the techniques in this book in 1950 are outlined in the Introduction to Science of Survival. That study demonstrates the scientific nature of the subject and the results that can be expected by its use by students with just one month of training.

Publication history

The book was officially published May 9, 1950 (by a publisher of psychiatric textbooks, ironically, considering Hubbard's views on the subject). Hubbard later claimed to have taken only six weeks to write the book (though according to another Scientology source he wrote all 180,000 words in only three weeks ).

The book caught the public imagination and became a nationwide best-seller, selling over 150,000 copies within a year. Due to the interest generated, a multitude of "Dianetics clubs" and similar organizations were formed for the purpose of applying Dianetics techniques. Hubbard himself established a nationwide network of Dianetics Foundations, offering Dianetics training and processing for a fee.

The original edition of the book included an introduction by J.A. Winter, M.D., an appendix on "The Philosophic Method" by Will Durant (reprinted from The Story of Philosophy, 1926), and two other appendices by John W. Campbell and Donald H. Rogers. These contributions are omitted from editions of Dianetics published since about the start of the 1980s. It is unclear how many editions there have been, but at least 60 printings are said to have been issued by 1988.

Dianetics today

Scientologists regard the publication Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health as a key historical event for their movement and the world, and refer to the book as "Book One". Hubbard himself regarded its publication as such an important event that he created his own calendar based on the publication date of Dianetics, dating his Scientology writings from that time. For instance, Hubbard uses "A.D. 13" to mean 1963 – literally "year 13 After Dianetics".

Dianetics is still heavily promoted today by the Church of Scientology and has been advertised widely on television and in print. Indeed, it has been alleged that the Church has asked its members to purchase large quantities of the book with their own money, or with money supplied by the Church, for the sole purpose of keeping the book on the New York Times bestseller list. Hubbard described the book as a key asset in recruiting people to Scientology:

People who had read Book One and wanted Dianetics, when delivered enough Book One auditing, training or co-auditing, then started to reach for Scn services. Given sufficient quantity and quality of Book One, these people naturally started to WANT and reach for Scn services!

The Dianetics volcano

The volcano on post-1967 editions of Dianetics refers to the genocide supposedly carried out by the tyrannical galactic ruler Xenu 75 million years ago, who allegedly placed billions of his people around Earth's volcanoes and killed them there by blowing them up with hydrogen bombs. This connection was made explicitly clear by Hubbard in a confidential Scientology lecture. He claimed that "much of the symbolism" accompanying Xenu's genocide can be found "recorded" in the minds of present-day human beings; "thus, of course, man responds to an exploding volcano." At this point in the lecture, according to a note in the lecture's transcript, "Ron shows a DMSMH book front cover, which is an exploding volcano".

According to former Scientologist Bent Corydon, the purpose of including the volcano on the cover of the book was to "restimulate" memories of Xenu's genocide and make Dianetics irresistable to purchasers. A variety of other symbols associated with Xenu were added to other Scientology book covers. Corydon writes:

A special "Book Mission" was sent out to promote these books, now empowered and made irresistible by the addition of these supposedly overwhelming symbols or images. Organization staff were assured that if they simply held up one of the books, revealing its cover, that any bookstore owner would immediately order crateloads of them. A customs officer, seeing any of the book covers in one's luggage, would immediately pass one on through.

Notes

1. "L.R.H. Biography", Sea Org Flag Information Letter 67, October 31, 1977
2. Hubbard, Child Dianetics, p. 178. Publications Organization Worldwide, Edinburgh (1968 edition)
3. Frontispiece of Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, 1988 edition (New Era Publications, Copenhagen)
4. "The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power", Time, May 6, 1991
5. Hubbard, "The Ridge on the Bridge", LRH ED 344R INT of March 10, 1982, revised October 21, 1982
6. Hubbard, "Assists", lecture of October 3, 1968
7. Corydon, Bent. L. Ron Hubbard: Madman or Messiah?, p. 361. Lyle Stuart, Inc. (1987)

Refences

• Corydon, Bent. L. Ron Hubbard: Madman or Messiah?. Lyle Stuart, Inc. (1987)
• Hubbard, L. Ron:
  • Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health (1950 and innumerable subsequent editions)
  • Assists, lecture of October 3, 1968

• Pseudoscience
• Scientology books