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 Cults 

Do you think Tom Cruise has gone psycho??
Yes, he has drifted off of the deep end! 90%  90%  [ 9 ]
No, Maverick is perfect and always will be! 10%  10%  [ 1 ]
Total votes : 10

 Cults 
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I just wanted to comment a little on what we have been talking about in class. I took a sociology class a few semesters ago where we talked a lot about the same types of things. We talked about the prison experiment which was deemed unethical. We also talked a lot about Jonestown and the unibomber, so this is when we got into cults. We pretty much defined a cult as a group of people who worship a single person that isnt a "god" or deity. A huge example that the class came up with was the newish scientology religion made famous by celebs such as Tom Cruise. Basically these people pay money to a guy named Ron Hubbard and have a little pow wow with him and they are saved, or whatever ovbiously I didn't pay very much attention but I got the main ideas. I can imagine the idea of scientology has been around for awhile but it needed the celebrity backing and promotion to become as big and public as it is today.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings for the day!

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Emily Hartnett


Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:05 pm
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And groups like scientology prove that people will go to any lenghts to find a group to fit into and something to believe in. Does this mean that people are innately followers? We've been talking about the human condition, is this part of it?

Respond as you may, but I personally think that everyone is a follower. Humans naturally want to fit in a feel comfortable, and staying inside that comfort level is a natural priority (I think I brought this up in class the other day actually). Yes, they're are leaders and people who take initiative, but really think about it: What drives you to make a general decision about something? They're is always going to be an outside influence driving you, whether its recognized by you, or its buried deep.

On the Tom Cruise thing, well... he's pretty "glib". Yup. He's got a cute kid though.

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Mary M


Thu Jan 18, 2007 3:13 pm
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I think it is interesting what you have said about Tom Cruise and scientology. I feel like I cant say too much on the subject because I do not know much at all about scientology. Now that Tom Cruise is out in the open with scientology, it is incredible to see what people he has attracted to it and made followers and believers of.

In response to what Mary had said about followers, I think that everyone at some point in their life has been a follower. Some have been followers more than others. When it comes to the issue of leaders and followers, I really have such a negative feeling towards followers. The word itself makes me think of someone who cant think or act for themselves. I am not saying by any means, that it means this. In highschool I remember when I would watch some of the younger highschool girls follow each other around and go everywhere together. I agree that everyone tries to stay in their own comfort level as much as possible. It is when we step out of that comfort zone that things really take action or cause a valuable learning life lesson. I try my best at times, to step out of my comfort zone. I know that its when you step out, that you can really look in.

Oh ...and I agree ..Tom and Katie's baby IS very cute :D

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Meredith Kemper


Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:37 pm
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I agree fully with mary's comment on followers. I feel that at least once in a person life they could be considered a follower. Many school age children feel the need to fit in and follow the norms of the "cool" social crowd. I believe, as teachers it is our job to emphasize the importance of becoming a leader. Although this idea might be difficult for children who are engulfed in the idea of following a trend, they will eventually begin to see the benefits that are associated with becoming a leader.

--I always have to say Tom and Katie's kid is pretty adorable!!

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Amanda Nicole Ricketts


Fri Jan 19, 2007 3:32 pm
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I completely agree with everyone about everyone at some point is a follower and that being able to think independently is extremely important.

However, one day I did an activity with some middle schoolers that kind of proved that if you have too many leaders and not enough followers chaos happens. It was something like a human knot game where everyone joined random hands and you had to unknot yourselves into a circle without letting go. We had five or six kids screaming their ideas and nothing got accomplished but hurt feelings, however, there was one group with one leader and the rest followed, they were able to complete the activity. I don't know I guess it is just another way to think of the leader/follower relationship.

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Emily Hartnett


Sun Jan 21, 2007 5:25 pm
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This world does not work without some form of leadership and following. If you go to church there is leader, soldiers follow a leader, police officers are under a sheriff and a classroom surely doesn't run without a teacher showing children the way. They show the children how to do activities; read, write, and they tell them when to go to lunch or gym. Eventually, from examples children and adults alike learn the correct way to do things and they can then become the leaders, if needed.
I think that it is important not to necessarily instruct children how to become a leader or a follower. I believe that is already programmed into humans. But I do think it is important to give the courage to and self-esteem needed to lead and the humbleness to follow.
At some point in any situation someone is going to step up and "lead" everyone to sanity or safety.

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Charlene Leonard


Sun Jan 21, 2007 10:29 pm
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I agree that we all are followers in some way. But how exactly do we bring out the leader in all of our students? I think that school has become too formalized at times. Why do children have to consistently be quiet, sit still, ect. I think that we would be more successful as educators if we let our kids think for themselves and have a little more freedom. I am in no way saying the classroom should be a wild place. I just feel that if we asked/told children to sit in their chairs or be silent only when necessary they might respect it more and realize there is a purpose for the request. If we are constantly telling them what to do they are following orders to keep from getting in trouble. I guess what I am getting at here is for more freedom for students in the classroom to make choices without letting the classroom become a zoo. I surely don't have the answer to how this can work exactly, but I feel like I have seen so many teachers on power trips yelling at students to sit down and hush when really it may not be necessary at that moment....the teacher just wants control. Children would benefit more from making more decisions and having the opportunity to lead.
Lauren
P.S. Baby Suri is adorable:)

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Lauren Cagle


Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:33 pm
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I just wanted to say that I agree with what was said in a lot of the replies. I was thinking along the same lines as Emily when she said that not everyone can be a leader, there has to be followers. Some people are naturally leaders and others have to strengthen their skills in order to become a stronger leader. I personal have had to take the initiative and put myself into situations that I am normally not comfortable with so that I could learn to be a better leader. There are positives and negatives both ways with whether to be a follower or a leader, but I just think it depends on the circumstances. Our society would be chaos without conformity; some people leading and others following. I think it is a matter of finding the balance between the two.

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Krystal Tarnaski


Mon Jan 22, 2007 9:51 pm
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Mary raises an important issue here, and I've followed your responses with interest.

However, is needing to be part of a community the same as being a "follower"? Don't human beings need connection and relationships with other human beings?

I wonder if you are equating the need to have relationships and community with being a follower. I don't think they are the same thing.

Let me know if this distinction puts this issue in a different light, or not.

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Gayle Turner


Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:52 am
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good point gayle, I think that there is a difference between being a follower and being a part of a community. Getting involved and participating doesn't neccesarily equate you as a follower, even if you aren't the "leader of the pack".
I also agree with the fact that there can't be all leaders and no followers, I was a coordinator for a group called emerging leaders this past semester and found it hard to get things done sometimes because everyone in the group felt like they had to be a leader and it was very chaotic, loud, and unproductive.

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Susanne M Olson


Tue Jan 23, 2007 3:12 pm
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That is a good point, I agree that you just being a part of a community does not always mean you are exactly a follower. I am a RA and I do not consider my residents as always being "followers". Sometimes they help me in making decisions and helping to make our community cohesive. Also there are informal leaders that form on the floor once different groups of residents become friends. I think that it is true what Gayle was saying also that humans do need connection with others and that is part of how groups form and why people need to be a part of a community.

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Krystal Tarnaski


Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:12 pm
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I believe this world is full of both leaders and followers, not just followers. I consider the idea that we need both types of people to work together to be successful. Without people who define themselves and act as leaders our world would be different and full of chaos.

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Katie Stephens


Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:44 pm
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