Have you heard about Dianetics?

Question

what do you think about Dianetics?
Can it be classified under a personal development book?
or it is based under a theory or religious aspect something similar ?

Thank you for your feedback

Answer 1

Yes I've heard of it. It is the basis of the cult of Scientology. L. Ron Hubbard (the science fiction writer and prophet of Scientology) called Dianetics "The Modern Science of Mental Health".

Part of Dianetics is something called "auditing". This consists of holding 2 tin cans which are connected to a machine capable of detecting changes in the electrical resistance of skin. The person being audited is told to recount negative incidents from this "and past" lives in order to "clear" themselves of the "engrams" associated with these incidents.

In Dianetics and Scientology, an engram is defined as an unconscious, painful memory. It is stored in the stimulus-response unconsciousness (the "reactive mind") rather than as a normal memory.

It could conceivably be classified as a "personal development" book as it claims to be able to assist adherents in becoming "able to function at his or her full potential". Of course, Dianetics mainly exploits the suggestibility of participants, putting them almost into an hypnotic trance, while employing semi-legitimate forms of psychotherapy. It is NOT a science as it claims and has repeatedly been dismissed as pseudoscience or quackery by scientists, medical doctors and science historians.

Answer 2

Dianetics was written by L. Ron Hubbard who founded the Church of Scientology (CoS). The book first published around 1950 and gained renewed life in the late 60's and early 70's owing to a large publicity campaign, and large purchases by
CoS members, who drove the book to the top of the best seller charts.

Dianetics forms some of the foundation of the CoS.

The book is more a philosophical/spiritual self improvement type of book. Some people claim it has improved their lives.

I read the book in the early 70's and it looked like BS to me.

The CoS believes in some pretty weird stuff. The basic concept of the religion is that we are all inhabited by "body thetans", essentially the souls of intergalactic beings who were transported to Earth in a frozen state and stacked around volcanos, then blown up with hydrogen bombs.

These "thetans" are the causes of most if not all human ills, and they can be removed by the process of auditing which is performed by trained Scientologists.

Before investing in the book, I suggest you read about L. Ron Hubbard and the CoS at the below link.

Answer 3

Dianetics was the forerunner of Scientology. It's founder L. Ron Hubbard was a disciple of Aleister Crowley. Hubbard claimed he wrote Dianetics by automatic handwriting. During lectures, Hubbard would sometimes mention Crowley's writings. The cross of Scientology bears some resemplance to the cross of the Golden Dawn, an occult order Crowley once belonged to. According to one of Hubbard's sons, Hubbard practiced black magic up until at least the 1960's. Many critics of Scientology charge it is little more than Crowley's occult teachings science fictionalized (Is science fictionalized a word? It is now!)

Scientology uses a process called "auditing" which is really just a mild form of hypnosis. In this state, people are extremely vulnerable to suggestion and fantasy. This is why many of them remember being clams, space aliens, or wahtever.
There is really no "science" in Scientology...unless you believe all humans are the result of billions of years of reincarnation after an evil space alien named Xenu wiped out the Thetans billions of years ago (yes, this is actually one of their higher doctrines).

You can download 3 free Ebooks, The Scandal of Scientology, The Bare faced Messiah, and A Piece of Blue Sky from the link below.

http://usminc.org/scientology.html

Answer 4

Dianetics masquerades as a personal development self-help book, but it's actually designed to lure people into Scientology, which is a legitmate religion or a cult, depending on who you talk to.

Answer 5

Dianets was perhaps best described as "Diuretics" in the movie "Repo Man." It's rubbish.

Answer 6

L. Ron Scamburd was once quoted as saying that if you want to make money start your own religion. I think this book should be classified under... How to scam millions as an author.

Answer 7

Isn't this the Scientology shpiel?

Answer 8

I think it should fall under scams and con-games.

Answer 9

he he.. that's funny.


it's garbage.