Scientology makes use of tried-and-true methods to secure, maintain, and oblige the cooperative obedience of its subjects. Though Scientology is not a government, it is a very strong social institution which informs every aspect of its members' lives. In that sense, a totalitarian government might learn or replicate a few practices instituted by the Church of Scientology.
In an interview with Jenna Miscavige-Hill, the niece of Scientology top dude David Miscavige and author of Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape, Alex Erors encourages Jenna to describe the youth group known as the "Cadets". Jenna joined the Cadets at a very young age, where she was quickly put to work digging trenches, laying irrigation pipes, hauling rocks out of creeks to build rock walls, and other activities which might fall under the category of "landscaping". When asked about the purpose of the Cadets, Jenna replied:
I think it’s mainly for indoctrination purposes. We were taught that only criminals get things for free and we were doing our part to earn the beds we slept in and the food we got to eat. It was about teaching us to obey, teaching us discipline, teaching us not to question.
If a Cadet proved disobedient, a system of punishment existed to mark such character flaws:
People would write a “chit” on you. People would report on each other because if you didn’t, and the other person was caught, you would get the same penalty as them. You had a file with all of your reports on it and depending on how bad it was you could be assigned to only having rice and beans to eat, that sort of thing.
Your future reputation depends on the content of these "reports". In fact, you understand and interpret the events of your life in light of your mental state as validated or invalidated by the dictators of the system. Moral principles do not exist independently of the religious technological system (Ellul would have been floored). There is nothing above the techne.
When asked why celebrities are targeted for recruitment and seem drawn to Scientology, Jenna surmised:
They're targeted because people are interested in the lives of celebrities, so if people hear them talk about [Scientology] they’ll hopefully become members themselves. I think it’s also because in Scientology you don’t worship anybody, you learn in the end that you are your own God, you have endless capabilities and you can create anything. I think that definitely attracts egotistical people. I think it’s about power.
Spending a little time on the Operation Clambake Forum, I couldn't help noticing how much the sessions sounded like preparations for a Stalinist show trial. All the requisite components are in place, from imaginary crimes conjured out of loyalty to the "system" through stigmatization of those who insist on validity of individual moral insight or conscience.
Sec checks pressure the person to think up crimes, even imaginary ones, just to end the session. Auditing sessions encourage fantasy over reality, like how a "suppressive person" relative was evil. Sleep deprivation can create dreamlike states during working hours, making memory unreliable. (Source A)
Rather then address these concerns, anyone who has made such a report has been declared a suppressive person, including myself. The enforcement of disconnection tears families apart, and causes untold hardship for those affected. (Source B)
Hubbard could not legally compete with the institutions (AMA/APA) and so he decided to turn it into a religion in order to place it outside their jurisdiction. (Source C)
I hereby nominate L. Ron Hubbard to receive a Stalinist medal of honor for his contributions to the modern totalitarian mindset. More on the mental gulag known as Scientology:
"How to believe in Scientology" via Xenu
"Characteristics of Total Institutions", an essay by Erving Goffman
Ex-Scientology Kids, Jenna's blog about her experiences
Voices in Unison, a collection of stories by those who escaped
Leaving Scientology, the blog and book by Jefferson Hawkins
