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In Reply to: Re: rogues gallery posted by Jewlz on November 25, 2004 at 18:26:36:
Jewlz, when did these events you describe occur? I'm interested for a couple reasons. I'm still trying to recall and piece together my own timeline of experiences in TF. I was in the Far East, including Japan, for many years so having approximate dates for the events you describe will help me with that effort. Also, do you or anyone reading this know if TF continued to publish a Rogues Gallery in the 90s. I left in '91 and I have a vague, uncertain recollection that I appeared on such a list sometime within that first year after I left. It just occurred to me now, as I type this, that my memory might actually be of the first time I left TF in '76. Either way, if I did make it onto such a list I would consider it an honour.
I'm also interested in learning about events that occurred while I was in TF, but was completely unaware of. There were always whispers and rumours about certain people and events, especially if people suddenly disappeared and leadership offered little or no explanation. One example, of many, occurred when I was living in a home in Tokyo in the 80s. Rumours raced amongst the homes that a teen, the only son of a single mother from a Scandanavian country had committed suicide. Both her and her son were suddenly gone, but I don't remember leadership ever giving an explanation to the members.
I'm interested in this not only for the information but to better understand the processes and techniques of control used by TF. For example, questions that come to mind regarding the above incident include: Why would leadership allow a rumour concerning a suicide to circulate, rather than simply discussing the incident openly and honestly? Was leadership afraid of the reaction the membership would have if they learned the details? It's pretty obvious to me why TF controlled outside information, but I don't have the same clarity around the control of internal information. I think I understand, at a basic level, why they would want to hide news of defectors and suicides. Such people obviously became dissatisfied with life in TF and made their escape, and leadership tried to keep the details of their dissatisfaction from the membership to avoid further defections. But is there anything more to it than that? Has anyone put more thought into this than I have and have any further insights into this issue?
