Behind the ＂brainwashing＂ class： digging the pain point is to face the pain directly, and whether it is involved in pyramid schemes for free is controversial.
LEGACY official website screenshot.
On August 23rd, Zhang Hui (a pseudonym), a "LEGACY" student, told the Beijing News Shell Finance reporter that his courses in Shenzhen had stopped. It is reported that the market supervision department is investigating the company. On the evening of 23rd, the reporter visited the "LEGACY" Beijing Chengquan Cultural Office again, and found that there was no class in the company.
Wei Meng, managing director of DCM investment institution, fainted in the "LEGACY" course and died after being sent to hospital for rescue. He was only 32 years old. This news has plunged LEGACY Beijing Chengquan culture into the whirlpool of public opinion, and the training methods of LEGACY courses have been exposed. Experiencers have constantly reported on the Internet that the courses "PUA", "mental brainwashing" and "development offline" have aroused social concern.
Zhang Hui told the Shell Finance reporter of the Beijing News that the abusive link is called "response exercise", and there will be classmates who ask you questions that are more painful or direct negative comments. In their view, only by facing these pains can they grow up. Xiaoya (a pseudonym), another student, said that someone once cried and screamed in a certain part of the class.
In addition, there are similar "life-and-death" tests that challenge human nature, and free recruitment is a task that must be completed for advanced students. The introduction of this course in official website is to let students experience the joy of not seeking fame and fortune. According to the trainees, this stage has to bear the doubts of people around it, and it is the stage with the largest number of people "getting off the bus" (leaving the classroom).
In this process, many people "get off the bus" because of too much pressure, and some people make it to the fourth stage, thinking that they have been greatly improved, and strong psychological endurance has become an essential quality of learning courses.
Is LEGACY Training Class a disguised pyramid scheme? Do abusive courses really exist? Is it true that similar pyramid schemes pull people to class?
Wenhua, a national second-level psychological counselor and psychological teacher of Beijing Film Academy, said that the company involved had committed a professional "taboo", and related courses often used means to expose participants to trauma without any protection, which would cause deeper secondary trauma to visitors. In addition, Wenhua said that formal courses will not force participants to contribute.
Regarding the controversial link of soliciting people, Lan Tianbin, a partner of Jiangsu Fade Dongheng Law Firm, believes that although there is the act of soliciting people’s heads, from the current information, there is no reward or rebate for the time being, which is different from pyramid schemes. Therefore, whether the relevant personnel are suspected of organizing and leading pyramid schemes is controversial.
As of press time, "LEGACY" Beijing Chengquan Culture did not respond to the suspension of courses.
Nobody during the day, noisy at night.
The "mystery" class has been suspended.
"Our classes in the classroom have stopped." On August 23rd, Zhang Hui, a student of LEGACY in Shenzhen, told the Beijing News Shell Finance reporter about the reason for the suspension. He said, "There is no official notice of suspension, but everyone knows that it must be related to that matter." "Some friends went back to lead the group, and they all made an appointment for me to be a supporter. Now they have suspended classes directly without telling us the reason."
On August 17th, the reporter visited LEGACY Beijing Company. Located at the top floor of the easternmost unit of Guanghua Road SOHO Phase I, you can see the LEGACY logo spliced in six colors when you get out of the elevator. The company has a total of three large rooms, two of which are like training rooms with a large area of open space, and the other is like an office area. Four rooms are concentrated in the corner of the building and separated from other offices on the same floor by an open-air corridor.
LEGACY Beijing Chengquan Culture Company. Beijing News Shell Finance reporter Song Meizhen photo
About this company, employees of other companies on the same floor and downstairs don’t know much about it. "We moved here last year, and we didn’t see anyone during the day." The office staff of the company downstairs said that the delivery clerk in charge of the delivery in this area also said that he had no impression of sending delivery to the company.
It is understood that LEGACY courses are basically in the evening. "About 20 people, very noisy, but not quarreling, as if arguing about something." A property worker in charge of patrolling told reporters that he could see classes at night.
LEGACY Beijing Chengquan Culture Company. Beijing News Shell Finance reporter Song Meizhen photo
On the evening of August 23rd, the reporter came to LEGACY’s Beijing office address again and found that the evening course had stopped.
According to official website’s information, "Legacy is a consulting company dedicated to personal growth and corporate sustainability, mainly serving the Chinese community, with offices in Hongkong, Beijing and Shenzhen."
The company’s service crowd is also very clear. Xiaoya, who was trained in the company a few years ago, believes that people who go to this course are more or less in a state of anxiety. "Everyone is anxious to find a change to go to class. I was also not very smooth in my career and life, so I tried it."
"If you are seeking more efficient development for career, family, health, finance, interpersonal relationship, life goals and other fields, or want to experience and create a richer life, LEGACY will support you to realize your dreams, create Excellence, and reach the peak of your life and career." It is written in the introduction of LEGACY.
"Self-improvement" is a point mentioned by both Zhang Hui and Xiaoya. "People who want to lie flat will not attend any training." Xiaoya said.
LEGACY has four main courses-self-awareness, leap, mileage and wisdom spring. The four-stage courses are advanced, and the following courses can only be continued after finishing the first stage. The duration of the semester is gradually increased accordingly. The first two stages are five days, the third stage is three months, and the fourth stage is half a year. The corresponding tuition fees are 9800 yuan, 16000 yuan, 16000 yuan and 35000 yuan respectively.
This expensive tuition directly determines that the users of this course are mainly aimed at high-end and elite people.
Shell Finance, the Beijing News, found through the schedule published by official website that the so-called term length is only the span length, but actually there is not much time to study in the workshop. Take the third-stage "Mileage" course as an example. The semester spans three months, but the study time is only three weekends. The last stage of "Zhiquan", which lasts for six months, has only four weekends of training.
Is there an abusive link in the course?
Some people are crying and screaming, and some people can’t accept "getting off the bus"
What makes Wei Meng faint is the second-order leap force course. official website introduced this course as "focusing on breaking through oneself".
After the incident, some people who claimed to be students broke the news online, saying that there was a link at this stage to let others "insult" you and poke pain points.
Zhang Hui, who is attending the fourth class, doesn’t think so. "We all regard the students in the same period as very important people. How can there be abuse?" He introduced this link as "response exercise", which is used to help adults realize themselves. "For example, you may be asked why you didn’t take good care of your son. I feel that you are irresponsible and just some neutral words."
In Xiaoya’s view, this link is more about letting everyone speak their thoughts frankly. "If you fully understand yourself, some comments from others are actually not particularly important to you. However, at that time, some people may have been particularly excessive, and it is hard to say. "
Zhang Hui mentioned that many people can’t accept "getting off the bus" in this link, and "getting off the bus" is the saying that they leave the class in the training class. "My brother just couldn’t stand the pressure in this link. At that time, he was told that he wanted to go up and hit people directly, and then he ran out. This still depends on how much you can bear." Zhang Hui said.
And he himself was criticized by IT men in the same class for being immature and vain, which made Zhang Hui hard to accept and once wanted to escape. "Now I can accept these comments." He believes that this is the growth brought by the training course, which enables him to better understand and accept himself.
In addition, there are some courses called "discovering human nature" that challenge people’s emotions. People often cry and scream in class.
Xiaoya described to the reporter one of the links that made many people burst into tears. The tutor will guide the students to imagine some pictures and let them release their inner injuries and secrets. In the process, many people will shout out their secrets that they usually can’t say, such as homosexuality, such as aggression when they were young, to face these negative emotions.
What impressed Xiaoya was a game that tested human nature. In the game, you can only win if you kill others, but if you choose to win yourself in each round, you will definitely lose in the end.
"Not everyone can accept this kind of training, and some people may feel stupid and incredible." Xiaoya said that there is usually a reading rule session before the formal class, and only those who can accept this training method and rules can continue the class. "In the course of class, the tutor will always emphasize that we are not a psychological counseling studio, and I am not treating mental illness. If there are some people with psychological problems in it, they are really serious and are likely to become more serious."
In addition to the regular contents such as not being late, not smoking and drinking, there are also contents such as not revealing privacy, not making transactions and not making major decisions. This is because many people will become excited and excited after class. Xiaoya also said that her mental state has changed after class, but some people will be addicted to this feeling and indulge in it.
"Pulling people" raises questions about pyramid schemes
Students consider themselves as "not contributing to fame and fortune"
Compared with the second stage, more people choose to "get off" in the third stage of "mileage" class. Zhang Hui told reporters that one of the tasks in the third stage is to pull people.
It is this behavior that makes the outside world question that the training course is a disguised pyramid scheme, and only those who pass this test can enter the fourth stage of training.
The difference is that there is no head fee for pulling people in this course. Zhang Hui introduced that the "Mileage" course will initially allow students to set a goal for themselves, including attracting people, career, family, etc. Only after completing the set goal can they enter the next stage of "Zhiquan" study.
Official website’s description of the task of this course is, "In the’ Mileage’, you have to set a clear vision for a meaningful and creative life. According to this vision, you will set some challenging goals for your most important areas of life. "
There is no strict limit on the amount of target tasks in the course. Zhang Hui said that if the target is set low, people will ask why they don’t do it. "Just like in school, people who do the most homework must have good grades."
Zhang Hui set himself a goal of three people. He said that it was not easy to achieve this goal, and he had to bear the doubts of others. "I once pulled a friend, and he searched online and called me a liar. At that time, I also suspected that I was cheating." Finally, he pulled his girlfriend, brother and a friend into the classroom.
Zhang Hui doesn’t like to describe this link with "pulling people" and "developing off the assembly line". In his view, all these people went voluntarily after seeing his change, not forcing others. Just as he himself was influenced by a friend to attend the LEGACY class, "A special person influenced me. He was calm and composed, and he had something I wanted." Zhang Hui said.
When the reporter asked what Zhang Hui could learn from the course of "Pulling People"? Zhang Hui concluded that "achievements plus contributions may be ridiculous for people who have never attended a first or second class." He thinks he will take the initiative to make some contributions and influence others, which is a kind of growth for him. As for the organization, "I can only say that it is very profitable, but it is also mutually beneficial." He said.
As described in the course details, "Mileage is based on a principle: only when we are willing to fully contribute ourselves to the people around us can the meaning of life be the greatest and most complete. In the’ mileage’, you will experience what is the energy inspired by 100% commitment to something bigger than yourself. Mileage is also an opportunity to experience sincere service, a kind of contribution that is not for fame and fortune, but only for the joy of paying. "
In the course training, there are often students who can’t resist the pressure and choose to "get off". At this time, students will privately persuade, "If you get off at this time, do you want to get off in your life?" The persuasion among these students is spontaneous, that is, the "contribution" advocated by the course is not for fame and fortune, but for paying.
In fact, the supervision, "redemption" and criticism among the students will continue throughout the course, and the participation of tutors is no longer needed, whether it is recruiting new students or retaining people. Zhang Hui said that some old students will return to the classroom to be "supporters" or "group leaders". The group leaders mainly help new students adapt quickly and participate in the course.
"It’s equivalent to asking," he later said. "This metaphor is too much, but you can understand it."
Zhang Hui volunteered to be a supporter. He believes that this contribution can make him grow up. "Because most people have never attended this class, they are definitely forced and relatively closed, so they need the energy field of graduates to infect and give a show to those who have not signed up."
"We are not an atmosphere group," Zhang Hui said. "People who haven’t attended classes are at the scene, but they are wide-eyed and small-eyed. Generally, people who come out of this class are more cheerful and powerful."
Now Zhang Hui has successfully completed the course of "Mileage". While studying the content of "Zhiquan" in the fourth stage, he didn’t disclose much about this part. "This part is too deep, so I won’t introduce it." He said.
In Zhang Hui’s description, the small space formed by this course is like a Garden of Eden. From the beginning of digging out one’s dark side to the pursuit of truth, goodness, beauty and selfless dedication, it is easy for students to miss this beautiful "miniature world". But when facing the real world again, there will inevitably be a gap. "There is no way, I can only do it well within my control." Zhang Hui said.
Psychologists say "lying down"
"The workshop involved made a professional taboo"
"Maybe the participants’ mentality is positive, they want to get better and want to learn." Shi Xiuxiong, a psychological consultant, told the Beijing News reporter of Shell Finance that the popular science of psychology in China is still insufficient. After entering the social media era, the problem of spam and information cocoon is serious, causing many people to find reliable resources.
"We regular psychologists also feel that it is enough to lie down." Shi Xiuxiong said, "The kind of workshop that students attend has nothing to do with psychological counseling and mental health. Under the guise of psychology, it is actually a process of psychological manipulation and brainwashing by using some specific technologies." He pointed out that a rigorous psychological background course will be cautious about its own conclusions and effectiveness.
"The operation is very unprofessional, including its exposure therapy, constant emphasis on challenges, and desensitization therapy." Wenhua, a national second-level psychological counselor and psychological teacher of Beijing Film Academy, paid attention to the information about the courses related to the workshop. She said, "Strictly speaking, this is not a group class of psychology, but it uses many psychological skills, and it is too hard, and the progress is too fast and too hard. I didn’t see its protection for participants, which is a taboo in psychological work. "
Wen Hua observed that the common means used in related courses are to expose the participants’ trauma without any protection, and constantly dig their pain points, which will cause deeper secondary trauma to the visitors.
"In fact, its overall design is the same as the general psychology course, and the description on the webpage is also very positive, but it is found that there are great problems in operation." Taking the course of "Leaping Force" organized by LEGACY Beijing as an example, official website introduced that "Leaping Force Workshop" is based on the principles of responsibility, commitment, sincerity, adventure and contribution.
According to Wenhua’s analysis, the first three principles are consistent with the formal psychology curriculum, but "adventure" and "contribution" are contrary to the formal psychology in principle. "All our curriculum settings should protect the participants, control them within the range that they can bear, and make an evaluation before starting, and adventure will not be used." In addition, Wenhua said that formal courses will not force participants to contribute.
"We don’t usually use these words, such as" the road to success "and" the release of life enthusiasm ",but for some people with psychological needs, such as those with depressed emotions, inner confusion or psychological trauma, they will be eager to enter such courses." Wenhua analyzed.
At the same time, Wenhua expressed her concern about the industry. At present, the awareness of psychological counseling and group workshops in China is not high, and the exposure of related events may lead to social misunderstanding of the formal psychological counseling industry. "There are also screening methods," she pointed out. Before the formal psychological group class begins, it will be screened through interviews to judge whether it can enter the course. The group assistance will be carried out in stages, and the theoretical basis, theme and link setting will be informed in advance; Will not be carried out in a fully enclosed form.
Lawyers say it is difficult to prove infringement and obtain evidence.
The organizer may bear part of the fault liability.
The cause of death of the students is still unclear. What responsibilities may the workshop in the whirlpool of public opinion bear?
At present, the "LEGACY Leap Force Workshop" has been criticized by public opinion for its way of getting customers and course content, and some people think that relevant personnel are suspected of organizing and leading pyramid schemes. Lan Tianbin, a partner of Jiangsu Fade Dongheng Law Firm, believes that although the workshop has the behavior of pulling people’s heads, from the current information, there is no reward or rebate for the time being, which is different from MLM activities. MLM activities are hierarchical in a certain order, directly or indirectly based on the number of developers as the basis for reward or rebate, inducing and coercing participants to continue to develop others to participate, defrauding property and disrupting economic and social order. Therefore, whether the relevant personnel are suspected of organizing and leading pyramid schemes is controversial.
"Judging from the current information, whether the relevant personnel of the course organizer have the direct or indirect intention to hurt others or whether they have the behavior of hurting others is also controversial, and it is difficult to obtain evidence. We cannot simply think that the relevant personnel are suspected of intentional injury." Blue sky bin believes.
Zhu Jieping, the founding partner and director of Taikun Law, believes that if there is evidence that students’ accidents are caused by related courses, the organizer should bear the corresponding liability for compensation.
However, he said that in order to determine that the organizer should bear the corresponding tort liability, it needs to have the following four elements: first, the actor has committed an illegal act; Second, there are consequences of damage; Third, there is a causal relationship between illegal acts and damage consequences; Fourth, the actor subjectively has intentional or negligent faults. "Generally speaking, it is difficult to legally prove that there is an inevitable causal relationship between the course behavior in this incident and death, so it is less likely that the course institution will bear the responsibility." Zhu Jieping said.
According to the Civil Code, if the actor infringes on the civil rights and interests of others through fault and causes damage, he shall bear the tort liability. If the infringed dies, his close relatives have the right to request the infringer to bear the tort liability.
According to Lan Tianbin’s analysis, in this incident, the course organizer may have a similar "confrontation" or psychological attack, which will cause students to have negative or even collapse emotions and psychological trauma in the closed loop.
"As a person who has organized many courses, the course organizer, who has rich training experience, may know that scolding or psychological attack will cause adverse reactions and still promote it, which has certain faults. Of course, from the perspective of judicial practice, the death of the parties is caused by many factors. The relevant organizers or personnel generally do not bear all the fault responsibilities, but bear part of the fault responsibilities, thus making compensation. " Blue sky bin said.
Beijing News Shell Finance Reporter Song Meilu Xi Lili Intern Lu Yaten Li Peiwen Editor Xu Chaoproofread Li Shihui
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