The authors later wrote a follow-up book, Brainwash, in 1983.[6] Gene Church also gave a related lecture series at universities, entitled: "An encounter group horror story."[7]
Summary
Events depicted in the book took place over four-days at the Hyatt House motel in Palo Alto, California, and included management executives from Holiday Magic.[5] The book revealed details of the events that went on during the coursework at Mind Dynamics and Leadership Dynamics. The book stated that Holiday Magic] participants in the Leadership Dynamics sessions were required to register in the coursework, at a cost of US$1,000, "..in order to get ahead in the company."[5] Golembiewski stated that the book described "illustrative chapter and verse" of the coursework, including such training aids as a cross, a coffin, oxygen bottles, and piano wire.[8] Participants that instructors deemed as "dead" to their lives, were told to stay in the coffin until they realized "..how much it means to be alive."[5] Leadership Dynamics instructors felt that by putting individuals in a cage, they would "..appreciate the value of the freedom that they already possess."[5] The cross was used to demonstrate what it felt like to be persecuted at work. There was also a "silver chalice", which was supposed to "..make each man face the truth honestly and so to understand himself and others better.."[5][9]
Cited by other works
The Pit: A Group Encounter Defiled has been cited in academic journal articles which analyze encounter groups and large group awareness training, including the Journal of Humanistic Psychology,[10] and more recently in Human Resource Development Review, in 2005.[11] The book has also been cited as a reference in other works which discuss these subjects, including Organization Development,[8]Approaches to Planned Change,[12]The Regulation of Psychotherapists,[13]Handbook of Organizational Consultation,[14]Managing Diversity in Organizations,[15] and Self Realization.[16]
References
^Conrad D. Carnes (author of book) (July 6, 1983). Circle of Power, The Naked Weekend, Mystique, Brainwash (VHS). Gary L. Mehlman (producer).
^"Paperback Images of Encounter". Journal of Humanistic Psychology. 15 (3). Sage Publications: 31–37. 1975. doi:10.1177/002216787501500304.
^Clardy, Alan (2005). "Reputation, Goodwill, and Loss: Entering the Employee Training Audit Equation". Human Resource Development Review. 4 (3): 279–304. doi:10.1177/1534484305278243.
^Golembliewski, Robert T. (1993). Approaches to Planned Change: Orienting Perspectives and Micro-Level Interventions. Transaction Publishers. ISBN1-56000-646-3.
^Hogan, Daniel B. (1979). The Regulation of Psychotherapists. Ballinger Pub. Co. ISBN0-88410-501-6.
^Golembiewski, Robert T. (2000). Handbook of Organizational Consultation. CRC Press. p. 486. ISBN0-8247-0321-9.
^Navarro, Espy M.; Robert Navarro (2002). Self Realization: The Est and Forum Phenomena in American Society. Xlibris Corporation. p. 357. ISBN1-4010-4220-1.[self-published source?]
External links
Circle of Power, IMDb, film based on the book (also known as "Naked Weekend", and "Brainwash")