Publicly, Freedomain Radio (FDR) is a site devoted to philosophy and libertarian thought. In reality, it is where Stefan Molyneux trades on the destruction of families. Now it is very easy to wonder how this could happen in a regular happy family. How can a guy who pod casts about freedom be able to lure college age kids away from their parents? If you have the belief, it is understandable. I had that belief. Other parents have had the belief. All are wondering how this could have happened to them. The amazing thing is how Molyneux actually makes money at this. Here is how he does it. He mainly wants the kids at his site. He starts by persuading young people to believe that that the normal anxieties and complaints of life can be attributed to their abusive parents. He does this on several levels. First via posts, chat rooms and obliging FDR members who engage the new visitors then stick with them over the course of time and encourage the abandonment. He does the most damaging work during public call in radio shows. These are unlicensed therapy sessions. Here he engages in an orgy of projection of his own issues and breathtaking manipulation. It is during these truly sad sessions when he picks out some routine complaint and in a manner that would make Barbra Walters proud, he gets the poor caller to a state of sadness and vulnerability. Everyone has some sort of issue that can be exploited. Even if he can't find an issue, he confabulates one. 'Your father dominated you and destroyed your self esteem, your mother ignored you and witheld affection, they were abusive to you by insisting you behave in public, you were never allowed to feel true happiness.' For someone like Molyneux (actually for most people), finding and exploiting an area of vulnerability is like shooting fish in a barrel. Eventually something sticks. eventually something creates the emotional reaction that puts the caller in a state of acceptance of Molyneux's main message. That message is always the same. Your parents were abusive and your best chance to find true freedom is to abruptly abandon your family. This is consistent with Molyneux's own sad childhood experience. Like all cult leaders, Molyneux is a complete narcissist. He likely believes that others need to mirror his experience to find their own freedom. He rarely comes right out and says it (though there are documented times when he has). Unbelievably, there are many (too many) who are at the right young adult age to be receptive to this sort of idea. "Why not. Let me be free. I'll do it!!"
When they do, this sudden event is traumatic for all concerned. The victim did not realize how much this loss would affect them. They have “voluntarily” abandoned the love and support of their family. There is a huge emotional vacuum.
Molyneux is poised to fill that void....for a fee. This is how he makes his money.
He gets locked in contributors who think they have no where else to go. They find themselves increasingly 'comfortable' in the FDR community. Other relationships are broken off. Now this is classic cult activity. But who cares what it is called. It is plainly horrible. Naturally Molyneux notes that adult relationships (including family relationships) are voluntary. He uses this axiom to wash his hands of any culpability. I contend that unsuspecting victims should be warned before they enter his dark web site or engage his programmed greeters in the chat rooms. Those that are members need a place to go to get some perspective before they are carried too deeply into the isolated FDR community. This is not the first site on this subject. It is just another place where his potential and current victims may be warned or find perspective.
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