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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Thursday, October 1, 2009
The essence of the Molyneux Con
As a refresher for new visitors. First of all please read the post: "Free Domain Radio - How it works"
The first and most important part of the con is gaining confidence. That is how the confidence game works. You have to get the MARK to have confidence in you. You do this by putting forth a resaonable proposition. You appeal to their better nature. Then, once the MARK has confidence, they grant the con artist access to their trust. Once that happens, it is largely over. Molyneux's con starts by contending that he always recommends counseling and open communications with parents and family members. This Seems reasonable, but like all cons, it is simply not the reality. The reality is that Moly knows that open communications are the end of the line for him. If that actually happens, families will very likely stay together. Of course families staying together means fewer donators for Moly. For an indepth discussion of and emprical proof that Moly has zero interest in open communication, visit
http://www.fdrliberated.com/?p=862
It is an outstanding piece that puts the lie Moly's congention that he promotes open communication. Moly only uses the bromide of open communication to set up the con.
Here is some more proof of Moly's true intentions. Let's start with the nature of the so called defoo. A Defoo is different from the occasional, young adult ‘get me out of here’ break up. Even those breaks are usually done after a lot of 'communicating.'
A defoo is a Molyneux invention that is based on one truism and one perversion. The truism: Adult relationships, including family relationships, are voluntary. The Perversion: Molyneux is on the record here: "Deep down I do not believe that there are any really good parents out there - the same way that I do not believe there were any really good doctors in the 10th century." . With this belief system, abandoning your family is a necessary step in achieving true freedom.
The key component of the defoo that Molyneux goes to great lengths to hide and obfuscate is this. A defoo is to be done without any notice (his site has recommended wording for the note, or discussion so you can lie to your parents about why you are leaving so they won't come looking for you). Once done, there is to be absolutely no opportunity for any further communication. You are to move if you can, change cell phone and email, and do all you can to avoid all communications. It is the exact opposite of what any real therapist would recommend. And at the risk of making the obvious point, persuading someone to separate from the family and friends is also the first criteria for identifying a cult.
Now Moly is good at this. Like a slippery politician, he knows he needs to maintain one public position while working another. His true nature really comes to the fore in the chat rooms and podcasts and on his call in shows. It is here where he cajoles, persuades and otherwise manipulates any and all discussions in the direction of a defoo. Or by inference the continuation of a defoo.
The first and most important part of the con is gaining confidence. That is how the confidence game works. You have to get the MARK to have confidence in you. You do this by putting forth a resaonable proposition. You appeal to their better nature. Then, once the MARK has confidence, they grant the con artist access to their trust. Once that happens, it is largely over. Molyneux's con starts by contending that he always recommends counseling and open communications with parents and family members. This Seems reasonable, but like all cons, it is simply not the reality. The reality is that Moly knows that open communications are the end of the line for him. If that actually happens, families will very likely stay together. Of course families staying together means fewer donators for Moly. For an indepth discussion of and emprical proof that Moly has zero interest in open communication, visit
http://www.fdrliberated.com/?p=862
It is an outstanding piece that puts the lie Moly's congention that he promotes open communication. Moly only uses the bromide of open communication to set up the con.
Here is some more proof of Moly's true intentions. Let's start with the nature of the so called defoo. A Defoo is different from the occasional, young adult ‘get me out of here’ break up. Even those breaks are usually done after a lot of 'communicating.'
A defoo is a Molyneux invention that is based on one truism and one perversion. The truism: Adult relationships, including family relationships, are voluntary. The Perversion: Molyneux is on the record here: "Deep down I do not believe that there are any really good parents out there - the same way that I do not believe there were any really good doctors in the 10th century." . With this belief system, abandoning your family is a necessary step in achieving true freedom.
The key component of the defoo that Molyneux goes to great lengths to hide and obfuscate is this. A defoo is to be done without any notice (his site has recommended wording for the note, or discussion so you can lie to your parents about why you are leaving so they won't come looking for you). Once done, there is to be absolutely no opportunity for any further communication. You are to move if you can, change cell phone and email, and do all you can to avoid all communications. It is the exact opposite of what any real therapist would recommend. And at the risk of making the obvious point, persuading someone to separate from the family and friends is also the first criteria for identifying a cult.
Now Moly is good at this. Like a slippery politician, he knows he needs to maintain one public position while working another. His true nature really comes to the fore in the chat rooms and podcasts and on his call in shows. It is here where he cajoles, persuades and otherwise manipulates any and all discussions in the direction of a defoo. Or by inference the continuation of a defoo.
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