 |
What ASH is NOT
By Hermotimus Boukephalos, Ramble and EverDawn. Additional proofreading by Mori qendi.
1) Is ASH a Euthanasia movement?
Although we do support Euthanasia movements in their struggle, ASH is not a genuine Euthanasia movement.
Euthanasia movements are closer to traditional society values. The pro-life view, which is held by most societies today, states that there are no circumstances which justify suicide. Euthanasia movements agree that in general suicide should not be allowed, however, they wish to make an exception for the terminally ill.
In contrast, ash wishes to make the right to suicide the general rule rather than the exception. Most ashers acknowledge that there are many situations where suicide is not legitimate, such as for young children, or for people who are truly mentally ill, however, we believe that these should be the exception to the rule. Note that these are precisely the cases where the individual does not have the mental capacities to exercise personal freedom in a rational manner.
2) Is ASH motivated by care for the environment?
There are organizations, such as the Church of Euthanasia(CoE) [6], who are pro-suicide. They believe the human race is ruining the planet. The solution they suggest is to reduce the human population using various means, including suicide.
The focus of ASH is humanistic, centered on human need and interest. Like most people, ashers care about the environment, but most ashers do not consider environmental values to influence one's decision to exit.
To deepen the distintion between ASH and CoE, consider the nature of the conflict that they are about. ASH is about the conflict between two values: individual freedom and the sanctity of life. CoE is also about a conflict between two values, but not the same ones. The values are: The quality of the ecology of our planet, and the sanctity of life. Because of the very different nature of these two conflicts, there is very little interaction between the two communities. In this respect, ASH is much closer to Euthanasia movements, since they are both about the same conflict, even though the advocated solution to the conflict is different.
To answer the question of whether ASH is or is not a cult, we first need to define more precisely: "What is ASH?" and "What are cults?" .
First we define what we mean when we refer to ASH. On the surface, we could just be referring to the unmoderated Usenet newsgroup of alt.suicide.holiday . However, a Usenet newsgroup cannot be a cult. A Usenet newsgroup is just the machinery implementing a world wide bulletin board. By ASH, we are referring to the ASH subculture, as it is defined in [4].
There are many definitions of the word "cult". Several of these are presented in the appendix. The definitions usually detail a list of criteria for the ideology, structure and behavior of a group which, when met, would qualify the group as a cult. The rest of this essay goes over these criteria and contrasts them with the situation for the ash subculture.
Cults tend to promote the idea that theirs is the "one true way" which is true for all people at all times[1][2]. The ideology is frequently of religious, spiritual, or supernatural orientation, which encompasses many aspects of the members' lives.
The scope of the "ideology" of ASH is very limited. We only believe that people should have a right to exit. This does not have any religious, spiritual, or supernatural motivation.
Cults make the people subordinate to the ideology[5], limiting the way they live and the choices they can make. ASH seeks to provide an additional choice.
In some cults the group can decide who has the right to exist and who does not[5]. In this respect, ASH is more tolerant than what society warrants. The current situation is that society has decided for us that we do not have the right to choose to exit. ASH claims that the decision should be left for people to decide for themselves.
Cults have an authoritarian leadership structure[2], with a self-appointed dogmatic founding leader[3].
ASH is a virtual anarchy, there is no organization and there are no leaders. However, there are people who have taken upon themselves to fill various roles, such as maintaining web sites, or moderating various online forums. Their presence is so low-key that most ashers do not know who these people are. The most power such roles allow is the possibility to ban someone from an online forum.
Also, like in any community, there are people who are more articulate, friendly, helpful, etc. So even though there is no formal hierarchy, these people are likely to be considered more influential and popular. However, this changes all the time since people come and go.
Cults use psychological coercion and mind control techniques to recruit, indoctrinate and retain its members[2][3].
ASH does not recruit. Whomever reaches us does so by encountering one of the forums related to ash, or by stumbling onto one of the ash-related web sites. ASH does not indoctrinate. The only event where we will enter an argument for our views is when outsiders start a debate on an ash-related forum. ASH makes no effort to retain its members. The ASH FAQ goes a good way toward suggesting that people who are uncertain that ASH is the right place for themselves consider checking out sites (such as alt.depression) that have a very contrary viewpoint. Furthermore, the reaction of ashers to the announcement by another asher that he or she is seeking psychological counseling for their suicidal ideation, is such that we wish the person luck and peace and say we'll remain open to them, should they need the group. We are happy if people feel better and never feel the need to return to ASH.
Many cults solicit funds and accumulate wealth. ASH has no organization, offers no services, and does not solicit funds.
Appendix A: Cult Definitions
According to the Ex-Cult Resource Center's "Behavioral Definition"[1], a cult is an organization that uses intensive indoctrination techniques to recruit and maintain members into a totalist ideology.
Intensive indoctrination techniques include:
- Subjection to stress and fatigue
- Social disruption, isolation and pressure
- Self criticism and humiliation
- Fear, anxiety and paranoia
- Control of information
- Escalating commitment
- Use of auto-hypnosis to induce 'peak' experiences
Totalism is defined by psychiatrist Robert Lifton as the tendency to view the world in terms of 'all or nothing' alignments[5]. Lifton details 8 'psychological themes' that can be found in totalist groups:
- A 'sacred science' -- an ideology that is held to be true for all people at all times. This ideology generally claims to be inspired and scientific at the same time.
- 'Milieu control,' the control of human communication, not only over our communications with others, but also with ourselves.
- 'Mystical manipulation' -- including deception and 'planned spontaneity' which seeks to limit self-expression and independent action.
- The demand for purity, the notion that absolute purity exists, and that anything done in the name of this purity is ultimately moral.
- 'The cult of confession' -- "There is the demand that one confess to crimes one has not committed, to sinfulness that artificially induced, in the name of a cure that arbitrarily imposed."
- 'Loading the language' -- redefinition of language, with an emphasis on moral polarization, and thought terminating cliches.
- 'Doctrine over person' -- the subordination of personal experiences to the doctrines of the sacred science.
- 'Dispensing of existence' -- the doctrine that the group can decide who has the right to exist, and who does not.
In other words, the cult manipulates the environment to 'set up' the recruit to trap him or herself in a black and white mindset.
Another set of definitions of what constitutes a "cult" [2] includes the following definition that encompasses non-religious cults: A cult is any group which has a pyramid type authoritarian leadership structure with all teaching and guidance coming from the person/persons at the top. The group will claim to be the only way to God, Nirvana, Paradise, Ultimate Reality, Full Potential, Way to Happiness, etc., and will use thought reform or mind control techniques to gain control and keep their members.
This definition covers cults within all major world religions, along with those cults which have no obvious religious base such as commercial, educational and psychological cults. Others may define these a little differently, but this is the simplest to work from.
Every cult can be defined as a group having all of the following 5 characteristics[3]:
- It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate and retain its members
- It forms an elitist totalitarian society
- Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable and has charisma
- It believes 'the end justifies the means' in order to solicit funds recruit people
- Its wealth does not benefit its members or society
[1] Ex-Cult.Org web site http://www.ex-cult.org/General/cult.definition
[2] Ex-Cult.Org web site http://www.ex-cult.org/General/identifying-a-cult
[3] The Cult Information Centre http://www.cultinformation.org.uk/faq.html#cult
[4] ASH FAQ part 1/4: Introduction intro.html
[5] Robert Jay Lifton, "Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism: A Study of Brainwashing in China", 1989.
[6] The Church of Euthanasia http://www.churchofeuthanasia.org/
