AboutLaurie Hamilton Expertise I am able to answer questions regarding Scientology practices and procedures, belief system, donations, religious rites, management, administrative and staff matters.
Experience I am a second generation Scientologist whose parents began in Dianetics in 1950 and studied directly with L. Ron Hubbard. I have been personally active in the church for 40 years, have eleven years former staff experience in both technical and administrative areas, and extensive technical and administative training and counseling. I am "clear" and "OT." I come from an extended family of many religions, but my spouse and children are Scientologists, as are my siblings and their spouses, several cousins, nieces, nephews, an aunt, and an uncle. Between us we have had every good and bad experience one might go through in the church at every level.
Question The question you answered a few days ago on this was very enlightening! I started getting confused towards the end though...
"Compulsive seeking of such feedback is indicative of anxiety over one's own existence."
Why do people have anxieties over their existences?
"This can exceed anxiety, to the point of terror"
What makes it exceed to such high levels?
"wherein even momentary lack of validation invokes the specter of disappearance"
The specter of who? What is that?
"In a catch-22 inversion, such a person lives in fear of being actually *seen*"
What is actually being *seen*???
"which is more dangerous still"
Why is it more dangerous?
"so there's the tightrope act - the man behind the curtain in OZ who craves continual praise and trembling and illusions they create, while living in abject terror of being detected."
Wow, when you break it down like that, this exactly reminds me of my little cousin. She's always trying to show off and amaze people with what she can do and what she owns, yet when you give her the attention she seems to crave, she has difficulty facing you and often downright avoids you. She only like 3 or 4 years old... What can I do to help?
Answer "Why do people have anxieties over their existences?"
Because existing, continuing, persisting, surviving is what this universe is about. It impresses upon you that if it doesn't validate you, then you don't exist - and if they can't get feedback showing evidence of their continued existence, their very existence (in their eyes) is invalidated by the physical universe. It's not a conscious, reasoning, calculating thing - it's below the level of the person's awareness - yet it motivates them.
"What makes it exceed to such high levels?"
Well, what would be your reaction to being threatened with non-existence/extinction?
The specter of who? What is that?
Specter is "ghost" or, in this case, "something that haunts you" like the idea of disappearing - ceasing to exist.
What is actually being *seen*???
Since bold type or italics are impossible in the answer box of AllExperts, and I don't usually like to use ALL CAPS, I indicate emphasis by bracketing words in asterisks, like *this.* A person who is under mortal threat from every direction is only safe if they, their real selves, remain undetected. If you actually *see* them, there is the danger you will GET them. Because in their minds, you and everyone else is always and only out to get them.
"Why is it more dangerous?"
Because, since everyone is out to get them, nothing is more dangerous than being detected.
