(no subject)
Erin: Flatmate. We purchased the best looking couch today.
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Jenny Craig is a fucking cult.
I decided this while sitting outside their meeting tonight (eating my two-piece quarter pack - there's a special place being made up in Hell for me as I type this) waiting for Erin to finish her regular "weigh in". I imagine this is a private version of the public process we see before a boxing match - tense and requiring you to remove clothes if you're too heavy because everyone is interested in the result.
So let's examine the elements of a cult:
Now, let's examine my experiences with Jenny Craig.
It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate and retain its members
It's better than a Hellfire and Brimstone speech because it doesn't sound like science fiction and is something we can all relate to: "You're ugly, you need to fix it or you won't find something that loves you and we can help".
It forms an elitist totalitarian society
When I was unlucky enough to walk into lounge-conversations between Erin and her Jenny Craig buddies, I often got the "you wouldn't understand" look. Together, they'd mull over the rules, the conversion rate and the diary (read: Bible).
Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable and has charisma
Two words: Kirsty Alley.
It believes 'the end justifies the means' in order to solicit funds and recruit people
Of course it does! Who cares if you're only allowed water and a leaf of lettuce for a few months? You'll look fabulous for: your wedding; the summer; your beach holiday; the opening of that new singles bar.
Its wealth does not benefit its members or society
That depends. By "benefit" they could mean that Jenny Craig reinvests its funds in developing over-priced food portions for resale at the local supermarket. No, I didn't think so.
This is all one giant industry and women are particularly susceptible. I started out feeling superior ("stupid bitches, why not just be happy with yourselves") and then I felt guilty after watching one (out of 15) of those "lose weight, fatty" shows on TV at the moment and went for a run. So, men are no better. While we may not have cellulite or early-20s weight gain we still have our worries. It's just no one has organised themselves well enough yet to make us feel bad about it.
Yet.
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Jenny Craig is a fucking cult.
I decided this while sitting outside their meeting tonight (eating my two-piece quarter pack - there's a special place being made up in Hell for me as I type this) waiting for Erin to finish her regular "weigh in". I imagine this is a private version of the public process we see before a boxing match - tense and requiring you to remove clothes if you're too heavy because everyone is interested in the result.
So let's examine the elements of a cult:
- 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
Now, let's examine my experiences with Jenny Craig.
It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate and retain its members
It's better than a Hellfire and Brimstone speech because it doesn't sound like science fiction and is something we can all relate to: "You're ugly, you need to fix it or you won't find something that loves you and we can help".
It forms an elitist totalitarian society
When I was unlucky enough to walk into lounge-conversations between Erin and her Jenny Craig buddies, I often got the "you wouldn't understand" look. Together, they'd mull over the rules, the conversion rate and the diary (read: Bible).
Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable and has charisma
Two words: Kirsty Alley.
It believes 'the end justifies the means' in order to solicit funds and recruit people
Of course it does! Who cares if you're only allowed water and a leaf of lettuce for a few months? You'll look fabulous for: your wedding; the summer; your beach holiday; the opening of that new singles bar.
Its wealth does not benefit its members or society
That depends. By "benefit" they could mean that Jenny Craig reinvests its funds in developing over-priced food portions for resale at the local supermarket. No, I didn't think so.
This is all one giant industry and women are particularly susceptible. I started out feeling superior ("stupid bitches, why not just be happy with yourselves") and then I felt guilty after watching one (out of 15) of those "lose weight, fatty" shows on TV at the moment and went for a run. So, men are no better. While we may not have cellulite or early-20s weight gain we still have our worries. It's just no one has organised themselves well enough yet to make us feel bad about it.
Yet.