Leaderboard

He didn't "fall" into it, but I don't think he planned anything much. He put the class together over a decade or so? Taught it to Adults. Got discouraged because the adults (Midwesterners!) wouldn't get onboard. Taped it because Dave Anderson pushed him to (Vpw a visionary?? Nope. He couldn't even see the value of multiple classes running with with multiple income streams being generated at the same time). He took it to the younger folks somehow, found out about the hippies East and West- tapped into them with the class, and then it spread like wildfire. From what I have read, it was Del Duncan that told VPW to take over the West. At a big meeting out West Duncan got ol' vpw to get onstage and told him, esesentially, to sieze it. Tell them things are changing. So, vpw gets up there, said they were combining West with East. Then it became Way West and Way East, I think. (need Ralph). Yes, and he donned the garb and played the role of an unorthodox Preacher. I think that was about all he could figure out. After that everything moved fast fast fast. I don't think anyone back then could keep up with the growth- it overtook them at HQ. He got a Motorcoach. Then, a plane. Like any good salesman vpw (1) believed 100% in his product, and (2) was enthusiastic about it, and that assuredly helped it sell. I saw bootleg copies of piffle a few years back. I watched a couple of random sessions and the opening session 1 for about ten minutes each. I have to tell you, the guy was good, really good, and it was easy to see how young, lost folk could get sold and sell out to all of it back in the early 70's. Just look at me! 10th corpse! Well, I just don't see that he ever intended to con folks because he was not smart enough like that- he used fear and bullying and intimidation. Probably one of the worst tactics in the corpse was yelling at us, dressing us all down until we felt shame and being less than. Then, he (Craig et al, too) let us stew in that for a a day, then get us all together later on and love us up real nice....ooooh- all warm and glowing now. I think I read where that's a common play of an abuser, and a lot of folks had been abused (physically or verbally or emotionally) before getting in the Way and so that felt normal. Just can't see that he had that kind of foresight. Thx.

I don't think that he was smart enough to be a con man. I think he fell into taping piffle (Dave Anderson), young ones came in (us), money came in, and they expanded. I find no brains there at all with him. He had the farm as a starting point and had family to help out. He was a flawed man, and those flaws permeated and influenced everything and everyone around him. His drinking was apparent during teachings as he slurred his speech, his anger was unmatched as he could melt a face, his lusts were not controlled by him, and his Germanic background lended itself to authoritarianism. Lots of fear used as motivation....there's that nasty Sand again. I don't believe there was anything like a long-term business plan. Why? Because I don't think he nor howard or ermal or harry knew how to do long term planning. Preparing for the influx of people and the astounding growth would have been a touch hard to see, yes? They were flying by the seat of their pants for sure. Very few top leaders had any true leadership ability. Why were they in senior positions then? Those like the moynihans, reahards, andersons, the allens, finnegan, and on and on. They were in those positions because they were there first and not because of skill necessarily. Yes, we were led by folks who themselves needed to be led. And vp had them under his thumb and indoctrinated with piffle. And they kept flying by the seat of their pants as we got onboard.

It's a dilemma for those who have yet to come to this conclusion.