Hi HS: Excellent points about control through peer pressure. It is very real, and is clearly a tactic employed by the Society in its policies, practices, and subtly in their writings.
In advertising and marketing, a field that I am in with my current career, there are strategic words, phrases, and style used to induce people to make a decision to buy or sell. There are "ethical" standards that separate the art of sales from the those who are nothing more than con-artists. That is: Placing all viable options on the table for your client to consider, honest discussion of these, and proper and legal disclosure of all "known" material facts that would affect their buying or selling decision.
The number one sales technique is FEAR: Ethically, an appropriate level of fear can be used ... but it is easy to cross the line into con-artistry:
Example of Ethical use of FEAR: If a buyer is unsure about making an otherwise good purchase, hoping that interest rates will drop, and result in lower house payment, it is perfectly acceptable to show them that interest rates could as easily go up, and that today the rates are lower than historical averages for the last 30 years ... so postponement of buying now may mean that rates may not drop or go up or the property they want may be sold to someone else. They stand to lose (use of fear). However, offer to help them shop around for better lending packages, show them that other properties similar to what they like will likely be available, and disclose to them by providing independent ‘expert’ reports from the government or lending institution industry studies about the legitimate interest rate forecasts.
Fear of loss is proven to be 10 times greater than the desire for gain. If they buy now, and rates drop substantially, they can always refinance. This is ethical and reasonable use some level of fear and reasoning to help buyers to make a decision, or to discover that something else is really holding them back, and that the interest rate issue may have been a ploy to excuse themselves from a decision.
Example of unethical use of FEAR: The same buyer is unsure about their decision and want to wait for rates to go lower, perhaps shop around for a better loan package. Telling them that rates are as low as they can go; no need to shop around as you, or the lender you use, offer the best package; or telling them that rates will 'definitely' be going up and they must buy now ... and that this is the best deal in town, for they cannot do better, and will never be able to buy this well again. This forceful type of ‘black vs white' tactics, and essentially lying about rates by placing “definite language” as to what this means for them, and steering them to not shop around are clear ethical and possible criminal violations.
The “Difference” in the above examples?: One can spot the difference as I stated it fairly clearly. However, the “Con-Artist” is good at using enough ‘cautionary’ language that it is difficult to pin them down on ethics. Rather, one has to really carefully consider the ‘strength of what is implied’ in any statements made. A person can lie by telling the truth, by splitting fine hairs in such a way that they are not technically lying, but it is done in such a way as to mislead, misrepresent, withhold information needed to make an ”informed” decision.
It is this latter style that the Watch Tower Society uses in its articles, teachings, beliefs, policies, procedures, practices, and group pressure. For example, they carefully crafted their admissions about the 1975 failure of Armageddon to arrive, to blame the readers as ‘speculators’ on dates, and pushing a mere ‘suggestion’ beyond what the Society authorized. They allow certain rumors to go unchecked, such as the belief that all Anointed earth-wide participate in the work of the Governing Body as part of the collective FDS ... when in fact, no such things happens, nor has it ever happened. By allowing an unwritten myth to be perpetrated, they are lying by "omission and failure to disclose the facts" ... and thus misleading new converts as well as the experienced rank and file average JWs.
The Watch Tower Society, in my opinion, are very clever Con-Artists – among the Best in the world ... and they employ FEAR and PEER pressure to its sublime degree ... to perfection ... and understandably so, for they have over 100 years of experience in this style of dishonesty. Just reading and studying the JFR Trail vs the Society 'political spin' on it, where they know the average JW will never see or read or understand the Transcript, tells me how very talented they are as pure, genuine Con-Artists.
