Product Description

Dianetics is not some positive-thinking fad or
feel-better-quick scheme. It is the most powerful and effective book on the
human mind ever published. While other self-help titles come and go,
Dianetics has stood the test of time for over fifty-six years for one
reason: IT WORKS.

Pioneering in its concepts and techniques, L. Ron Hubbard’s Dianetics
explains how people’s lives are adversely affected by the single source of
all of their problems, stress, unhappiness and self-doubt—it is called the
"reactive mind."

And Dianetics gets rid of the reactive mind. It is the only thing that
does.

With Dianetics, one can regain self-confidence, eliminate psychosomatic
illnesses, abandon fears and obsessions, put an end to negative thoughts
and unwanted feelings, and be himself again.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #97016 in Books
• Published on: 1995-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 702 pages

About the Author
L. Ron Hubbard’s remarkable writing career spanned more than
half a century of intense literary achievement and creative influence.

Astonishingly prolific, he produced more than 550 published works of
fiction and nonfiction. These ranged broadly in literary genres from
action/adventure, western, mystery and suspense to science fiction and
fantasy, and in subject areas of enduring social, cultural and
philosophical significance from self-improvement and the spiritual, ethical
and moral nature of man to education, drug treatment and rehabilitation,
and business management, among others.

Though he was first and foremost a writer, his life experiences and travels
in all corners of the globe were wide and diverse. His insatiable curiosity
and personal belief that one should live life as a professional led to a
lifetime of extraordinary accomplishment. He was also an explorer and
ethnologist, mariner, pilot, filmmaker, photographer, philosopher,
educator, composer and musician.

Customer Reviews

Read real psychology instead
Dianetics argues that the sources of human suffering are stored in 'engrams' in the 'reactice mind' - complete recordings, down to the accurate detail, of every perceptual experience. It also describes the way to rid yourself of these 'engrams' as a process called 'clearing'. It sounds reasonable until you dig deeper into Dianetics and Scientology (the Church of Scientology).

I bought 'Dianetics' in 1998 from a street recruiter from the Church of Scientology (L. Ron Hubbard was the founder of the 'Church'). Luckily, I only wasted 6 pounds. 'Dianetics' is an entry point into the 'Church' of Scientology - a blend of pseudo-psychotherapy, religion and science fiction which has bankrupted hundreds of people and led to some suicides (see Time Magazine, 6th May 1991). You can find scientologist recruiters on city streets everywhere. A popular trick (used on me) is to ask - survey style - "if you could change three things in your life, what would they be". Scientologists call this 'finding your ruin', i.e. a weakness or problem they can hook into. Alternatively, they use a 'personality (or 'stress') questionnaire' - with no scientific basis and no demonstrated psychometric validity (i.e. never validated in a scientific peer-reviewed journal). The Scientologist wrote my three answers down and mentioned a book which could help - 'DIANETICS'. I was taken to a basement beneath a pub, which was full of the books, and others by the Author Ron Hubbard, the founder of the Church of Scientology. I am a psychologist - not stupid - but was then persuaded due to my interest in psychology. I bought the book for 6 pounds, and was asked to give my name and address, in order to send out a "receipt". What I received was over 10 unsolicited letters from Scientology members asking if I had resolved my three issues, and offering 'help' in their local centre.

Hubbard describes a process called 'clearing' (called 'auditing' when performed by another person, which it has to be). This is a form of 'psychotherapy' performed by people who are not trained in psychology or counselling, and are not members of any professional psychological or counselling organisation. It involves aspects of hypnotism, social pressure and conditioning, though the church states that it is not psychotherapy. Auditing costs a lot of money. After some years of auditing, at great expense, one might reach an 'advanced level' known as OT III. Here you are told that...the cause of your (and everyone's) problems was that the world is full of the souls of space aliens murdered 75 million years ago. The alien galactic ruler Xenu was in charge of Earth and 75 other planets in this part of the galaxy some 75 million years ago and cured overpopulation by paralysing the people of the other planets, flying them to Earth in DC-8 space planes, arranged them round a volcano to murder them with H bombs. These souls of murdered people were gathered up and boxed, taken to cinemas and shown films for several days. The end result was that the souls clustered together and now inhabit people in their thousands. Scientology will help 'clear' you of this, at great expense. Sounds ludicrous? Well it's true. Check it out for yourself.

'Dianetics' is full of unscientific nonsense with no supporting empirical evidence that has been published in peer-reviewed psychology journals. The American Psychological Association denounced it as such. The language is deliberately complex to baffle and impress the average reader. Most would consider it unreadable.

The author was actually a science fiction writer, who saw that he could make more money by inventing a new religion - Hubbard stated: "Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion". Scientology has been exposed by many independent Judges and Governments, and by the press (famously by Time magazine, 1991). Scientology or its practices has been banned on and off in many countries and states. However, in order to silence its critics the it issues legal procedings citing copyright infringement against journalists, newpapers and websites that reveal negative information about Scientology.

As for the author, Hubbard the (Australian) Report of the Board of Inquiry into Scientology (Victoria) stated that "expert psychiatric witnesses" were of the opinion that Hubbard's writings indicated "symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia of long standing with delusions of grandeur" and came to the conclusion that Hubbard's "sanity was to be gravely doubted." Hubbard claims to have visited Venus, the Van Allen Radiation belt, and heaven (twice). Hubbard wrote the fair game policy - that anyone critical of scientology is fair game for abuse including violence. You can find his sci-fi books on Amazon - and science fiction is exactly what Scientology is. Hubbard claimed to have a Ph.D. from "Sequoia University" - a residential dwelling in Los Angeles which operated through a post office box and delivered mail order doctorates without exams, or attendance... Hubbard had no qualifications in psychology, counselling, psychotherapy, theology, or philosophy.

Still interested in reading it?

the truth

this is a work of fiction masquerading as science.

do not be fooled.

Garbage
This book does not even deserve 1 star, as it is the smallest rating I can put I will just settle for it. This book contains no real knowledge, know real scientific facts, its like reading a sixties fantasy book which is trying to come across as little obvious as possible (basically just integrating a mild form of sci-fi into realism in order to promote it as almost being real). And this so called enlightenment is nonsense, I got more enlightenment from my nephew's "start to read" books. BUY OUT OF INTEREST, NO OUT OF ENLIGHTENMENT!