Post: #1

Does anyone here have any experience with the Mankind Project? I do. If anyone is interested, I'll share some of my experiences so far. I'd also like to hear from anyone who has taken any of their programs.

Post: #2

What is it?

Post: #3

It's an outgrowth of the men's movement of the 1990's. They cite Robert Bly's book Iron John as an influence.

It's hard to figure what they believe because they really don't seem to stand for anything. They claim they want to help men, but it's hard to figure what they believe or advocate.

After about a year, it seems like it's just a pyramid scheme. They just want you take more and more programs and pay for them. I honestly don't know if it helps men create better lives or not.

It's the only organization I've ever encountered which charges people for doing volunteer work. Even the volunteers who help run their programs pay. I'm not kidding.

Post: #4

It's also extremely blue pill. I recently posted this article in one of the Facebook groups:

http://blog.sfgate.com/relationships/201...d-in-mind/

Facebook group is here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/425152287551049/

Later, I got this message from one of the group moderators:

"Hi chris. I deleted your post from the group because it didn't promote Mkp values of integrity, authenticity, compassion & purpose. My judgement is your posting of it came from the pain you've experienced from women. Igroup is a great place to deal with that, not on a public group that includes women & men from various other organizations. I'm happy to discuss it more with you if you'd like."

Post: #5

I did one of their events many years ago. I remember it was in a camp high up in the San Bernardino Mountains. It was cold and there was snow on the ground. They would make you take cold showers every morning and at one point we were running around naked in the snow. There was no heat in the main meeting hall. They had a sweat lodge at the end which was nice. They also had some Native American Indian stuff like a drumming event with everyone playing drums, naked, of course. This was during the era of the mythopoetic men's movement. I don't know if younger men are interested in this anymore and it may be passee for today's man and too touchy feely for this group. They are pro men, but I personally don't think these psychological, 60s encounter group, bare your soul techniques really works that well for men.

Post: #6

Thanks for the response, Sherman.

How political was it then and there? Here, it's quite political. Of course, the politics just gets in the way of the work that actually needs to be done. Lots of them were involved with the Gay Pride stuff recently, for example.

I would like to do a sweat lodge again. It was actually a little too cold for it to get to me.

I did the weekend in February. High temperatures were around 60 or so. There wasn't any snow.

A cold shower for a minute on Saturday morning is still the standard practice.

I don't mind touchy feely stuff. I think men need that now and then. But that only works in a place that is supportive, and MKP is not supportive.

I don't think the Mankind Project really knows what it wants to do or what it wants to accomplish. They have some nice marketing propaganda, but they hardly live by it.

Post: #7

I just took one workshop a long time ago. I never got involved in politics. I am surprised they are still around.

Post: #8

They were constructing some kind of building in Houston some years ago and it fell into foreclosure. VERY weird inside. The organisation always seemed kind of homosexual in many ways.

Post: #9

(10-07-2014 09:59 PM)TejasRojo Wrote:  They were constructing some kind of building in Houston some years ago and it fell into foreclosure. VERY weird inside. The organisation always seemed kind of homosexual in many ways.

That's interesting indeed. I really do wonder where all the money goes. What else do you know?

It's definitely more gay than the general public. In fact, the Gay Pride Rally was one of their big causes. That also means that the group is very left wing for the most part.

I don't have any problems with gay people myself. I do have problems with the social justice bullshit. In fact, it really should have been a red flag to stay away from them.

What made it weird?

I would also add that it has a large number of former soldiers.

Post: #10

I don't know much beyond my initial post. What was weird was the layout of the building and the property. Right now it's being used as an office by it's new owners, but there was some weird meeting room in the middle that had some custom doors that were carved with some weird animalistic tones to it. I don't know if it was some kind of symbolism for their religious or social beliefs.

I don't have problems with gay people, I'm just not one of them.

Post: #11

When you become "initiated," you take an animal name. By "initiated," I mean that you pay them $650 and do the weekend.

I had another boring talk. It truly amazes me when I'm around people who sound like they are reading canned phrases from a script. It's like talking to tech support.

These people seem so lifeless sometimes. It's not been positive. I should probably just leave.

And I guess that's why I brought it up here. I was looking for people to tell me to leave.