Technological Renaissance

Discussion of the SES, particularly in the UK.
Tootsie
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Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2009 1:37 pm

Technological Renaissance

Postby Tootsie » Fri Sep 11, 2009 3:05 pm

Touring the web sites that SES and its various off shoots have is a real eye opener. Most part one people comment on how nice the flowers are and how clean everything is and how well mannered people are. If only they knew what went on behind the scenes and how it is all stage managed to keep them coming through the doors and parting with their hard earned cash. You just have to look at some of the property school owns to see that it is a nice little money spinner.

One thing I noticed is that the New York branch has started to use technology and now does the part one course on the internet for a trifling $100 ! This could open up whole new possibilities, weekly broadcasts from India also using schools best tutors to give talks etc. A little creative thinking and the dollars will come rolling in again.

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Cousin It
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Re: Technological Renaissance

Postby Cousin It » Tue Sep 15, 2009 12:07 pm

Tootsie wrote:You just have to look at some of the property school owns to see that it is a nice little money spinner.


I'm very ardently anti-School but even so I don't feel that the courses represent bad value for money. The Part 1 course just about breaks even on what it costs to run (at least in Melbourne).
I therefore conclude that most of the flash properties come from gifts from wealthy benefactors. I simply don't see how course fees could pay for it all. For all its faults I have never found the School to be money grubbing.
Am I wrong?
Cheers,
Cousin

Tootsie
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Re: Technological Renaissance

Postby Tootsie » Tue Sep 15, 2009 2:54 pm

I would agree that the school does not make its money from the part 1 course which in Sydney is currently $185. However it does depend on numbers to keep all its activities going. I know in Sydney when the school bought the property in Kent Street this was achieved by senior pupils pooling their money to buy the property. The Sydney property market being what it is increased the original value by at least 3 times so a good profit was made. This allowed school to buy Mahratta at Wahroonga the former Westpac Bank staff training centre.

Probably the sad thing is most of the people that did all the hard work and made the financial contributions in the 1970's are gone.

Ahamty2
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Re: Technological Renaissance

Postby Ahamty2 » Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:34 pm

Tootsie, I am one of the senior members of SOP in Sydney who gave their all when Kent Street was purchased. When I left in my forties I had to start from scratch. No decent job prospects and no money with a family. All the time and energy that went into the refurbishment of Kent Street. All the sweat, with all the pollution, that was poured into the building only to be sold after the demise of the then leader and then to see it return to its neglected condition after it was sold. What a waste of human endeavour. How pathetic! The bulk of the money came from the Fox family from the USA who were with us at the time. It was their generosity that helped purchased the building.

And you are right that those who did all the hard yakka are no longer there. We were treated like colonial convicts, but we gave our all to that place called SOP. The Sydney SOP will never, and I mean never, see such dedication, devotion and sincerity of purpose, allbeit misplaced, again. I look forward to the day when lack of funds will force the sale of Mahratta.

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Cousin It
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Re: Technological Renaissance

Postby Cousin It » Tue Sep 15, 2009 9:11 pm

Tootsie wrote:Probably the sad thing is most of the people that did all the hard work and made the financial contributions in the 1970's are gone.

That's the way with the School. They take ("sucker") you in use you up then discard you like a cigarette butt.
I worked on the Board of Erasmus School in Melbourne. I even stupidly loaned money to the School. Did I get thanks? Of course that is rhetorical -- you know the answer.
The School's motto should be: "Never apologise. Never say thanks."
Cheers,
Cousin

Tootsie
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Re: Technological Renaissance

Postby Tootsie » Wed Sep 16, 2009 2:22 am

Mention of the Kent Street building has brought a few memories to mind. I remember spending many hours and nights sanding, polishing and varnishing the doors to the building because they had to look just right to the people that passed by. Unfortunately the doors attracted vandals who would run their keys along the doors causing scratches much to Mavro's displeasure. Also I remember one weekend spent on our hands and knees cleaning the carpets with tooth brushes because you could get into the pile better and you could focus your attention better on ' the working surface '. I still never quite worked out what this working surface was and would be grateful if anybody could explain the theory behind it.

I was also at the meeting where Mr Mavro was giving an address to all the school members, when one of the senior tutors got up and said he was not going to take any more of this B.S. Then one after another people got up and said the same thing. To Mavro's credit he realised the game was up and did not try to justify all his past actions, although as father of the school he was a bit disappointed with his children's reactions. At the end of the meeting Mr Mavro stood at the back of the room and shook hands with the people as they left thanking them for all their efforts. This is the only time I ever saw any thanks being given in school.

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Cousin It
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Re: Technological Renaissance

Postby Cousin It » Wed Sep 16, 2009 2:31 am

Thanks Tootsie.
One of my funniest stories is about painting that was done on a front room at Erasmus during a residential. It was done by teams of philosophers over the period of about a week.
At the end the work was an absolute dog's breakfast -- paint spattered everywhere (floor, windows), uneven coverage, messy finish lines, ugly brush strokes. A total hash. In fact the work had negative value because it all needed to be redone. I remember spending hours on my hands and knees scraping paint off the floor.
I never understood why working in the School meant you had to act like a lame assed idiot. ( I shouldn't say that - it gives idiots a bad name.)
Cheers,
Cousin

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a different guest
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Location: Australia

Re: Technological Renaissance

Postby a different guest » Wed Sep 16, 2009 3:33 am

Cousin It wrote:Thanks Tootsie.
One of my funniest stories is about painting that was done on a front room at Erasmus during a residential. It was done by teams of philosophers over the period of about a week.
At the end the work was an absolute dog's breakfast -- paint spattered everywhere (floor, windows), uneven coverage, messy finish lines, ugly brush strokes.


Rather than a 'team of philosophers' they might have been better off engaging a single painter ;)

I've been in 'retirement' from this board in quite a while (life/work etc.) but it's nice to see new faces. Tootsie are the SES using technology/internet a lot more now? Have they started up any flashy new sites? Perhaps you could post a couple of links?
Relatives with long-term involvement in the SES / SOP/ SoEP

Ahamty2
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Re: Technological Renaissance

Postby Ahamty2 » Wed Sep 16, 2009 7:14 am

Ah! The blessings of doing second line work (the jingoism that went with it:" working with and for others in the School") at Kent Street; Wow! But we did transform a derelict bond store into an incredible building, mostly with free labour and expertise. Yes that elusive "working surface" the space where everything meets and you had to do it while "resting in the awareness of the Self" and pausing in between activities. No wonder you were struggling to stay awake by the end of the evening.

Yes, those front doors, those bloody front doors, over and over and over again and again they were done then re-done then re-done. Utter madness!

It is the concept of second line work that is the crux of the success of the SES/SOP. Karma Yoga, the path to salvation and liberation; but whose?

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Cousin It
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Re: Technological Renaissance

Postby Cousin It » Wed Sep 16, 2009 7:56 am

a different guest wrote:Rather than a 'team of philosophers' they might have been better off engaging a single painter ;)

Yes, of course.
I painted a similar size room in my house all by myself in a single weekend with not a drop of paint on the floor or windows.
That's the amazing thing. Philosophy makes you a slow, stupid and inefficient.
I once paid for a group of students to come to my own house to clean as a fund raising event for Erasmus. What a debacle! They were worse than useless. And super annoying too. Asking dumb qestions like how we wanted the cushions arranged.
Cheers,
Cousin

Tootsie
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Re: Technological Renaissance

Postby Tootsie » Wed Sep 16, 2009 8:25 am

Thank you Cousin It for giving me a good laugh with your comment about 'Philosophy makes you slow, stupid and inefficient'! Could not have said it better myself. And like you its from personal experience. Also about the students cleaning your house. Every time I watch a zombie movie I can't help thinking about second line work: the walking undead. Wonder if its just the Aussie students or is it world wide ?

Tootsie
Posts: 151
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2009 1:37 pm

Re: Technological Renaissance

Postby Tootsie » Wed Sep 16, 2009 10:40 am

Hi Different Guest. The only two sites that are worth a look at are both from New York. The first one is the Philosophy Day School http://www.philosophydayschool.org. The entrance to the website states " Every parent wants something finer for their child. They know that a child by its nature is full of light. If the child receives the right education and nourishment that light shines strong and bright." The headmaster of the school is William Fox who was in my group in Sydney and I know to be of the highest integrity. From this form I know other schools have had problems with teachers who can only be described as thugs but I'm sure none of this happens in New York. Or am I wrong? The only thing I thought was a little expensive was the annual tuition fees of $21050, but maybe that's the going rate for New York.

The other one is the School of Practical Philosophy New York branch http://www.philosophyworks.org . If you click on Register then click on Distance Learning you will see they have started an online session of the Introductory Course. This is part one without the cups of tea and the real flowers and of course the good company. Don't know if it will work but at least it is using the internet as a tool to get the message across.

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bonsai
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Re: Technological Renaissance

Postby bonsai » Wed Sep 16, 2009 10:50 am

Here's the link to the distance learning bit directly. It's quite hidden and took me a while to find.

https://www.philosophyworks.org/content ... e-learning

Their intention is to run what happens in the classroom via web video conference.

Bonsai


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