This topic has 21 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 5 months ago by 
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It’s obviously been pretty quiet lately, and the last few times I’ve received No Caller ID calls it’s turned out to be my mother-in-law – so I didn’t exactly jump up when my phone rang around 9:15 tonight.
It wasn’t my mother-in-law. It was a man with an accent that I haven’t heard before. He wouldn’t give me his name or confirm who he was, but for now I’m going to assume it was Remy — though I never met him at the 5.1 Registration Event so I can’t say for certain.
He started off with some mellow taunting — asking me if I thought I was a “big wig sitting in a big office, thinking you’re better than everyone else.” I assured him I most certainly didn’t have a big office.
“You’re more like a little guy, aren’t you? Little guy, wondering what it all means.”
Remy went on to say that he was sitting around wasting time on the internet, and “Hollywood is burning.” He said he’d just read about Oliver Stone, who he thought was overrated.
The Oliver Stone reference seemed a little random in the moment, but after jumping online I now see that Stone was accused of sexual harassment today. Which made the next thing Remy said really upsetting.
“One morning,” he told me, “you will wake up, and someone will point a finger at you. Career, life; everything gone. Poof. But you’re just a little guy, right?”
Then he asked me if I had a clear conscience. I ducked the question: “Do any of us have a clear conscience?”
“How bout after Sunday the 17th?” he said (and yes, I have a ticket for the MSE on the 17th). “Will you still have a clear conscience then? What if little guy does such big things that he no longer seems so little to the public, to his friends, to his…. wife?”
I told him I was looking forward to the 17th. He hung up.
I’m not going to lie… I’m authentically rattled right now. We talk a lot about emotional stakes, and things the big bad boogeymen can do, but it would be all to easy for The Investors, or whomever else, to truly destroy somebody’s life by feeding false allegations out to the public. Or, even worse, by making us do things that they could then share with the public.
We really have no idea what we’re getting ourselves into, do we?
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I’m not sure a message that you might make it big has ever been so unnerving.
I’m not sure what’s gained by threatening to destroy every aspect of a person’s life, especially one who has been so loyal to The Experience. I guess if they’re really looking for emotional readings, something like that would make them go off the charts. But it would also burn that bridge into total fucking ash. Why do that to someone loyal to their cause? (Of course this is assuming ‘they’ is whoever is behind this/OSDM/?????)
If they did this, or even seemed to head fake towards it in a serious way, I have to imagine that @bcbishop wouldn’t be that interested in exploring what they’re doing any more (apologies if that’s incorrect, Bryan). I also imagine the community would rally around Bryan in a very serious way, likely geared towards putting a stop to all of whatever whoever is behind this is doing.
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I agree that it would likely burn every single one of us “bridges” if actually took footage/made us do things and then released it out into the world.
But they don’t have to DO it. They only have to be able to THREATEN to do it.
What have people done -already- in the name of these various organizations -without- such axes hanging over their heads?
What would people do if they knew that if they DIDN’T obey/follow orders, that information could/would be given out?
There are rumors already out there in the world of cults that do exactly this–put you in compromising situations and then use the evidence to maintain hold and control over you (check out the weird allegations against actress Allison Mack, for example.) This isn’t outside the realm of possibility.
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Just a reminder that the waiver for Anointment included these very specific clauses:
I will follow the instructions, rules, and laws at all times throughout my experience with LUST including prior to and following the conclusion of my time in LUST.
I further agree that you may use and license others to use my name, voice, likeness and that I may filmed, photographed and recorded during Lust for promotional use in any and all media throughout the world, an unlimited number of times, in perpetuity.
I further consent to the taking of photographs or video images of my activities within LUST, waive all rights therein, acknowledge and agree that any such photographs and videos will be the property of Company, and may be used for marketing or publicity of LUST in any medium or manner.
(yes, they mentioned this twice)
They will obtain photographs of us. Then we will receive instructions following the conclusion of LUST.
…they told us upfront.
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This whole thing really kicked off back at the beginning of the year with @bcbishop being photographed and blackmailed with said photos.
It would be foolish of us to not expect them to continue such behavior. -
@daela – I had seen the part about the pictures and figured two things: that it was standard waiver language, and also convenient for them in terms of blackmail. I had NOT seen the part about instructions that would come AFTER the event.
Wow.
So, I guess that hints at what’s to come for the rest of the “season?”
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They will obtain photographs of us. Then we will receive instructions following the conclusion of LUST.
In terms of connecting dots, it’s probably worth pointing out that almost all of this language — including the instructions line — was also in the release on the OOA Processing Forms. Doesn’t mean blackmail attempts won’t happen (says the guy that met a naked woman in a hotel room), but this is something that everybody that went through Tension agreed to a year ago.
Hope everybody’s kept their noses clean over the past 12 months.
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Sure sounds like we’re in for it, doesn’t it??
I did notice that language in the waiver…thought it might be significant since they emphasized it twice & mentioned “instructions following the conclusion of LUST.” But somehow blackmail didn’t enter my mind. It should have, considering what happened to @bcbishop earlier this year.
Strap in, y’all. We’re in for some shit.
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If they did this, or even seemed to head fake towards it in a serious way, I have to imagine that @bcbishop wouldn’t be that interested in exploring what they’re doing any more (apologies if that’s incorrect, Bryan). I also imagine the community would rally around Bryan in a very serious way, likely geared towards putting a stop to all of whatever whoever is behind this is doing.
I was up late last night thinking about all of this, and I suspect there’s another nuance to pull from the call that might counteract what you wrote above, Kevin.
It’s the dichotomy between The Big Wig and The Little Guy. Maybe-Remy said that an accusation could steal everything from me — but I’m just a little guy. I’m not like the people that are currently burning. Translation: I’m relatively safe for the moment, because I’m not really worth taking down.
But at the December events… perhaps that changes. Perhaps after I do some “big things” I am worth taking down. And perhaps that’s the bargain of it all: Take the power, and become a target, like all that are powerful. Or stay safe and protected, and remain irrelevant.
Without risk, there can be no reward.
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Take the power, and become a target, like all that are powerful. Or stay safe and protected, and remain irrelevant.
Without risk, there can be no reward.
This. This is particularly relevant, and I think that’s part of what we’re all gonna be facing. Gotta admit, I’m kinda excited (terrified? all of the above?) to see how this will play out.
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@bcbishop I’m trying to figure out why Remy gives a fuck. We have this guy who is unknown steps up the food chain. Why would he bother with trying to rattle you? Directly rattle you, no less. Does he no longer have people to make these calls for him? I have a feeling he doesn’t actually care about blackmailing you or threatening you. Reminding you that he has dirt on you doesn’t actually make a difference unless we know what he’s planning on using it for, or against. What could you do that would lead to him going forward with things that you don’t want people to believe to be true about you? What move on your part would be big enough to rattle Remy?
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It seems to me that Bryan is the only one who’s ever been threatened with blackmail. I doubt it’s something that everyone needs to worry about, or even, for many of us, something that would be effective (it certainly wouldn’t work on me, since I have no life to destroy and zero fucks to give about what people know about me). Clearly, somebody is trying to get Bryan to Hulk out, for whatever reason. Either that, or the “Everything is the System” theory is correct, and this is all part of Bryan’s Systemization. Either way, it should be interesting to watch.
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@remrelganaps I wonder if it’s due to his public work. His name is constantly attached to his work. People who have never met him personally know who he is. If his reputation was tarnished, it would have a major effect. Someone like myself, whose work is done separate from my name, wouldn’t likely be as affected by blackmail. My own demons are much more personal and private.
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Well they’ve been trying to get Bryan to “hulk out” since the beginning. And don’t forget they did it both times by threatening his marriage primarily. I think there are many of us who have a lot to lose in the right circumstances. I’ve been largely hiding my participation in Lust from my colleagues this semester. My academic career could be at best hampered by some of the things that have already happened, never mind what could happen. (Unless I REALLY fuck up my personal life is probably ok.)
But I also agree that Bryan is the only one right now who has been threatened with blackmail, and as he pointed out, that waiver language was there last year. It’s far more likely that they’re going to target individually what will actually get under our skin. These calls might also relate to the answers we gave to those questions asked when we bought our tickets, given that it’s in the lead up to the event (I’m making the assumption that there will be future calls to other participants).
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I think it’s an assumption that just because @bcbishop is the only one who -has- been threatened with blackmail means he’s the only one who -will- or -could- be. Especially given that this is Lust (and therefore about desires/obsessions and things that tend to be about our darker selves) AND that the next event is going to be walking directly (supposedly) into the maw of the beast itself.
I also think, personally, that almost anyone in the world can be blackmailed with the right information. Because there is almost -always- something to lose, whether it be job, profession, love, respect of peers, safety, freedom. Something.
That being said, I find the idea that TPTB could tailor things to each and every one of us–in a way that makes it possible for them to hit each of us in a different, specific way–to be enthralling as a concept. I just have never seen any organization be that effective. Yet, anyway.
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Yeah. Obviously. It’s also an assumption that just because @bcbishop is the only one who has gotten a call, he must be the only one with a phone. I’m drawing a conclusion based on storytelling, not detective work. Threatening him with blackmail now directly calls back to what he was threatened with in February (March?).
Something really interesting and useful I once heard about all the insane theories regarding the Song of Ice and Fire books – about any given theory ask what purpose it serves in telling the story. Nothing else – not feasibility or whether it’s fair or anything else, but does it serve the story.
We absolutely all could walk away from this being blackmailed. I think we will have to wait to see IF other people receive calls in the lead up to the event, and what those calls are like. My hunch is that Bryan being threatened with blackmail ties into his specific narrative, not into all of us.
I’m not going to speak for others but I suspect I’m not the only one who feels that they’ve had a tailored experience here at some point in the last 12-18 months. I know that the narrative that I was part of this year was so specific to me it was honestly terrifying. They absolutely can do it if they know you’re invested.
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