Circle jerk. That's exactly what it is and what I was trying to get at with "mutual admiration society." Much like the way premies buy boatloads of Rawat's books and write glorious reviews to up the sales and ratings.
It also reminded me of an entirely unrelated type of circle jerk -- me! A compulsory part of the Team Training curriculum was entitled "I will not judge you" -- compulsory because you couldn't refuse to participate without risking the dreaded consequences.
Picture seventy-five premies in a big circle in a secluded hotel banquet room. One premie was instructed to step into the circle, face the premie next to them and say out loud "I will not judge you," and then step in front of the next premie and (going around the circle) repeat those words to each of the other seventy-four premies in the circle. After the first premie made it past a few premies, the next person in the circle was instructed to step in and follow the first person in the same manner. Soon thereafter, there were about thirty or so premies going around the inner circle saying "I will not judge you" to the premie in front of them in the exact same monotone at the exact same time in an otherwise pin-drop silent room.
It was literally a dead-ish compulsory/obligatory circle jerk dirge.
Thank you for that post!
