The reason why Dianetics and Scientology were abused or even fought has to do with what is called a “cultural lag”.

The reason why Dianetics and Scientology were abused or even fought has to do with what is called a “cultural lag”.

This has often occurred in the history of technical developments.

This has often occurred in the history of technical developments.

An example is Dr. Semmelweis’s discovery of the cause and cure of childbed fever. For over half a century after that women still died in agony after child-bearing. Eventually the culture caught up to it and the illness which had accounted for a huge percentage of female deaths ceased to exist. Dr. Semmelweis’s discovery of its prevention was “ahead of its time”. Pathetically, scoffed and disbelieved, he even died to prove he was right.

An example is Dr. Semmelweis’s discovery of the cause and cure of childbed fever. For over half a century after that women still died in agony after child-bearing. Eventually the culture caught up to it and the illness which had accounted for a huge percentage of female deaths ceased to exist. Dr. Semmelweis’s discovery of its prevention was “ahead of its time”. Pathetically, scoffed and disbelieved, he even died to prove he was right.

The atomic bomb was wholly feasible more than a decade before it was “developed”. No one credited it and no one put up the cash.

The atomic bomb was wholly feasible more than a decade before it was “developed”. No one credited it and no one put up the cash.

The radio telephone was invented and demonstrated half a century before it was generally used.

The radio telephone was invented and demonstrated half a century before it was generally used.

Cultural lag occurs for many reasons.

Cultural lag occurs for many reasons.

In any field as retarded as the human sciences the emergence of Dianetics and Scientology, full and workable and complete, is startling. And thereby subject to disbelief.

In any field as retarded as the human sciences the emergence of Dianetics and Scientology, full and workable and complete, is startling. And thereby subject to disbelief.

This does not mean they aren’t used and useful.

This does not mean they aren’t used and useful.

It is significant that hundreds of aerospace technicians, working with satellites and rocketry, broadly used Scientology first. At the same time parliaments in some socially backward countries were busy passing laws against Scientology to protect their psychiatrists whose medieval approach was to seize people without any process of law and castrate them and saw out brains as a “cure” for mental illness.

It is significant that hundreds of aerospace technicians, working with satellites and rocketry, broadly used Scientology first. At the same time parliaments in some socially backward countries were busy passing laws against Scientology to protect their psychiatrists whose medieval approach was to seize people without any process of law and castrate them and saw out brains as a “cure” for mental illness.

In a world where governments are fighting to dominate men’s minds, mental technology is needed to protect the individual and to prevent the enslavement of all.

In a world where governments are fighting to dominate men’s minds, mental technology is needed to protect the individual and to prevent the enslavement of all.

So Dianetics and Scientology may be a century ahead of their times but still they are just in time before we all go up in smoke.

So Dianetics and Scientology may be a century ahead of their times but still they are just in time before we all go up in smoke.

Dianetics was the first practical workable easily taught science of the mind. It has endured already 19 years and is better and more used than ever before.

Dianetics was the first practical workable easily taught science of the mind. It has endured already 19 years and is better and more used than ever before.