Summary of the Core Content
This news article focuses on the illegal correction institution known as “Rushi Academy,” revealing how a former传销 leader has transformed into a so-called “master of traditional Chinese culture” who uses closed and violent methods to “rehabilitate” students—even adults in their thirties. It highlights the absurdity of parents being willing to pay high fees (120,000 yuan per year for a 7-day course that costs 6,800 yuan) to send their children there. Feng Lun analyzes this phenomenon from three perspectives: family relationships, traditional beliefs, and the logic of brainwashing. He argues that the existence of such institutions is just the tip of the iceberg in unhealthy family dynamics—parents are trapped by success cults, treating their children as “pets” rather than independent individuals. The master’s brainwashing techniques draw on prison-like “total control environments,” using methods such as information isolation, one-way indoctrination, and physical punishment to domesticate people. The purpose of discussing this issue is not to wake up the parents who are already obsessed but to help those who are hesitant and the children who may face the same fate in the future.
Detailed Explanation
1. Why do parents send their children to these “hellish academies”? — Treating children as “pets” rather than human beings
The primary reason many parents send their children to these institutions is a combination of a lack of control and a fear of losing face:
- Success cults: Parents have a fixed notion of success, which includes attending prestigious schools, buying houses, and getting married. If their children deviate from this path (for example, having communication issues or dropping out of school), they feel embarrassed and may even reject them.
- Traditional beliefs: Old ideas such as “you can’t achieve anything without discipline” and “parents always have your best interests at heart” lead parents to believe it is their duty to control their children. When they are unable to do so, they pay for “experts” to take over.
- Treating children as pets: Parents’ love for their children often manifests as indulgence and unconditional obedience, similar to raising a pet. They think it’s okay for their children to suffer as long as they behave properly. Even if they know the institution uses violence, they will still beg the master to punish their children.
For instance, in the news, a 30-something daughter was sent to the academy to address communication issues; essentially, her parents wanted her to live according to their expectations but lacked the ability to communicate effectively, so they turned to the institution for “correction.”
2. The master’s brainwashing techniques: A “total control” method learned from prisons
This master was once a传销 leader and had spent time in prison. His brainwashing methods are based on prison-based “ideological reform”:
- Information isolation: Parents are required to hand over their children’s phones, cutting them off from the outside world, so they can only listen to his distorted views (e.g., “pretend you don’t know if your husband is cheating” or “a father holding his son will make him effeminate”). Over time, people become indoctrinated by this constant exposure to a single set of ideas.
- Total control environment: Students are forced to wear uniform clothing, follow strict schedules, and live in confinement, similar to prison or psychiatric facilities (referred to as “total control institutions” by scholars). This environment erodes their sense of identity, leaving them unable to resist the reprogramming.
- Physical and mental oppression: With parental approval, the master uses physical abuse and negative reinforcement (such as not allowing students to laugh) to destroy their willpower, much like taming animals.
Feng Lun gave an example: A friend of his spent 16 years in prison and found it difficult to listen to others after release because he was only exposed to one set of ideas during that time. This is the same “domestication logic” learned by the master.
3. The underlying family issues: A cycle of mutual harm between generations
Feng Lun believes that illegal institutions are just a symptom of a larger problem: a pattern of mutual harm between parents and children:
- The older generation’s excessive interference: Parents control every aspect of their children’s lives, from education to career to marriage, leading to emotional issues such as dropping out of school.
- The younger generation’s counter-interference: When parents grow old and want to pursue their own interests (such as finding a partner), they face resistance from their children. This cycle is rooted in the traditional farming-era mentality of family dependence that has not yet changed.
In the news, the parents were tied to their expectations for their children; when their children deviated, they resorted to extreme measures to bring them back on track.
4. What’s the point of discussing this? — To help those who are hesitant and future generations
Feng Lun suggests that we shouldn’t expect to wake up the parents who are already obsessed, but discussing this issue can:
- Help hesitant parents: Make those who are skeptical about sending their children to these institutions see through their true nature.
- Save future children: Let current children understand that these family dynamics are flawed and avoid repeating the mistake of treating them as “pets.”
If no one addresses this problem, more illegal institutions will emerge, and family tragedies will continue to happen.
Conclusion
Rushi Academy is not the first, nor will it be the last such institution. To solve this issue, we need to not only crack down on these illegal organizations but also change parents’ attitudes—treat children as independent individuals, not tools for satisfying their own desires. After all, true success lies in being who you are, not in becoming someone else’s version of yourself.