1. Erhard Seminar Training (EST): EST was founded by Werner…

1. Erhard Seminar Training (EST): EST was founded by Werner Erhard and was particularly popular in the 1970s. The seminars operated under the principle that ordinary reality is a construct to be dismantled, and that people tend to confuse the nature of reality with the thoughts and emotions they have regarding reality. EST went through a series of controversy and legal disputes primarily due to its unorthodox methods. Several defamation lawsuits were filed against EST, and some of its critics were sued or threatened with lawsuits. However, many participants praised EST for improving their lives.