The Commune The Girl on the Lawn
Jun 5, 2022
Mike Stickland, a former employee of Bert Potter's pest control business, shares his unique insights into the life of a man who transformed from a conventional businessman to the controversial leader of Centrepoint. He discusses the troubling dynamics of communal living and the dark moments hidden beneath the surface of the Centrepoint dream, including unsettling incidents related to children and consent. Stickland's narrative sheds light on the complexities and cultural shifts of 1980s New Zealand, revealing the stark contrasts in understanding exploitation and morality.
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Bert's Early Conventional Life
- Bert Potter was a conventional young man who did not portray himself as a sexual libertine.
- He had a typical upbringing and first marriage before transforming after studying alternative therapies.
Bert's Transformation Post-Esalen
- After returning from America, Bert changed dramatically, growing his hair long and adopting alternative spiritual practices.
- His interest shifted from business to leading a radical new community focused on therapy and alternative lifestyles.
Sexual Dynamics Then and Now
- The sexual revolution of the 1970s and 80s encouraged experimentation but men generally retained societal sexual power.
- The later Me Too generation strongly pushed back against the sexual dynamics tolerated in earlier decades.
