Zygon Learning Machine [Languages]: Hypnotism! Mind Warriors!

General discussion about learning languages
Speakeasy
x 7658

Zygon Learning Machine [Languages]: Hypnotism! Mind Warriors!

Postby Speakeasy » Tue Oct 15, 2019 8:35 pm

1. INTRODUCTION
I could have opened this thread under the “Language Programs and Resources” sub-forum. However, as the materials and, more specifically, the technology and the purported scientific basis for the approach are worth discussing, I decided to post it here, in the “General Language Discussion” sub-forum. Members are invited to review the information and offer their comments.

The Zygons are Coming, the Zygons are Coming!!!
The Zygons are an extraterrestrial race in the long-running British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. The Zygons have shape-shifting abilities, allowing them to replicate the appearance of another being, but they must keep the subject alive in order to use its body print. Limited by the small size of their force, they rely on shape-shifting and their organic space craft to conceal their numbers and seize power on Earth. – Source: Wikipedia

Zygon: Image by MangakaMaiden Photography
Zygon 1 (Doctor_Who_monster).jpg

Sorry to disappoint you, but this thread has absolutely nothing to do with the Zygon race or with Doctor Who.
The Zygons Are Coming !!!.JPG
My objective here is to present a language-learning product which once enjoyed a certain commercial success and to solicit the comments of members. I came across a website announcing the imminent return of the product. Should Zygon return to the marketplace either in its past form, or in some other medium, hopefully, a frank discussion of its probable merits will have been a service to visitors to this thread.

Which Zygon, Then?
A number of years ago, I came across a few offers on eBay for components of the “Zygon Machine Learning” self-instructional language courses. As I was, at the time, unaware of the broad range of high quality course materials and supplements for the study of German, the prospect of adding a few more CDs to my collection caused me to pause and consider the Zygon materials. I was still a lurker on the HTLAL and, having not found any references to this line of products on the forum, continued my searches of the internet to little avail. I vaguely recall coming across an advice that the company had ceased operations, not owing to the nature of their products themselves, but to civil suits concerning their business practices. Ultimately, I decided against making a purchase. My most recent searches of the HTLAL and LLORG have not yielded any discussions of the Zygon language courses. Before presenting the reader with a description of the “Zygon Machine Learning”, I will prepare the terrain with an extract of an article on “Neuro-linguistic programming” from Wikipedia.

Neuro-linguistic Programming
Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is a pseudoscientific approach to communication, personal development, and psychotherapy created by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in California, United States in the 1970s. NLP's creators claim there is a connection between neurological processes (neuro-), language (linguistic) and behavioral patterns learned through experience (programming), and that these can be changed to achieve specific goals in life. Bandler and Grinder also claim that NLP methodology can "model" the skills of exceptional people, allowing anyone to acquire those skills. They claim as well that, often in a single session, NLP can treat problems such as phobias, depression, tic disorders, psychosomatic illnesses, near-sightedness, allergy, common cold,[6] and learning disorders. NLP is marketed by some hypnotherapists and by some companies that organize seminars and workshops on management training for businesses. There is no scientific evidence supporting the claims made by NLP advocates and it has been discredited as a pseudoscience. Scientific reviews state that NLP is based on outdated metaphors of how the brain works that are inconsistent with current neurological theory and contain numerous factual errors. Reviews also found that all of the supportive research on NLP contained significant methodological flaws and that there were three times as many studies of a much higher quality that failed to reproduce the "extraordinary claims" made by Bandler, Grinder, and other NLP practitioners. Even so, NLP has been adopted by some hypnotherapists and also by companies that run seminars marketed as leadership training to businesses and government agencies. – Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuro-linguistic_programming

2. ZYGON MACHINE LEARNING
The information that I have been able to cobble together on the “Zygon Machine Learning” and the parent organization’s self-instructional language courses is drawn from a small number of what-appear-to inactive websites and blogs as well as offers for components of the company’s products. The image and promotional comments below were copied from the website of “Altered States”, apparently located in New Zealand. As far as I understand, this company was the last-known authorized vendor of the Zygon equipment (which is no longer available except as second-hand items on eBay and similar websites).

Promotional Proclamations – Source: Altered States
Zygon 2.JPG

Beyond virtual reality, the light-sound matrix stimulates your mind and opens your learning centers. Like magic it pours in new information, skills, mental programming, and lanches your imagination on fantastic journeys. Boost Your Mental Powers, Program Your Mind for Success & Launch Virtual Reality- Like Fantasies.

Absolutely mind blowing! I popped a French Learning CD into the Learning Machine. Immediately I was sucked into a deep, dream-like trance. Weird colors and patterns were created on the insides of my closed eyelids. While in this super relaxed but hyper-aware state, the special Learning CD began unfolding its magic programming.

A Vacation in 22 Minutes
It was as if a movie were playing inside my head. I could see myself in France having lunch at the Eiffel Tower. The music, the sounds, even the fragrance of summer in Paris. A beautiful woman spoke to me. "Bonjour, mon ami," she said. In an almost unconscious way I began following the dialogue. The mental imagery was so intense I not only understood what was going on, it was like I was there.

Learning at Light Speed
The Learning Machine is more than virtual reality and more than just a cool way to relax after a hard day at work. According to one college professor, "It may be the most powerful learning tool since the invention of the book."
Here's why. When you do a Learning Machine session your mind is cut off from outside distractions. Your attention becomes focused inward as the powerful sensory stimulation ( lightsound matrix) bombards your imagination. Ideas and mental images float in and out of your consciousness. It feels like the best dream you've ever had. Then while in this highly euphoric mental space, the Learning CD opens your learning centers to peak receptivity and pours in new knowledge and skills. It's the ultimate mind trip. But it's not just for fun.

Let's say you want to learn a foreign language, improve your reading and comprehension, or increase your math skills. Or just give your kids a powerful edge in school, learning many times faster than their peers. It's simple. You select a specially programmed Learning CD in the area you want to study. Plug it into any ordinary CD player. Then attach your Learning Machine digital headset into the head-phone jack. Push play and a few moments later your mind is launched into a pre-programmed learning session. In a fun, almost effortless way, the Learning CD unfolds its program and literally forces you to learn. It's the most amazing thing you've ever experienced.

Speak French, Spanish, German & Italian
Learning foreign languages, or anything for that matter, at rocket speed can be very empowering. And I'm going to include a ton of valuable Learning CD software with your Learning Machine so you can get immediate results from this new technology.

Super Motivation Library
Let's say you want to transform a loser mind-set into a winning one. Or you'd like to quit smoking or lose weight. Pop in an InnerMind Programming Disc. The sensory stimulation matrix opens a window into your unconscious mind. Then by infusing your "inner mind" with positive programming, you can rescript negative, self-defeating attitudes.

Physical Materials
Materials required for studying with this company’s language courses: (a) Zygon Learning Machine [language] Learning Discs, (b) Workbook (no images available) and (c) the Learning Machine digital headset.
Zygon 3 Spanish Course.JPG


Zygon 4b Digital Headset.gif

History, Technical Aspects, Assessment, Et cetera
The information below was copied from the Google group “alt.meditation”

There have been several questions posted about the Zygon Learning Machine all over the web, and I just wanted to post this general response to answer them. (I apologize in advance for the long post). For those of you that aren't familiar with the Learning Machine (LM), it is a combination meditation/hypnosis/learning device that uses headphones attached to a visor that flashes lights to emulate/stimulate brain wave patterns (i.e., alpha, beta, delta, and theta) for various states of relaxation/consciousness. More information can be found at http://www.altered-states.co.nz/index2. ... /learn.htm . It was developed and distributed by Zygon circa 1993-1994, and the company stopped producing it and is now operating under Mind Tek research (http://www.zygon.net) with the same Director (Dane Spotts). The questions I've been seeing on the internet are as follows. I've posted my answers below.

1. Where can I get the LM?
There are no companies actively distributing it right now. The last one I knew of was the New Zealand based "Altered States" (the website above), but no longer. The only option for obtaining the LM or the CDs/software is ebay or other auction sites.

2. Is it worth the money?
I absolutely love the LM. People are always wondering if it "works." If by work, you mean, is it relaxing and do the 10 or 20 minutes your listening to a meditation/hynosis track feel really calming and meditation-like, and actually make you feel energized afterwords? If that's your question, the answer is yes. Can it teach you languages and give you a photographic mind overnight? No, but with months of hard work, you can learn a decent amount of a given language or memory tricks if you progress through the lessons.

3. How can I get rid of this high pitched buzz that is heard while listening to the CDs?
The CDs play a high frequency tone to activate the light shield. If you play the CDs through normal eadphones/speakers it will seriously hurt your ears and might break your speakers. Playing the CDs through the learning machine should filter out the entire buss when in translates it into light patterns. Unfortunately, in many cases it doesn't, particularly when playing the CDs through portable CD players like a discman or laptop. What works a little better is plugging the LM into an system with higher sound output like an old style boombox or a home entertainment stereo system cd/dvd player. Unfortunately, many of them don't have headphone jacks. So, the unique solution? Import the CD tracks into your ipod using the itunes MP3 encoder at the highest quality (192 kbps), optomized for MMX/SSE. This filters out 99% of the high pitch noise when played at a normal volume through your ipod when your LM is attached. If you turn the volume all the way up, you can still here the tone, but at normal listening volume, the pitch is unnoticeable. I tested this with in Ipod 4th generation. This also takes care of the problem of worrying about damaging CDs (considering they're pretty much irreplaceable), because you now have a digital copy.

4. I hear the machine breaks often, is this true?[/i]
I've read reports that it is fragile, and can break. I haven't experienced that problem myself, but I do have more than one that I've purchased off of ebay, just in case. If they break, there is no one to fix them. I tried to fix it myself once, and I broke one. So if you can afford it, collect them when you can.

5. What are the different software options?
I've pasted below the list of CDs I own, some of which are ones that come with the machine and also many others (particularly, the complete language series). If anyone has any questions about the LM and related items, please let me know and I will try to answer them. –Adam. NOTE from Speakeasy: putting aside the non-language-learning related packages, the list confirmed that the language courses were available for the study of French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish and that there were three levels for each language: Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced.

3. COMMENTS?
Taking into consideration (a) the extract from the Wikipedia article “Neuro-linguistic Programming”, (b) the glowing proclamations on the “Altered States” website, and (c) the explanation of a few technical aspects and the positive review that “Adam” provided, how would you assess the scientific basis of the “Zygon Machine Learning” self-instructional language courses? Have any of you tried these materials yourselves and, if not, based on the information above would you do so? And, if you would not try these materials, why not?

EDITED:
Tinkering.
Correction to title from "Zygon Machine Learning" to "Zygon Learning Machine "
Insertion of "Mind Warriors" into the title.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by Speakeasy on Fri Oct 18, 2019 11:41 am, edited 7 times in total.
1 x

Ezra
Orange Belt
Posts: 185
Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2018 9:33 am
Languages: Russian (N), English (C1),
In use: French, Spanish, Latin, Classical Hebrew
Studying: Classical Chinese, Italian, German, Japanese, Ancient Greek
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... php?t=8792
x 631

Re: Zygon Machine Learning [Languages]: Flashing Lights, Hypnotism?

Postby Ezra » Wed Oct 16, 2019 10:04 am

I absolutely love the LM. People are always wondering if it "works." If by work, you mean, is it relaxing and do the 10 or 20 minutes your listening to a meditation/hynosis track feel really calming and meditation-like, and actually make you feel energized afterwords? If that's your question, the answer is yes. Can it teach you languages and give you a photographic mind overnight? No, but with months of hard work, you can learn a decent amount of a given language or memory tricks if you progress through the lessons.

Well, with months of hard work required, one might skip the whole "Zygon" part, buy a textbook and start working.
4 x

Speakeasy
x 7658

Re: Zygon Machine Learning [Languages]: Flashing Lights, Hypnotism?

Postby Speakeasy » Wed Oct 16, 2019 2:31 pm

There’s no arguing against Science!
“Beyond virtual reality, the light-sound matrix stimulates your mind and opens your learning centers. Like magic it pours in new information, skills, mental programming, and launches your imagination on fantastic journeys. Boost Your Mental Powers, Program Your Mind for Success & Launch Virtual Reality- Like Fantasies. … According to one college professor, ‘It may be the most powerful learning tool since the invention of the book.’

Here's why. When you do a Learning Machine session your mind is cut off from outside distractions. Your attention becomes focused inward as the powerful sensory stimulation (lightsound matrix) bombards your imagination. Ideas and mental images float in and out of your consciousness. It feels like the best dream you've ever had. Then while in this highly euphoric mental space, the Learning CD opens your learning centers to peak receptivity and pours in new knowledge and skills. It's the ultimate mind trip.

Let's say you want to learn a foreign language … Plug it into any ordinary CD player … and a few moments later your mind is launched into a pre-programmed learning session…. Learning foreign languages, or anything for that matter, at rocket speed [300% faster than with traditional courses] can be empowering.”

“For those of you that aren't familiar with the Learning Machine (LM), it is a combination meditation/hypnosis/learning device that uses headphones attached to a visor that flashes lights to emulate/stimulate brain wave patterns (i.e., alpha, beta, delta, and theta) for various states of relaxation/consciousness. … People are always wondering if it "works." If by work, you mean, is it relaxing and do the 10 or 20 minutes your listening to a meditation/hynosis] track feel really calming and meditation-like, and actually make you feel energized [afterwards]? If that's your question, the answer is yes.”

“They” don’t want you to know about this!
Ezra wrote: “...one might skip the whole "Zygon" part, buy a textbook and start working.” Skipping the whole Zygon part would be forgoing the benefits of learning “at rocket speed [300% faster than with traditional courses]” not to mention the associated feeling of empowerment.

“According to one college professor, ‘It may be the most powerful learning tool since the invention of the book.’” Skeptics may abound, but publishers of traditional courses don’t want you to know about this miracle (because sales of Zygon products would cut into their profit margins). It's no small wonder that there has been so little discussion of these advanced learning techniques on the language forums. And yet, this is science (sic)!

EDITED:
Formatting.
2 x

User avatar
aokoye
Black Belt - 1st Dan
Posts: 1818
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 6:14 pm
Location: Portland, OR
Languages: English (N), German (~C1), French (Intermediate), Japanese (N4), Swedish (beginner), Dutch (A2)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=19262
x 3309
Contact:

Re: Zygon Machine Learning [Languages]: Flashing Lights, Hypnotism?

Postby aokoye » Wed Oct 16, 2019 8:50 pm

Speakeasy wrote:3. COMMENTS?
Taking into consideration (a) the extract from the Wikipedia article “Neuro-linguistic Programming”, (b) the glowing proclamations on the “Altered States” website, and (c) the explanation of a few technical aspects and the positive review that “Adam” provided, how would you assess the scientific basis of the “Zygon Machine Learning” self-instructional language courses? Have any of you tried these materials yourselves and, if not, based on the information above would you do so? And, if you would not try these materials, why not?

I was going to try to write a quick reply before my French class this morning, but I'm glad I waited until I had time to thoroughly read all of the posts. In short, I agree with Ezra, if it takes months to actually "learn" using this device, what's the point in supporting pseudoscience. I would be interested in knowing the actual content of these courses. Not interested to spend money on them that would be significantly better spent elsewhere though.

I'm also somewhat amused that it shares an acronym (if we want to be technical, an initialism) with natural language processing.
0 x
Prefered gender pronouns: Masculine

Speakeasy
x 7658

Re: Zygon Machine Learning [Languages]: Flashing Lights, Hypnotism?

Postby Speakeasy » Wed Oct 16, 2019 9:33 pm

I have come across a few offers for packages of Zygon “Basic” French, German, Italian, and Spanish language courses for which there seems to be one, rather slim, combined workbook which is no larger than a standard CD/DVD case. That is, the inclusion of four language courses into one small book suggests to to me a rather superficial treatment.
Zygon language courses 1.JPG

Zygon language courses 2.JPG

The description on the reverse side of the Basic Italian course (see below) would seem to support the notion that these materials were more phrase books than fully-developed courses. I find "Adam's" suggestion that it would take "month's of hard work" to cover these materials difficult to interpret.
Zygon language courses 3.JPG

Although I am tempted to purchase one of these packages just for the fun of it, I have so many language-learning materials of similarly doubtful value sitting in my basement, I think that I’ll pass on this one.

Still, I am surprised that the purported support of these materials by an unidentified “college professor” (It may be the most powerful learning tool since the invention of the book) should not put the lie to any accusations of pseudo-science. "Adam" seemed genuinely enthusiastic. :mrgreen:

EDITED:
Typos. Tinkering.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
0 x

User avatar
Teango
Blue Belt
Posts: 766
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2015 4:55 am
Location: Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
Languages: en (n)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 9&p=235545
x 2943
Contact:

Re: Zygon Machine Learning [Languages]: Flashing Lights, Hypnotism?

Postby Teango » Thu Oct 17, 2019 3:31 pm

Hmm.....lawsuits.....I'm out! :lol: (looks like those Zygons have been naughty little aliens again)
1 x

Speakeasy
x 7658

Re: Zygon Machine Learning [Languages]: Flashing Lights, Hypnotism?

Postby Speakeasy » Thu Oct 17, 2019 4:41 pm

Teango wrote:Hmm.....lawsuits.....I'm out! :lol: (looks like those Zygons have been naughty little aliens again)
Thank you for sharing this with us. As I mentioned in the Introduction:
Speakeasy wrote: … I vaguely recall coming across an advice that the company had ceased operations, not owing to the nature of their products themselves, but to civil suits concerning their business practices.
Still, company’s business practices are no reason to question the “scientific basis” (sic) of the Zygon Learning Machine.

It is fairly clear that they were leaders in the field of neuro-linguistics [ ... the Learning Machine (LM), is a combination meditation/hypnosis/learning device that uses headphones attached to a visor that flashes lights to emulate/stimulate brain wave patterns (i.e., alpha, beta, delta, and theta) for various states of relaxation/consciousness ...] and that the hermetically-sealed academic and research communities, relying almost entirely on public funding and feeling threatened by this feisty little outsider, fomented a rebellion amongst otherwise satisfied customers with a view to starving the company financially. It seems to have worked!

Rather than focusing on the scientific (sic) advances that Zygon offered to the community of independent language-learners, we continue to be distracted by their legal and financial woes. So sad, so bad. :mrgreen:

EDITED:
Typos (I should have donned my Zygon LM and chilled-out before replying).
0 x

Cainntear
Black Belt - 3rd Dan
Posts: 3468
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 11:04 am
Location: Scotland
Languages: English(N)
Advanced: French,Spanish, Scottish Gaelic
Intermediate: Italian, Catalan, Corsican
Basic: Welsh
Dabbling: Polish, Russian etc
x 8659
Contact:

Re: Zygon Machine Learning [Languages]: Flashing Lights, Hypnotism?

Postby Cainntear » Thu Oct 17, 2019 6:41 pm

If the college professor was working in a relevant field, it would be noted. For all we know, they're talking about a guy who taught creative writing at a community college.

And if this idea was real proven neuroscience, there would be dozens of apps doing this in the VR marketplace. All the meditation apps I've seen so far use peaceful, ambient environments, and mostly natural scenes at that.
0 x

Speakeasy
x 7658

Re: Zygon Learning Machine [Languages]: Flashing Lights, Hypnotism?

Postby Speakeasy » Thu Oct 17, 2019 7:22 pm

Arguing backwards from the absence of successful commercial applications as proof that the fundamentals of the Zygon Learning Machine are not based on sound neuro-linguistics is not a valid logical argument. This is tantamount to trying to prove a negative. There are numerous cases where scientifically-sound applications have never made it to the marketplace or, when they did, they were pronounced dead upon arrival. The market decides what it wants. What the market wants does not have to be useful, it does not have to be based in scientifically-sound concepts, it need not reflect what consumers say they want (e.g., statements in favour of protecting the environment versus the market shift towards SUV's and pick-up trucks) and it need not be harmless to small children and other living beings. Marketability is not a measure of scientific validity.

Nevertheless, it should clear from my framing of the Zygon presentation (viz., the deliberate inclusion of an extract on “Neuro-linguistic Programming” and my frequent use of “sic”) that I find the claims of the company, and those of its supporters, doubtful, very, very doubtful.

My objective here has been to present a language-learning product which once enjoyed a certain commercial success and to solicit the comments of members. Although I did not mention it above, I did come across a website announcing the imminent return of the product (see link below). Should Zygon return to the marketplace either in its past form, or in some other medium, hopefully, a frank discussion of its probable merits will have been a service to visitors to this thread. NOTE: I have inserted this comment in the original post.

Zygon.net
https://zygon.net/

The Zygons are coming, the Zygons are coming!
The Zygons Are Coming !!!.JPG


EDITED:
NOTE: I inserted the comment (concerning the objectives) in the original post.
Correction to title from "Zygon Machine Learning" to "Zygon Learning Machine "
Typos, Tinkering.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by Speakeasy on Fri Oct 18, 2019 2:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
1 x

User avatar
leosmith
Brown Belt
Posts: 1341
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2016 10:06 pm
Location: Seattle
Languages: English (N)
Spanish (adv)
French (int)
German (int)
Japanese (int)
Korean (int)
Mandarin (int)
Portuguese (int)
Russian (int)
Swahili (int)
Tagalog (int)
Thai (int)
x 3102
Contact:

Re: Zygon Machine Learning [Languages]: Flashing Lights, Hypnotism?

Postby leosmith » Fri Oct 18, 2019 12:37 am

Thanks for this thread. I'm ready to become a mind Warrior and kick some Zygon ass.

Cainntear wrote:All the meditation apps I've seen so far use peaceful, ambient environments, and mostly natural scenes at that.

Headspace uses this molten light meditation for loving kindness of all things. Scared the heck out of me; I kept on imagining the ring dissolving into the lava in Mt. Doom :lol:
2 x
https://languagecrush.com/reading - try our free multi-language reading tool


Return to “General Language Discussion”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: nathancrow77 and 2 guests