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This article is from the R.E.M. FAQ, by Ron Henry (rgh3@cornell.edu) with numerous contributions by others.

55 "In 'Country Feedback," what is 'Est' in the line, 'Self help, self pain, EST, psychics, fuck all'? Are they referring to electro-shock therapy?" (R.E.M.)

No. Electro-Shock Therapy, usually called Electro-convulsive therapy (ECT)
is not pronounced like a word, but is pronounced as separate letters
("E-C-T" rather than "EST"). The EST in "Country Feedback" is probably the
self-assertiveness encounter therapy called EST, which stood for "Erhard
Sensitivity Training". Werner Erhard, in the seventies, concocted weekend
"self-improvement" seminars to make people "tougher" and more
"responsible." He made tons of money by locking large groups of future
yuppies in Holiday Inn convention rooms, yelling at them a lot, and
refusing to let them leave, even to go to the bathroom (this was supposed
to make them more successful in life).

 

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