What Doesn't Kill You . . .
Here at Self-Help, Inc. we normally think of the dangers of self-improvement culture as being those of over-promising and under-delivering. Self-help literature promises its takers the world, and when it doesn't deliver, lays the blame at their feet.
Sadly, self-help guru and Secret co-author James Arthur Ray's "Spiritual Warrior" program delivered: It promised that participants, many of whom paid more than $9,000 to attend, would have their lives changed forever. Indeed. Two are dead, one is in critical condition, and eighteen others are hospitalized after a "sweat lodge" ritual went awry.
Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once quipped that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. The problem: some things simply kill you.
Our thoughts are with the families of the deceased, 38-year-old Kirby Brown of Westtown, New York, and 40-year-old James Shore of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and with the other eighteen victims.
Sadly, self-help guru and Secret co-author James Arthur Ray's "Spiritual Warrior" program delivered: It promised that participants, many of whom paid more than $9,000 to attend, would have their lives changed forever. Indeed. Two are dead, one is in critical condition, and eighteen others are hospitalized after a "sweat lodge" ritual went awry.
Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once quipped that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. The problem: some things simply kill you.
Our thoughts are with the families of the deceased, 38-year-old Kirby Brown of Westtown, New York, and 40-year-old James Shore of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and with the other eighteen victims.
Labels: self-help culture
posted by Micki McGee at 1:09 PM
2 Comments:
I noted that charlatan's "sweat lodge" debacle on my blog as well. The culture of what you and Barbara chronicle has always bothered me; unfortunately, I work with several of its adherents, so each day, it seems, I'm accused of being "negative" and not understanding the power I have within me. It doesn't help that I'm an atheist. One of these people is an avid follower of the to-crazy-not-to-be-true Atlanta "Minister" Creflo Dollar. That's his name. He has a huge mansion, a private jet, and fancy cars gallore. He's like a pimp for the Jesus crowd. And like a pimp he is funded through the exploitation of the gullible. It's all so horrible it's hard not to get angry...no wonder I get "negative."
Keep up the good work.
And one more thing. Why does the MSM keep referring to Ray as a "self-help expert"? Expert? I would think you and Barbara E. could be called experts on the topic, not him. He expertly killed two people and dehydraded many others.
I really hope this helps to open the can of worms that is such New Age pablum. Rich white people playing Indian...it's all so unseemly.
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