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Comment by nishantvyas | Hacker News Reader

Let's drill down,

Why go to gurus to listen to ideas or ideology, that you can read in books and practice at your home?

Why go to college when you can learn anything from books or by working on it (as profession or hobby)?

Why go to tax planner when you can file taxes on your own?

In World, where information is asymmetric, (and we lack time to acquire information or expertise) we need help. They are our references/guides, with assumption and hope of good faith (No fiduciary agreement)

This is classic Principal Agent Problem.

Does Principal has flaws? Yes. Do they always work in good faith? No.

Simply put, What to do with information/guidance one receive is their prerogative and life/lifestyle of these people is theirs.

Should we appreciate ideas more than the people behind it? Yes. Will we ever do it? No.

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I know you want to "drill down" but your choice of comparisons is not apt.

Why do people go to Tarot card readers? It is almost certainly possible to study as much about Western esotericism and ritualistic practices as it is to study about ancient Indian religions. You have the same asymmetry of knowledge (Tarot card reader took the time to acquire expertise which you don't have time to). You have the same person/idea division (maybe your Tarot card reader is a drunkard and a philanderer but he can sure read those cards).

I think we have some weird prejudice when it comes to Indian spirituality. For some reason we bend over backwards to give it the benefit of the doubt that we deny to other traditions. You want to compare Indian Gurus to college professors and tax planners. The truth is they are closer to psychics and spirit mediums.

I feel you completely missed my argument here, which ended with,

Does Principal has flaws? Yes. Do they always work in good faith? No.

Simply put, What to do with information/guidance one receive is their prerogative and life/lifestyle of these people is theirs.

Should we appreciate ideas more than the people behind it? Yes. Will we ever do it? No.

———

One does not have to ”follow” these gurus, be it Indian or otherwise. But I also believe, one should have open mind to listen to all ideas. Eventually, What one doss with these ideas is one’s choice. It has nothing to do with bending over backwards.

> one should have open mind to listen to all ideas

Maybe you missed my argument then? Why not keep an open mind about Tarot, astrology and the healing power of crystals? At least in the West, these ideas are ridiculed outright and the ideas behind them mocked by the association. Yet the "love is the answer" surface of most Guru philosophy has almost the exact same philosophical centre as the esoteric roots of those practices. For some reason while most feel no compulsion to defend western esotericism they do insist people have an open mind about Indian spiritual ideas.

To be clear - I have no care at all what someone wants to study. My point is that there is a drastic difference in how we treat these ideas within popular culture. Spiritual teachers that peddle Indian ideas are treated significantly differently than spiritual teachers that peddle western ideas. As far as I am aware there is no basis for this. With your attempt to compare Indian spiritual teachers to accountants and professors you just provided an opportunity to highlight this difference. I know of no one who would allow such a comparison for a Tarot card reader.

What one study, listens or believe is their choice, regardless of the medium through which one acquire that learnings (be it a professor or guru. By your argument all professor and accounts are almost always correct because?)

Also, just because something is science does not make people believe it (for the most part of our civilization earth was flat and for many global warning is hoax) Similarly, just because something is NOT science does not make people NOT believe it too.(the whole world of placebo is not science that has shown to work for many)

cheers,

I don't know about Eastern vs Western religions/"spiritual paths" but I find them both to be a waste of time. Any type of "revealed knowledge" whatever the source should be treated with suspicion if not disdain.

You're not really drilling down. All these pseudo-spiritual "gurus" lay the entire basis of their thinking out using mystical thinking to explain things rather than anything intellectual. I'd rather follow a random number generator with where to go next with my life experiences than these types of frauds.

You’d be surprised to hear many of these spiritual gurus. Their ideas are much more logical (if not intellectual) than an average priest (of any religion) whose learning/ideas are almost always about religion. Again, I’m not making the case for or against anyone here.

Like I said in my previous comment, One does not have to ”follow” these gurus, be it Indian or otherwise. But I also believe, one should have open mind to listen to all ideas. Eventually, What one doss with these ideas is one’s choice.

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