For clarity, which female followers are you thinking of?
>________________________________ > From: navashok <[email protected]> >To: [email protected] >Sent: Monday, February 25, 2013 8:27 AM >Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: Barry's Opinion - in a nutshell > > > > > >--- In [email protected], "Ann" wrote: >> >> >> >> --- In [email protected], navashok wrote: >> > >> > Some of Barry's typical 'followers', on-pilers, can be seen in this video >> > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoRZx0lCUTQ >> >> That woman seems pretty excited. I'm pretty sure no one has mustered up that >> kind of enthusiasm for or over Barry. Most of his 'followers' appear more >> subdued. > >I thought that Barry's philosophical and cultural ponderings were eliciting >quite some heated debate among his female followers at times, and there were >three women there. I think it's simply the law of attraction. > >> > >> > --- In [email protected], "Ann" wrote: >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > --- In [email protected], turquoiseb wrote: >> > > > >> > > > I've been staying out of the mock furor over one silly >> > > > planted article in the NYTimes, allowing those who feel >> > > > somehow invested in it one way or another to shoot their >> > > > wads, and allowing at least one TB to make 38 posts in >> > > > two days, either arguing about it or playing other ego >> > > > games to puff up her imaginary self image. :-) >> > > > >> > > > But I will comment on the SADNESS of the TM movement >> > > > these days, in terms of how it feels the need to market >> > > > its products. First, as I commented on earlier, it has >> > > > since Day One based most of its marketing appeal on the >> > > > idiocy of the general public, and their tendency to >> > > > believe that "If someone famous does it/wears it/drives >> > > > it, I should, too." Maharishi, like many Indians, was >> > > > the utter personification of celebrity-worship and using >> > > > these celebrities to make people believe that he had >> > > > similar celebrity. It can be honestly speculated that >> > > > if he hadn't run into the Beatles, no more than a few >> > > > thousand people would *ever* have started TM. >> > > > >> > > > ( As an aside, and to underscore that it's not just TMers >> > > > who are suckers for this blatant use of celebrities to >> > > > sell things, did you know that companies pay celebrities >> > > > *millions* of dollars to shill for them as their "celebrity >> > > > spokespersons?" Kim Kardashian -- that vapid, unattractive, >> > > > talentless bimbo who made herself famous by releasing a >> > > > video of herself fucking and claimed it had been "leaked" -- >> > > > now gets $10,000 every time she mentions a product on one >> > > > of her TWEETS? Now *that* is insane. ) >> > > > >> > > > But the sad part is that the TMO *still* use this technique, >> > > > because the OLD PEOPLE who run the TM movement 1) are so >> > > > lacking in creativity that they can't think of any way to >> > > > market their products that Maharishi didn't use himself, >> > > > 2) they're OLD PEOPLE, still caught up in celebrity- >> > > > worship themselves, and 3) the primary target of all of >> > > > their marketing efforts are OLD PEOPLE like themselves, >> > > > the hangers-on to the myth of the TM movement, not new >> > > > TMers at all. >> > > > >> > > > The TMO has done such a shitty job with its image over >> > > > the years that it simply *cannot* market TM as a stand- >> > > > alone product competing with better and more reasonably >> > > > priced forms of meditation. So they have to use celebrities >> > > > to sell it, and *primarily to existing meditators*. THAT >> > > > has been their real "marketing strateqy" since the late >> > > > 1970s -- "preaching to the converted," trying to get *them* >> > > > to feel good about practicing TM so that they'll continue >> > > > to flood the movement with donations. >> > > > >> > > > Fascinatingly, that is the approach that Maharishi fell >> > > > back upon and that is still being used today to try to >> > > > market TM to new people. It's still completely based on an >> > > > appeal to OLD PEOPLE, and in particular *wealthy* OLD >> > > > PEOPLE. *No one even tries* to present TM as a standalone >> > > > product and sell it to the end users. Instead they pitch >> > > > it as a panacea for social ills, and as a way to "help" >> > > > the Victim Du Jour -- children, PTSD veterans, etc. The >> > > > *entire appeal* is to rich OLD PEOPLE, to try to get them >> > > > to "contribute," either with their names (if they are >> > > > celebrities) or with money, or both. >> > > > >> > > > One can say that the use of "science" to try to sell TM is >> > > > an extension of the same idea. In our era, "science" itself >> > > > is a bit of a celebrity -- claim that something is "scientific" >> > > > and an astounding number of people will actually believe it. >> > > > So they concocted pseudo-science based on Bad Protocols to >> > > > make it *look* as if TM had some scientific validation, and >> > > > again a large number of people bought into this. In my opinion, >> > > > this all started NOT as an attempt to market TM to new people, >> > > > but as a way to "preach to the converted" and keep existing >> > > > OLD PEOPLE -- the TMO "base" -- on the hook and still contrib- >> > > > uting by sending in donations or paying for courses. >> > > > >> > > > And again, it worked, because people never seem to tire of >> > > > being told, "You're so smart...you made the right decision... >> > > > lookie here...even *science* thinks that TM is worth doing." >> > > > And of course hoardes of OLD PEOPLE, wishing to be told that >> > > > the hours they'd spent sitting on their butts (let alone >> > > > bouncing on them) weren't wasted, lapped it up like dogs, >> > > > and continue to. TMers *still* salivate over every celebrity >> > > > mention, and every crap study presented as if it were real >> > > > research. >> > > > >> > > > But the bottom line is that the TM movement is OLD, and dying. >> > > > And so is its "base." >> > > > >> > > > IT CANNOT COMPETE in the "meditation marketplace" with tech- >> > > > niques that present themselves more honestly, such as mindful- >> > > > ness meditation or other techniques still taught cheaply or >> > > > for free. So it still tries to rely on celebrity and on pseudo- >> > > > science to market itself to the rich people who are anxious to >> > > > work their *own* image by appearing to be benevolent donors >> > > > to "good works." >> > > > >> > > > THERE IS NO OTHER SOURCE OF INCOME. That's ALL that >> > > > the TMO has got. >> > > > >> > > > Pretty sad, for a technique that once had the ability to be >> > > > sold as what it was, a simple, easily learned technique of >> > > > relaxation to be practiced max twice a day for 20 minutes, >> > > > and sold for what it was actually worth -- 35 bucks. That >> > > > actually *succeeded* in the marketplace for a time presenting >> > > > itself that way (with the help of a lot of celebrities, of >> > > > course). Now it's just OLD, and in the way. >> > > > >> > > >> > >> > > > > >
