I agree. All throughout my post I was ALSO thinking of DECLINING prices -- like PC cost. I have economics and MBA degree. I am fully aware of the arbitrary construction of inflation indexes. But they serve some purpose. Not the Total purpose. I am fully aware and open to declining prices over the last 40 years. Implying TM at $75 in 1968 should be $7.50 now. Or $.75.
I am not a shrill for the TMO. I am just trying to give some perspective. Like if a home owner in the SF Bay Area in 2005 has a home that is now valued at $500,000 (they paid 100k 15 years ago) and it appreciates at 20% in last year -- 100 k value, then TM cost is about one week of appreciation of their home. Effortless increase in value. Tax free, home equity loans available to "scarf off" that increased value". For such folks, and there are many, $2500 in NOT one weeks of salary (as was the traditional TM "fee"), but one weeks of appreceiation of their home -- by forces they are not even aware of. Personally, I think TM and everything should be free. But I appreciate market forces. And I appreciate that making TM, or any such spiritual practice, in a professional "mall" sort of way, costs a fair amount. And MANY will only "buy" it, accept it, do IT, from a mall type, well branded type of slickness. And That is not a strecth for THEM. Many paths. Different strokes for different folks. Just because you are not a Nordstrom's type of person (people whom I personally like and love), don't dis THEIR path. Its very spiritual-centric to do so (a bad thing). --- In [email protected], gullible fool <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Some things have gone up in price. Some have gone > down. > Thirty years ago, I had to pay 25 cents a minute for > long distance phone calls. These days, I pay 2.4 cents > a minute for long distance phone calls, less than > one-tenth as much. The reason? All the competition > that has opened up. Long distance is no longer a > one-company monopoly. TM is also no longer a monopoly. > Thirty years ago, our choices for spiritual growth > were pretty much limited to TM, Kriya Yoga, and the > 13-year old guru. Nowadays, there are many techniques > available that give much faster growth than TM and > much faster growth than the TM sidhis program. TM is > no longer a monopoly. TM is no longer a monopoly. > > --- a_non_moose_ff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > --- In [email protected], > > "markmeredith2002" > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > When I taught full time I never saw myself as > > "selling mantras" or > > > some such thing, but charging for the cost of > > maintaining a center, > > > publicity and other expenses, and a maintainance > > lifestyle for me the > > > teacher - plus of course giving about 1/2 to the > > parent corp as a > > > franchise fee for its role in developing the > > product and conducting > > > other support operations - at least that's the > > business angle on > > > understanding the course fee for TM. In short > > you're charging for the > > > cost of making tm easy and convenient for someone > > in the US to learn. > > > > Agreed. > > > > > I think that was fair when the cost was $75-$175 > > which it was when I > > > taught. Now with the fee at $2500 or more, that > > whole model breaks > > > down in my mind. > > > > I just checked an inflation index from 1968 -- when > > prices were > > $75/$35 for adults and students. Prices have > > increased by a factor of > > 12.3 times since then. > > > > A surprisingly large factor, but then again, adult > > theatre tickets > > were around $1, a gal of gas around $.3, a nice > > middle class home in > > the SF Bay Area waS $30,000, a large Hersheys > > chocolate bar with > > almonds was $.10, etc., an all day ski lift ticket > > at a premier area > > was $5 ($75 now), hard bound "best sellers were > > around $2, a new VW > > was $1200 or so (I think), etc > > > > Thus in "today's dollars", the 1968 equivalent price > > TM for an adult > > is about $925. > > > > One could argue (not me particularly) that the value > > of the prodcut > > has increased due to the availability of adjuct > > products that are now > > available to enhance the core porduct: AV, jyotish, > > yagyas, gems, > > sidhis, collective consiousness, etc. > > > > Thus a price of $1500-2000 would not be unreasonable > > given the more > > complete product portfolio available compared to the > > lone product > > offering at $925. > > > > An extra $500 (25%) ($20 in 1968 terms) is added for > > "humanitarian > > projects" not unlike what some firms like Starbucks > > and Ben and > > Jerry's do (thought their percentage may be > > different). > > > > Voila $2500 is "reasonable". And not so far off from > > 1968 prices. And > > heck, you get a King thrown in for free! > > > > > > (See link. You need to do some multiplication to get > > the index back 38 > > years.) > > > http://www.watsonwyatt.com/europe/pubs/longtermstats/render2.asp?ID=14440 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor > > --------------------~--> > > Join modern day disciples reach the disfigured and > > poor with hope and healing > > > http://us.click.yahoo.com/lMct6A/Vp3LAA/i1hLAA/UlWolB/TM > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> > > > > > > To subscribe, send a message to: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > Or go to: > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ > > and click 'Join This Group!' > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! 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