Teachers, Professionals, Authorities

[Ian]

It's a curious thing, when a forum like this gets so big and successful that it has a significant number of people on it who make their living (or derive a major part of their identity) from being an authority on spiritual subjects.

 

Some seem to be very graceful about it, others, well, a little too determined not to be challenged. And of course some people are like that anyway, without necessarily being teachers.

 

I don't have a conclusion here, (except that sneering arrogance is usually a pretty bad way to get one's message across ! ) I was just wondering if people have any thoughts. Would it be good if people who are in a sense representing their own business interests declared as much?

[Apech]

It's a curious thing, when a forum like this gets so big and successful that it has a significant number of people on it who make their living (or derive a major part of their identity) from being an authority on spiritual subjects.

 

Some seem to be very graceful about it, others, well, a little too determined not to be challenged. And of course some people are like that anyway, without necessarily being teachers.

 

I don't have a conclusion here, (except that sneering arrogance is usually a pretty bad way to get one's message across ! ) I was just wondering if people have any thoughts. Would it be good if people who are in a sense representing their own business interests declared as much?

 

 

Hi Ian,

 

The thing I value most about this place is the low level of moderation and control (though I know that people get suspended). I think its really obvious if someone is here to do marketing - and I'm not keen - but given its so obvious I think everyone else can see it too. If some one is running a business around chi, martial arts or meditation and so on - then best of luck to them. There is a kind of debased Christian objection to people earning a living from teaching - but I think this is a distorted view of what spirituality is. The problem is always exploitation, making false claims and rip offs. But that's true in the rest of life also.

 

I would like to keep things as they are and if someone is overtly selling instead of discussing them we can all ignore or leave replies which point this out to everyone else.

[Ian]

Hi Ian,

 

The thing I value most about this place is the low level of moderation and control (though I know that people get suspended). I think its really obvious if someone is here to do marketing - and I'm not keen - but given its so obvious I think everyone else can see it too. If some one is running a business around chi, martial arts or meditation and so on - then best of luck to them. There is a kind of debased Christian objection to people earning a living from teaching - but I think this is a distorted view of what spirituality is. The problem is always exploitation, making false claims and rip offs. But that's true in the rest of life also.

 

I would like to keep things as they are and if someone is overtly selling instead of discussing them we can all ignore or leave replies which point this out to everyone else.

 

Sure: I wasn't thinking about enforced rules. And I'm absolutely all in favour of people getting paid for teaching.

 

What I find regrettable is when, as it seems to me, people insist on being right, not just because they passionately believe in their own truth, as we all sometimes do, but also because if they were wrong, or if alternative views were possible, then it would kind of undermine their worldy survival platform or make them seem less saleable to this huge group of potential customers.

 

It's just this kind of over-determined edge that creeps in sometimes. Not talking about anything happening right now, particularly. Just something I've been wondering about...

[Apech]

Sure: I wasn't thinking about enforced rules. And I'm absolutely all in favour of people getting paid for teaching.

 

What I find regrettable is when, as it seems to me, people insist on being right, not just because they passionately believe in their own truth, as we all sometimes do, but also because if they were wrong, or if alternative views were possible, then it would kind of undermine their worldy survival platform or make them seem less saleable to this huge group of potential customers.

 

It's just this kind of over-determined edge that creeps in sometimes. Not talking about anything happening right now, particularly. Just something I've been wondering about...

 

 

Ok see what you mean. Its a form of mental attachment which is very unhelpful I agree.

[mjjbecker]

..

Edited August 26, 2009 by mjjbecker

[三江源]

Cheesy when types come along and lay down the law. Wouldnt catch me emptyin' my pockets for em.

 

 

(I just channelled Bertie Wooster in order to answer this topic.)

[Sloppy Zhang]

It doesn't really bother me. I'm a cautious person... I see something, I hang back and figure out what it is... then I know. I don't really think someone needs to declare what it is their objective is.... they make it known after some posts.

 

Um... but yeah, a "professional" will always have that affect. You know, "oh well I was a physics major in college" or "oh well I teach psychology at X university" and blah blah blah.... but you really gotta ask yourself if their title really changes what it is they are trying to say or if it changes the truth of the matter.

[Stigweard]

Cheesy when types come along and lay down the law. Wouldnt catch me emptyin' my pockets for em.

(I just channelled Bertie Wooster in order to answer this topic.)

 

[Aetherous]

Perhaps "tao bums" see everything and they've BTDT...but I'm always open to learn something new. Even if it seems to go against everything I know...it's good to realize that I don't know so much.