http://www.rit.org/reviews/guru_ppr.html The Guru Papers: Masks of Authoritarian Power by Joel Kramer and Diana Alstad reviewed by Sharon Presley Don't be fooled by the title. More than just a book about gurus, it is in fact a profoundly important philosophical/psychological critique of the covert authoritarianism not only in most religions, both Eastern and Western, but in many allegedly secular cultural values. At the heart of most religions, assert Kramer and Alstad, is a morality of self-sacrifice that proceeds from what they call the "renunciate world view." This view is authoritarian, they argue, because it claims that being "good" means sacrificing self-interest to some "higher" interest, which the authority conveniently defines. This allows the guru, Church or State to control the followers or citizens. In addition to the guru phenomenon, the authors' examination of how self-sacrifice is used as a tool of control includes fundamentalist religions, Buddhism, the concept of unconditional love, the 12-step addiction program, and even conventional parenting. Many people are deeply conditioned, say Kramer and Alstad, to expect that some outside agency, power or person will somehow solve their problems. "Looking for saviors, or holders of wisdom, as the way to lead humanity (or oneself) to salvation or survival has been ingrained into the old order...Behind much of the appeal of such authority is the essentially childish hope of external and magical answers to the existential problems and fears around living and dying." What the authors are calling for is a profound change in the basic philosophy of our culture. They argue for a morality that can develop the whole person through integrating and valuing both sides of the divided self, the spiritual and the carnal, the selfless and the self-centered, the compassionate and the egotistic. "The old paradigms," conclude Kramer and Alstad," all have some authority - be it leader, wise man, guru, avatar, representative of god, or prophet - telling the rest of us what life is about and how to lead it ...How to replace the old methodology that we are outgrowing is a major issue facing humanity." This book is an important step in that direction. http://www.rit.org/reviews/guru_ppr.html
