Addendum to NLT, Landmark, et al post...

"Shodhishee Manava,
Rauli, Mandiri,
Naandto Dev ha
Aapulya Antari"

- Sant Tukaram

Two of my most important points of contention-

1. Why should anyone have to pay huge amounts of money for learning the non-material richness/ "possibilities" in life. If X cannot afford to pay for a course conducted by ABC, why should Y who has attended it pay on behalf of X? Why can Y not simply "pay it forward". In other words, pass on what you have learnt to others, and spread the knowledge exponentially. You becoming a teacher is also a "possibility", right?

2. Why should the "possibilities" of my life depend on these kind of forums? Does the forum to teach me to be happy without being depended or addicted to only their way of life? Hypothtetically, if what happens in the past are my "stories"/ "rackets" that affect my "possibilities", then the forum I took yesterday is also in the past now. It will affect my "possibilities" in the future. If it stops me in the future from turning to a different philosophy, then it is for all practical purposes a "racket".

It's a bit like drug addiction. You start with small doses because your friends tell you that it will relieve symptoms. The drug only relieves symptoms, but the underlying cause is not addressed. You grow dependent on it, till it begins to take control of your life...

Quoted from www.skepdic.com :Research has shown that the feelings of having benefited greatly from participation in an LGAT do not correspond to beneficial changes in behavior (Michael Langone, "Large Group Awareness Training Programs," Cult Observer, v. 15, n. 1, 1998).