Analysing a New Age guru
Krishnamurti explained: a critical study
The acclaim accorded Jiddu ‘Krishnamurti’ (1895–1986) — as an apparently major figure in our modern understanding of all things spiritual — shows just how shallow western popular culture is when it tries to extend its reach beyond science, materialism and celebrity.
Introduction
The acclaim accorded Jiddu ‘Krishnamurti’ (1895–1986) — as an apparently major figure in our modern understanding of all things spiritual — shows just how shallow popular culture is when it tries to extend its reach beyond science, materialism and celebrity. The dismal truth is that western society still has no objective and independent metaphysical ideas of its own, and no ambition to explore topics other than psychoanalysis and popular theories of wellbeing, and this leaves us vulnerable to all kinds of esoteric vacuity. We can’t tell the difference — in terms of spiritual significance — between simple truths and well-meaning hot air, so anyone declaiming confidently on topics other than money or politics is sure to be granted a gilded platform and an eager audience.
