Gurus, Geniuses, Mystics: Con-artists and Madmen

Increasingly more grandiose, people are injured and humiliated by and shun the truly intelligent, expert, knowledgeable, and insightful. They opt for ersatz fake gold.

It is not surprising that the latter - the Western trickster "coaches" and conspiracy theorists - often quote the former (the Indian phonies) . They are specimen of the same family of lethal intellectual viruses in human form.

There is a tsunami of mental health disorders heading our way. It is projected to affect at least half the population, in all age groups.

But there are two additional waves inexorably coursing to our already dilapidated shores: irrationality and grandiosity.

[michaeledwardhunter]

Aphorism: "It should never be forgotten (but perhaps always forgiven) that someone who’s an absolute genius in one area can be a complete imbecile in another."

[justusnow]

You forgot....have you noticed that everyone doing their job is now a Heroe? Heroes everywhere...so special.

[michaeledwardhunter]

Aphorism: "Being a genius usually means being worse than a lot of people at a good many things but incomparably better at one."

[renatak]

Thanks a million for this video, Sam! I hope it becomes viral, you nailed it!

[taulantkrasniqi]

I think this video should be played in every screen of this world. Stupidity is rampant in this world. I can’t bear it.

[binabinnat]

Congratulations Sam! You got 100k subscribers!

[victorhadjiev]

''Because here is the fact: You are not special. You are not unique. And the vast majority of you will do nothing else in life, except maybe if you are lucky bring children to the world and miseducate them. The vast majority of you will end up failures...'' - GOLD!!!

[kalik]

I think this is my favourite episode you have done on YouTube, because it made me laugh...having said that I do not agree that Jonathan Swift was a psychopath because he was far too compassionate and cared so much about people that were abused systemically (perhaps by psychopaths) during the times within which he lived. "Power is no blessing in itself, except when it is used to protect the innocent" --Jonathan Swift

[makeshiftmasquerade]

(Having ASD, I am not sure if this is sarcasm or satire or something so please don’t get upset with me if I misinterpret this message.)

I always kind of saw through the “everyones special” narrative. I stubbornly believe hard work will get me somewhere, I admit, but it is only because I deeply fear the alternative, and I realize that is an infantile and immature fear. Also, work is my coping mechanism, so I try to distract my brain with productive activities regardless of how meaningful they may be.

I never once truly believed myself to be special, and I never understood what special or unique were even meant to be as concepts. They are impossible to quantify or confirm because we do not know the parameters of the universe we inhabit. If something exists, the potential of another exact copy coming into existence is inherently there unless there is a strong logical reason otherwise.

Further, the archetype of the special chosen one in stories always fascinated me, as these tales either happily skip over how being slightly different can make your life a living hell, or it overplays that dimension with obnoxious social commentary. Nobody truly thinks of the person who is different as having feelings beyond hyperbolic and deep yet shallow expressions. The idea of being different from the masses is either framed as a divine privilege or a romanticized struggle.

I always remember the idea of me being special or different being forced upon me by peers, and believe me I am far from a prodigy. I am quite average, if anything, my disability is what people use as evidence to claim that I am “different” or “special”, even though more and more people are being diagnosed with autism these days. I was told by peers that they wished they had autism so they’d be special like me, and I would just flatly say but I am not special at all.

I never believed I had some profound worth as a human being, and after a suicidal phase where I wondered why a being as flawed as me existed to begin with, I sort of saw myself as just being there, like an ant on the sidewalk. I would always be unaware of that bigger meaning to life, so I might as well be a cog in the machine, and focus on doing my best to collect bread crumbs like the insignificant ant I am and enjoy what I can about life.

I realize perhaps that confined context of my meaning to the world was for the best. Sure, believe I am special and that everyone is special too, ignore that it makes no sense, but deep down I always know the truth. How can you ignore it? When you see all these people in the world, each have their positives and negatives, sure, but that does not make us all gods.

What baffles me is who would even want to be a prodigy or special person? In my experience being only slightly different from most people, my life has been full of ostracism as has many others like me. I cannot imagine what it must be like for those whom are considered prodigies by professionals.

[binabinnat]

Tsunami heading our way! Yes...I think it is already IN! Your energy and darkish humour opens up to an enlightened viewpoint on this subject Sam!
THANK YOU!

[JessieBeRich]

Man, I think you are really interesting to listen to. Refreshing candor.

[nadiapanettieri]

Thank you for your work - putting your genius to great work and very helpful

[michaeledwardhunter]

Aphorism: "So much of what we say or do is group think. It takes an exceptional action or event, sometimes only recognized as such much later, to break us out of this. This action or event is often called genius."

[brettbanduccidma]

Masterful! Only thing missing was a mic drop at the end.

[kinanmadani]

I cannot watch and rewatch the video enough. I'm grateful. The west and your country has the right to be proud of such a profound brave person who call things as they are even if that deprives us from the fantasy of being "Prodigies". At least when I know myself for real and diagnose my weaknesses I may be able treat them. I won't be exploited by salesmen in disguise to sell me "heaven's dreams".

Bless you Dr. Sam

[ILLnana]

Can you please make a video about Borderline men. The differences between Narcissistic men and Borderline men. Thank you so much

[lisaconstantinou]

I am Outstandingly unique, living for likes and failing. Then stooping to a new low, by hiring a coach? Is a mentor ok? I’m kidding that was brilliant and certainly food for thought. Embarrassingly I have studied for 7 years to be a coach...CBT DBT, counselling and more...but truly nothing beats your style. Ultimately it’s an amazing person thing!

[Aditya-csjn]

Was hoping for this one. Cathartic. Thank you for your voice of reason and guiding us closer to the reality of things sir.

[bigrockydennis]

This lecture reminds me of the Nazis who travelled to Nepal and concluded that the Abominable Snowman was the original Aryan figure. Its ridiculous to think such a thing because Sasquatch obviously has no interest in bettering himself or integrating into civilized society!

[djketler]

100% agree with everything said. I'd only comment to say that the "Indian phonies" you speak of are a very specific group, primarily found within the last 100 years, of those who took advantage of mass Western interest in what is otherwise respectable from the Indian mystical tradition. When you speak of the superior Western values, I don't think you are consciously weighing them up against the likes of Dharmakirti, Nagarjuna, or, more contemporarily, Izutsu Toshihiko. Don't give the narcissists the credit they want: Indian philosophy is not theirs, and should not be obfuscated by their abuse of it.