Spirituality for Sale

By Mo Edjlali

In a recent whackfulness article titled "Digital Deepak: A Byte of Enlightenment?", I briefly discussed Deepak Chopra and his association with the AI Foundation. Subsequently, just a few days ago, I watched this session featuring OpenAI CEO Altman and Buddhist teacher Jack Kornfield, which left me with mixed feelings. While I acknowledge and respect the intentions and capabilities of these individuals, I feel a sense of uneasiness in my bones. And sure I have my concerns about AI, but that was not what bothered me.  I was disturbed a bit by the bromance on stage between these two powerful men.  I could not help but wonder, are the spiritual teachers, like Deepak Chopra and Jack Kornfield who played a significant role in laying the foundation for mindfulness, now entangled with venture capitalists? And that leads me to an even greater concern: 

If mindfulness and Buddhism become intertwined, and we offer mindfulness-related products and services for profit, are we effectively commodifying spirituality? 

Don’t we need clear boundaries and separation of power between mindfulness, Buddhism/spirituality, and capitalism to maintain their integrity and preserve their distinct realm? There is much to explore on this topic, which led me to turn to ChatGPT4 for insight. I think AI is a powerful tool and continue to be impressed with how it can be applied. Here is the question I asked. 

Paint a picture of a dystopian future in which spirituality is for sale, spiritual teachers actively use their influence to promote their personal interests and for profit companies use spiritual teachers as spokespersons.  What effect will this have on us individually? On society? What can we look for as signs that this is happening?

The response was chilling, I was speechless.  I did not feel like I was reading about a dystopian future, I felt like I was reading about the current state we are in. 

Here is the response: 

The commercialization of spirituality and its potential negative consequences is a critical issue. Let's envision a hypothetical dystopian future in which spirituality is commodified, spiritual teachers act out of self-interest, and for-profit corporations use spiritual figures as spokespeople.

Individual Effects:

1. Loss of Authenticity: Individuals could lose access to authentic spiritual teachings. Teachings might be modified or diluted to increase marketability, rather than to guide genuine spiritual growth.
   
2. Exploitation: People seeking spiritual guidance might become targets of exploitation. Spiritual practices might be sold as products or services with exorbitant costs, leading to a situation where only the wealthy can "afford" spiritual development.
   
3. Misguided Decisions: If spiritual teachers use their influence to promote personal interests, they might convince followers to make decisions that are not in their best interests, whether that involves buying a product or supporting a cause that doesn't align with their values.
   
4. Distrust and Cynicism: Individuals may start distrusting spiritual leaders and spiritual practices altogether, leading to cynicism towards spirituality and religion in general.

Societal Effects:

1. Inequity: Spirituality, which traditionally has been accessible to all, might become another area of life where the divide between the rich and the poor widens.
2. Commercialization of Sacred Traditions: Spiritual traditions could be stripped of their cultural and religious contexts and used for branding or marketing purposes, leading to the loss of sacredness and respect for these traditions.
   
3. Erosion of Ethical Values: If the line between spiritual and commercial interests blurs, the focus could shift from selflessness, compassion, and enlightenment to profit, power, and status. This could impact societal values and behaviors negatively.

Signs that this is happening:

1. High-Priced Spiritual Services: Spiritual services, such as workshops, retreats, and teachings, are consistently priced beyond the reach of average individuals.
   
2. Profit-Oriented Spiritual Teachers: Spiritual teachers are visibly living extravagant lifestyles, inconsistent with the teachings they promote, or they seem more focused on their own financial gain than the spiritual growth of their students.
   
3. Misuse of Influence: Spiritual leaders using their influence to promote personal interests, commercial products, or companies, especially when these do not align with the values of their spiritual teachings.
   
4. Commodification of Sacred Symbols and Practices: Sacred symbols and practices being used for marketing or branding purposes in inappropriate contexts.
   
5. Loss of Spiritual Depth and Meaning: Spiritual teachings seem watered-down, altered, or simplified in a way that makes them more marketable but less meaningful or transformative.

What do you think? Where is the conversation around this happening? 

Welcome to our Wackfulness: The unexamined, sometimes silly, side of Mindfulness series, here we delve into critical thinking, alternative perspectives, and exposing collective blind spots in our field. While occasionally provocative, our intention is never to insult or disrespect beliefs. Join us for an honest debate where we aspire to grow and stay true to our shared intention. (note - thanks to some community feedback we have renamed the series Wackfulness, not to confuse our older readers with Whackfulness, we also have recategorized a collection of articles over the last four years that were the foundation for the launch of this series. You can go back and read all 17 here if you are finding this exploration of interest)