ABC Radio
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The guru playbook
The guru playbook
The guru playbook
Saturday 5th June 2021
Explore how secular gurus captivate audiences with charisma and rhetoric. Learn to spot their tactics and protect yourself from misinformation.
29 minutes
Informative
Inspiring
Eye-opening
Engaging
Cautionary
About this podcast
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ABC Radio
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Categories:
Mindfulness & Emotional Wellbeing
Mindful Recovery
Sexual Stigmas & Myths
Mindfulness & Technology in Health
Parenting & Children
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Get the buttons here!Unmasking Modern-Day Gurus: A Deep Dive
Episode Overview
- Modern-day gurus often lack expertise but captivate audiences with charisma.
- Develop information literacy skills to differentiate genuine experts from gurus.
- Gurus use tactics like the 'Galileo Gambit' to position themselves as misunderstood geniuses.
- In times of crisis, misinformation from gurus can have harmful effects.
- Fostering a critical mindset helps protect against misleading information.
"Every great idea starts with a minority of one."
Get ready to be moved by real-life accounts of modern-day gurus and their influence in today's society. This episode of 'All In The Mind' takes you on a journey through the fascinating landscape of secular gurus, with psychology professor Matthew Brown and cognitive anthropologist Chris Cavanaugh leading the way. These experts dissect the characteristics of these figures, who often promote themselves as uniquely qualified to provide insights on a wide range of topics, regardless of their expertise.
From galaxy-brainness to the Cassandra complex, you'll learn how these gurus captivate their audiences and why we should be cautious of their tactics. In a world filled with uncertainty and a craving for answers, these self-proclaimed gurus have found fertile ground. The episode highlights how figures like Jordan Peterson and Russell Brand use charisma and anti-establishment rhetoric to gain followers. But what makes someone a guru, and why should we care?
Brown and Cavanaugh argue that these individuals often present themselves as the sole bearers of truth, which can lead to misinformation and potentially harmful consequences, especially in times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. You'll also hear about the 'Galileo Gambit,' a common tactic used by gurus to position themselves as misunderstood geniuses. The hosts stress the importance of developing information literacy skills to differentiate between genuine expertise and charismatic rhetoric.
So, how do we protect ourselves from falling under the spell of these modern-day sages? By fostering a critical mindset and seeking out credible sources, we can better navigate this complex terrain. Are you ready to question the gurus in your life? This episode is a compelling call to sharpen your scepticism and trust in well-founded science.